Inside : Useful tips you can share with your 7th grade daughter
Seventh grade is a year that can be both exhilarating and exhausting. I’m sure you remember your own experience back in the day—there are so many ups and downs that come with the transition into becoming a teenager, like getting one’s first locker, dealing with unrequited love for the first time, and getting braces on or off!
It may be a tough year for some girls, but thankfully there are several things that they can do (with the help of mom) to transform their “worst year” in school into something a bit more memorable and fun.
Why Is 7th Grade The Worst Year?
This is the year when puberty hits in full force, so you both can expect their emotions to be running high. Some girls might also feel embarrassed about their bodies, but remind them that everyone changes around this age, so they should not get too worked up about it. You can even share with them an old photo of you to illustrate this!
Your 7th-grade girl may also often feel insecure or find themselves comparing, especially when they’re trying to navigate the ins-and-outs of middle school. It’s normal to feel this way at times during their development, but try to appreciate the things that make them unique and give them time each day to do something they enjoy.
It’s also important to help them try and stay focused on schoolwork. When things get tough, remind them that they can get through it with a little help. Being in 7th grade doesn’t have to be all bad, but they will have to work for academic success.
Here are some middle school tips for 7th graders to help them have a more positive experience:
Tips for Doing Well in School
- Sit in the front row if possible. Sometimes the teacher may give a lecture in class, but they will usually have a lot of information in their PowerPoint presentations, so they should take advantage of that.
- Get involved in school and do well academically. They’ll be surprised at how their academic performance can affect their future career opportunities. If your teen needs help, consider tutoring or other programs to enhance their confidence in learning and academics.
- Don’t let the bullies win. Bullies are just insecure people who are trying to make themselves feel better by making others feel worse. Remind your 7th grader that when someone is bullying them, they should tell you or their teacher.
- Ask for extra help. Sometimes, teachers and tutors can do a lot more than what you think they can, so tell your kid that they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.
- Take advantage of the opportunities that their school may offer them. For example, if they are interested in joining activities like the school newspaper or theater club, they can let their teachers know that. You or their teachers may even have mentors who are more experienced in that certain field, who could help them with developing their talents.
Productivity Tips for 7th Grade Girls
- Join a sports team or a community service club. Teens don’t have to be athletes to enjoy sports. They may not believe it, but there are so many sports that could teach them valuable lessons, help boost their self-esteem, and even improve their social skills.
- Explore their creativity and imagination. Drawing a picture, writing a short story, baking a cake, or even learning how to knit or do needlepoint—they will be surprised at all the neat things that they can make and do without having to spend a lot of time or money! You can also teach them your own hobbies!
- Set aside some time every day to do something they like. Whether it’s playing a video game or watching TV, it’ll help take their mind off negative things and keep them from being stressed out.
- Be prepared for dangerous situations. Let your 7th grader try learning some self-defense techniques, whether it’s from a book or an instructional video. You never know when they might need to use them.
Tips for Building Great Relationships
- Listen to parents and teachers for advice. They may think that you are only trying to make their life harder, but in reality, you actually do know what is best for them. However, when a teen doesn’t want to listen to advice, sometimes an appropriate story will work better. Let your teen know about your history and what you went through when you were their age.
- Talk to trusted teachers and counselors. Whether it’s about a bully, an intrusive thought that is scaring them, or something else, remind your child that you are there to help them through it. However, they can also talk to their teachers or school counselors. These mentors are trained to help children and can also be a great resource.
- Be a good friend. When their friends are feeling down, teach your child how to cheer up their friends and be there for them. You can do this by helping them brainstorm ideas of what to do and how to think of others.
- Don’t be afraid of making new friends. Even if it means approaching a group of kids they don’t know and asking them to hang out, making new friends is an important life skill. Other ways to do this are to join new clubs or new activities where most of the kids will be new to each other.
- Share interests with others. People will know a lot more about them and what they like if they know that stuff about them.
Health is Wealth
- Quality sleep is crucial. Your teen shouldn’t sacrifice their sleep for studying, for doing chores, or even for checking off their to-do list. To keep themselves from being cranky, they should make sure that they are getting at least eight to ten hours of sleep every night.
- Make sure to eat healthy foods. There are plenty of delicious, nutritious choices out there. And they can’t go wrong with eating some veggies!
- Try to prevent sickness. It’s the worst for them and you when they’re stuck in bed with a fever and sore throat. They’ll be better off if they eat healthy and get enough sleep to boost their immune system.
Developing a Great Mindset
- Try having your 7th grader look at herself in a mirror every morning and smile. Smiling is a great way to start their day off right and keep themselves from feeling stressed. Even if the smile is a forced smile, it still signals to the brain to release neuropeptides. These peptides fight off stress, and when they are present, other happy neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins are released.
- Encourage them to never give up on themselves! No matter what is going wrong in their life, it is important not to lose hope. There are people out there who believe in them, like you, their teachers, family, and friends. Express how much you love them, believe in them, and that you will be there for them when they need you the most!
More Helpful Tips and Ideas for Teens
- Tips for Creating Habits. Teens are all about freedom and independence, so being told what to do may not be their favorite thing. The good thing is that they can prevent that from happening using certain tips, tricks, and creating a chore list they can all agree on. Check out our favorite chores for teenagers and how they can make them a habit.
- Creative Business Ideas for Teens. To help those motivated kids that are finding it hard to find a job to fit their schedule or don’t quite meet the age requirements here are a few of our favorite business ideas for teens.
- Cool Blog Ideas for Teens. If you have a teenager who is interested in blogging, it may be a good idea to help them find some fun, appropriate, unique blog topics for teenagers.