If you have a middle school age child this won’t come as a surprise…..kids at that age are clumsy.
“Tweens” (as they’re often called) are at the age where parents must once again guard the valuable or fragile possessions in the home.
At this stage, kids have almost the same raging curiosity they had when they were toddlers. They squeeze, shake and fiddle with items in order to explore and discover.
This curiosity 2.0 wouldn’t be such a big deal if it didn’t come with a matching dose of clumsiness. Middle schoolers drop things, knock them over and crash into them on a regular basis. When kids hit a growth spurt, some parts of their bodies get ahead of other parts.
One researcher found that adolescents can grow as much as half an inch in 24 hours.
As a parent, you may find this new clumsiness merely disconcerting — but your middle schooler is absolutely mortified. It’s best if you simply try not to notice. The experts say you’ll be a hero if you can anonymously help middle schoolers avoid situations that will make them look awkward or embarrass themselves.
They also recommend not drawing attention to your middle schooler’s clumsiness. And never discuss their new awkwardness in front of them, especially with other adults around. Do whatever you can to help preserve their dignity, even if that means resisting the urge to ask if they’re OK.