Any parents of pre-teens out there? Oh man…the energy, the goofiness, the awkwardness…it’s all just off the charts with my daughter right now. There’s a lot to enjoy about that! It’s fun to watch my 5th grader grow into her personality – watching her sense of humor develop and seeing her social circle grow (starting sleepovers, having friends over more often, etc.). Occasionally, I’ll catch glimpses of songs she’s listening to, videos she’s watching or even conversations she’s having on FaceTime with her friends and think, “Wow, look at her go”. At the same time, there are also moments that cause me to go, “Hold up…that doesn’t sound right”.
It’s not even that those glances into her life reveal things that are shocking or inappropriate. I’m just becoming more aware of how much she’s growing up! So, as she’s on the brink of entering 6th grade and all the pressures of junior high, I also know there are some conversations we need to have. As a pastor, and especially one that works with students, you think I would feel ready for that. But I don’t! I’d be lying if I said I felt equipped for those conversations because it just feels different when it’s MY kid!
As I have started to research things we need to be talking about with our daughter, I found this article very, very helpful. It hits three hard conversations that we as parents dread and gives some GREAT tips for navigating those. I hope it helps you as much as it’s helped us!