Parent Resources

 

Middle School is an exciting time for all of our students!  Often times parents are just trying to keep up with all of the changes that their children are going through.  Please check back often for updated resources that will help you guide your child through the middle school years.  Past resources have included communication techniques, dealing with different current pop culture events, and managing anxiety.  Please contact us if you have any further questions!   

Guidance & School Counseling Staff

Gina Cooper (gcooper@sau52.org) - Administrative Assistant


Deane Beman (dbeman@sau52.org) - 6th Grade School Counselor


Laura Bonner (lbonner@sau52.org) - 7th Grade School Counselor


Chelsey Babbin (cbabbin@sau52.org) - 8th Grade School Counselor

The Difference Between "being anxious" and "having anxiety"

Anxiety is a completely normal reaction to stress – most of the time.  It motivates us to study for tests or finish our assignments.  It can warn us against walking down a creepy alley at night and is the key to a fight-or-flight response in a dangerous situation.  Having a little bit of anxiety once in a while isn’t just normal, it’s healthy.  It allows us to make good decisions and get things done. Understanding the difference between being anxious and having anxiety can go a long way to helping your child.

Teen Suicide Prevention

A very difficult topic for parents to consider, but if your child is acting different please pay attention.  It may be just middle school difficulty, but it may be more.  Check out this very informative video about common things that can be done to avoid a tragedy.

How to Help a Grieving Teen

Sometimes adults express strong opinions about “right” or “wrong” ways to grieve. But there is no correct way to grieve. Coping with a death does not follow a simple pattern or set of rules nor is it a course to be evaluated or graded. Understanding these six basic principles will give you some tools to help your child through a difficult time.

Bullying Resiliency is Bullying Prevention

When you create an atmosphere where teachers and students both feel safe, comfortable and able to be themselves, you are creating a Positive School Environment.  It has been shown in numerous studies that this same positive environment can effect student grades, mental health and sense of safety.  Check out the top six things that schools with a Positive School Environment all share.

Building Resilience in Children

It’s not possible to protect our children from the ups and downs of life. Raising resilient children, however, is possible and can provide them with the tools they need to respond to the challenges of adolescence and young adulthood and to navigate successfully in adulthood. Despite our best efforts, we cannot prevent adversity and daily stress; but we can learn to be more resilient by changing how we think about challenges and adversities.

Confidence Gap for Girls: 5 Tips for Parents

Between the ages of 8 and 14, girls' confidence levels fall by 30%.  Fighting it requires taking some risks. These five tips will help you help your daughter navigate these difficult waters.

 

 

Talking to kids about marijuana

As the stigma/acceptance of marijuana has been changing for several years, talking to your child about this drug can prove challenging.  Here are some strategies to engage your child as they are entering a particularly formative time in their lives.

Video Resources