Middle School can be a challenging time for kids. Not only are they going through puberty, they are facing challenges socially & in most cases are transitioning from a smaller school to a bigger school. It is a time of significant growth developmentally as they are "hormonal", emotional, & they tend to test our boundaries & limits. Although it can be a challenging time for our kids & us, there is also a lot we can learn!
Here is a great podcast from This American Life featuring perspectives from middle school youth, teachers & parents.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/449/middle-school