A mum is going viral for her advice to girls starting secondary school in September and it’s a must-read for parents.
Starting secondary school is such a big milestone for both parents and kids. Our children feel awfully grown up putting on their new uniform and heading into this big new school. But in reality, they are still little kids, no matter what they think.
We were all that age once, but things are very different now, and it can feel difficult to give our kids advice about a landscape that we haven’t experienced. We are looking at schools, apps, phones and social media through an adult lens, and things look very different when you are 13.
I wouldn’t blame them for not listening to our advice, to be honest, what do we know about what they are going through?
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Michelle, a mum in the US, has shared some words of wisdom for secondary school children, and they are worth taking note of and dishing out when we need them.
5 pieces of advice for girls starting secondary school
- Attention from an older boy is a red flag, not something to brag about – as a young teen an older boy taking a romantic interest in you can feel flattering and exciting. But we know it’s not. ‘If a boy has a choice of girls his own age but he is pursuing younger ones, ask yourself why,’ she says.
- If someone makes you feel bad for having boundaries, they aren’t your friend – ‘People who care about you respect your limits. People who don’t will keep challenging them. Know the difference,’ she explained.
- Your phone has a longer memory than you do – kids think they’re invincible and often don’t think of the repercussions of their actions. But Michelle warns that ‘anything you send can be saved, shared, forwarded, screen recorded.’ ‘Before you post or send it, ask yourself, would I be okay if everyone at school saw this?’
- Always have an exit plan – Michelle urges girls to only go places with people they trust, to watch their phone, their charge and their drink. ‘If something feels weird, leave,’ she adds, saying that you never need to give a reason.
- Set up a code word with your family – this is a word that tells your parents you want to leave somewhere, no reasons, no explanations, no punishments. ‘Most teenagers don’t get stuck in bad situations because they don’t know better. They get stuck because they’re scared to ask for help. Take that fear away before you ever need it,’ Michelle said.
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Parents praised the mum in the comments, thanking Michelle for sharing. ‘This is great for all kids, being a mom of both,’ one person said.
‘I feel like this is a message for boys and girls, nevertheless, I love this message,’ someone else added and a third chimed in: ‘Fantastic advice!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!’
