To increase communication with middle school parents at MCDS I thought I would set up a monthly blog providing information about my activities directed toward creating a safe and encouraging environment to ensure healthy emotional and social development for all MCDS middle school students.  I also hope to use this space to provide relevant information to parents about the various issues unique to adolescents within the context of our global, rapidly changing, electronic information world.

I had planned on using this first edition to introduce myself and then provide details on the different activities I have implemented in the first weeks to welcome everyone especially those just starting with us.  I also planned on providing notice of the upcoming projects directed toward encouraging a culture of community and inclusivity for our middle school student body.

BUT- What is that adage about “When men make plans…….”?

So since all of our plans have literally been blown away, including the content of my first blog, I will adapt as the situation warrants and discuss the issue of coping through hurricane recovery.

Although according to most accounts, Miami as a whole escaped the worse of the storm, it is also clear that regardless of the details most of us have been through an ordeal of disruption.  Our routines, our home base, that which creates comfort, familiarity and stability: our infrastructure – in the widest sense of that word- has been upended.  First, it needs to be acknowledged that we all react differently to these set of circumstances, we all use a variety of coping skills in an effort to recreate our own sense of stability.  Teens who are developmentally in the midst of creating and modifying mature coping skills may revert to more easily accessible, childish methods of coping.  Parents may be surprised to see some regression in their middle school child, with whinnying, crying, avoiding, and other previously extinguished idiosyncratic behaviors suddenly reappearing.

Conversely, some teens may use this incident to try out their burgeoning independence also surprising parents with offers of assistance, care for younger siblings, and taking on responsibility, without being asked (repeatedly).  Since adolescence is a roller coaster ride parents can also experience the “whiplash” of their child fluctuating between many different methods of coping, and levels of maturity throughout this extended time of readjustment back to our “normal” routines.

I have titled this blog The Middle Way because I hope to be a useful resource for parents making their way through these amazing, sometimes turbulent middle school years as they witness, assist and care for their child becoming the adult they are uniquely meant to be.