The middle school transition can be tough on our kids, but it can also present parents with their own challenges. When you build a network with parents who are involved and “in-the-know” you not only ease your own anxiety, you can actually improve your student’s chances of succeeding in school. Use the following suggestions to get connected with parents who can help you:

  1. Attend fall orientation: Pick up important information such as school and events calendars and information on volunteer opportunities. This event is essential to your child’s successful school year, but it can open many doors for you as well.  Even before school starts, you can network with teachers, counselors, the principal, and other involved parents.  By providing the school with your email address, cell, and home phone numbers, you make it easy for them to contact you when a volunteer opportunity comes along.
  2. Get involved in PTA: There’s no better place to meet other involved parents than at Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings. This group is responsible for fundraisers, special events, and other teenagers’ activities at school. Whether you are a member of the PTA Board or simply attend monthly PTA meetings, you'll know about upcoming events when they are still in the planning stages. This gives you the chance to fit your volunteer time into your schedule before it gets too full.
  3. Make friends with someone who has older children: Use her experience to your advantage. How does she stay connected at school? What groups or events are worth becoming involved in? What are the teachers like? To find a parent with older children, ask your student (or her teacher) which of the kids in her class has older siblings. Then, next time you are at a school function, introduce yourself to the parents (you already have something in common). If they seem helpful and friendly, invite them out for coffee.
  4. Become a band or sports booster representative: Most schools need parents to help with their booster programs. It benefits the schools when parents actively relay information back to their sports teams or band programs. Be the person with the information and the knowledge about what’s going on! When you get started in middle school, you can stay connected when your kids move on to high school.
  5. Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer: You don’t have to spend hours at this:short-term commitments help you stay connected, too. Volunteer at a school dance. They're usually held once a month (less in middle school) and only require a few hours of your time. This could be the best (and most insightful) time you could ever spend observing what happens at your child’s school. Other options are working concessions at sporting events, chaperoning educational field trips, assisting with office work, coordinating snack schedules for sports teams, and helping with the school play.

Tip: Tell your teen the ways you are staying connected at his school. Tell him about your conversations with the people you are meeting. Let him know how important these connections are to you.