The Middle School years can be awkward and transitional, but also fun and silly.
Megan has had all of that. I sent her off to the 6th grade like this:
And she ended 8th grade like this:
Megan grew so much and it makes me want to hold onto her and savor the moments. Megan, like her big sisters, shifted friend groups at beginning of middle school and settled into a regular social dynamic of walking to nearby shops, occasional sleepovers and phone calls. Megan played the Bass in the orchestra and decided 3 years was enough. I think her most significant involvement in middle school was being a library aid. Megan seemed to thrive in interacting with the librarians and the opportunity to be helpful, while being given wide access to the school to assist with the tech and other organizing activities. She was able to miss class to work on these library projects. She took pride in it and was valued for her contribution. Many of her schoolwork highlights were social studies debates. She is honing her skills.
Megan's 8th grade year was culminating with a variety of end of the year events, and discussions of high school as well as conversations about summer plans. The end of the school year was upon them. Right as the fun stuff was about to start, Megan got a series of texts from one of the girls in her friend group. This girl had a whole list of criticisms she dumped on Megan and effectively said "we" don't want to be friends with you anymore. Megan was reeling. She checked in with the other 3 girls in the friend group and none of them disagreed with this dumping. I heard her crying and she told me what was going on. We talked it over. Some of the criticisms were fair but most were petty and just mean. The whole rejection process was spiteful and uncalled for. We talked for hours. Emma and Rachael were both really supportive and offered their outrage, and encouragement. Megan decided she needed to walk away and take the high road. She would be facing all of the end of year events and probably the summer adrift. She would be starting high school without a safety net of friends.
It was a rough couple of weeks but she decided that this wasn't going to prevent her from participating in the events she had been anticipating. She went to DC and hung out with other kids she was friendly with. She went to the 8th grade dance with yet another group of girls and had a blast. Classmates noticed and asked her about the former friends and Megan answered that they didn't want to be her friend anymore. She didn't bring it up herself and kept explanations to a minimum. Megan made the best of a terrible situation and did so without badmouthing anyone. She walked tall.
Her 8th Grade Graduation ceremony was held in the evening in the high school auditorium. We had gone shopping and gotten her a new outfit for the event and it really picked her up to have something that she felt great in. She choose a really cool pair of pants and a mustard colored top and she looked great. She felt great.
The ceremony moved quickly and she confidently strode across that stage to get her certificate. She was ready to leave middle school behind her and she did so beautifully.
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