When middle school is approaching, many homeschool parents start sweating.  Then they start worrying.  Then they start dreading. 

Then they stop homeschooling.

This is tragic, because if anything, middle school is a critical time in your child’s development, and homeschooling is one of the best ways to keep your child’s heart.

Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis, recently published a book titled “Already Gone” that reveals the results of surveys done on why children raised in evangelical, Christian homes are turning from their faith in the college years.  The results are eye-opening…the largest number of students polled  claim that it was in high school and even middle school that they made their decisions and/or began to question or become disillusioned.

The findings in this book should tell homeschoolers one thing: the middle and high school years are critical times to homeschool.  Not to “shelter” as some naysayers will accuse, but to dialogue with your student; to lead them to discover the truth, not what the public school system will tell them; in essence, to secure your child’s heart as well you can.

The middle school years are pivotal because this is when you want to see them begin to obey at their own desire rather that just obeying your rules.  Having children now in their early twenties down through the “single digit” ages, I’ve been able to see how my parenting of “tweens” has changed.  I’ve learned from mistakes and want to encourage you that you can make it through the tween years victoriously!  In fact,  TEACH receives so many letters about this age that earlier this year God lead us to release a brand new bundle called Teens: Mission Possible with God. 

(Ezine reader bonus  alert: Just for reading this ezine article, you can order this bundle this week for $5.00 off with the coupon code “WithGod.”  This is the only place you’ll find this coupon code!) Also, if you aren’t to the tween years yet, that is the perfect time to read this bundle…it will save you a lot of heartache.  The earlier you train, the better.  This bundle is a vital reading and encouragement for parents of middle schoolers, but it’s also an essential tool for those not yet to those ages!  Pass the word along to your friends with younger kids!

So for you, our ezine reader, we’d like to offer you five points of encouragement –three things you really need to focus on with your middle schooler academically and the two basic things you, as a parent of a middle school student, need to know about this age.

Ahem…before you go “Why isn’t BIBLE on the list???”…. this list presupposes that you are doing a daily Bible study and daily out-loud reading (two “givens” in my book).

1)      Daily Math:  If you used the elementary ages to work on their multiplication tables so that they know them with no hesitation, it will make reluctant mathematicians not dread math so much.  If the tables are “down pat,” begin there.  Then progress with your chosen math curriculum.

2)      Daily English: Select a grammar program that appeals to your child’s learning style, but make sure it covers the basics and does it well.  Grammar rules are to communication what “multiplication tables” are to math.  Make sure they understand the basics of grammar and make sure they know the rules well.  ALL FUTURE CAREERS depend on the ability to write and communicate clearly.  A mistake in “your/you’re” in a business letter severely lowers the perceived intelligence level your adult child will make on his/her future business associates. 

Note: Basic math/multiplication charts and good grammar are vital tools for the rest of your child’s life.  Concentrate on these basic subjects. 

3)      Science: Begin to move from general creation science into specifics so that your child will learn to defend his/her faith.  The world your child is growing up in believes in evolution as fact.  Too many Christian parents simply steer away from the topic because they feel ill-equipped to provide answers.  This is a mistake!  Use these years to discover and explore the truth of God’s word as it pertains to the scientific world.  This will be foundational for your child’s future faith.

4)      Expect and Embrace Argument: When children are 10 to 12 years old they will begin to demonstrate independent or abstract thought – this is easy to pinpoint – we commonly call it arguing or being opinionated. As they argue – I mean debate – with you, look at this as a teaching opportunity. While you want to teach your children obedience, you are not looking for blind, unthinking obedience. The preteen and early teen years are about the time you hope to begin seeing them obey because they WANT to.

As long as they are respectful, use these times to teach them logical thinking, debate, and how to draw correct conclusions and support them with fact. Your goal educationally is to equip the child with language and thinking skills capable of detecting fallacies in an argument. Your goal in teaching good character is to make sure all they say is biblically accurate and fundamentally reflective of God’s character.   We sell a great book at our website called “The Fallacy Detective” for approximately ages 13+ that is a fun way to sharpen logical thinking skills. It’s on sale – no coupon needed—right now!

5)      The Beginning of Questioning.  Sometime in the next few years, your child will begin to accept (or reject) ideas that you’ve taught them.  They will want to question “why” about many things: why their friends get to go to sleepover but they don’t…why an older sibling got to do something but they don’t…and even deeper, they will begin to have questions about their (your) faith.  Don’t be afraid of these questions…embrace them as a chance to take your child to the Bible to help them find the answers…this is one of the best ways to keep those questions from turning into doubts. Because really, questions aren’t doubts…only unanswered questions become doubts.  So allow those questions!

Just as we began this list by stating that we assume you are doing daily Bible study and reading, we concluded now by saying that we are making the assumption that you are already utilizing the power of PRAYER as your daily survival key and the place you go to be filled with God’s wisdom and direction for everything relating to your children.