8 Things We Wish Our Parents Understood

...as recorded by the middle school students at the 6th Grade Recognition Dinner.

1. We can cry for no reason
2. Why we are weird and like to be weird
3. Why we choose our friends
4. Us
5. Why we don't like our dress code
6. My love for monkeys
7. Why we're loud
8. Why we like our music, such as Green Day

9 Things We Wish Our Kids Understood

... as recorded by the parents at the 6th Grade Recognition Dinner.

1. Parents are always right! :-)
2. Parents are on our side
3. Actions have consequences
4. Their actions have an impact on others
5. Biblical truth is for the present time, not just something to be applied as an adult or other stage of life
6. With freedom comes responsibility
7. Peer pressure can be positive or negative -- choose your friends wisely
8. Every student has gifts/talents to offer
9. You have value -- everyone else feels weird too!

6th Grade Recognition Dinner Recap

Thanks to all of you who made it out with your families Friday night! I enjoyed the evening, and was glad to see so many parents meeting and chatting together. I hope that you more 'seasoned' parents can step up and help those for whom the student ministry is new.

I especially appreciated the time of dialogue we had, when many of you shared various concerns, questions, or ideas for how best to connect with our students. I hope to keep communication lines up so that I can continue to hear from you in the future.

Thanks for the good food and for demonstrating that you take an active interest in your son or daughter's life as part of the church!

Virtuous Reality

One of the things we want to communicate to our students is their value. Our young ladies are inundated with negative views of what a woman should be and look like. I encourage you to check out this web site, VirtuousReality.com, and consider using its articles and topics as conversation starters. Suggest it to middle school girls as a place to visit when they are on the web.

Here is the mission statement of Virtuous Reality, from their web site:


From the time girls are young, they are bombarded with messages in television,movies, and fashion magazines that often emphasize the pursuit of outer beauty, obtaining a perfect body, and snagging a great guy as the keys to happiness and fulfillment. Virtuousreality.com® was created to be an oasis from the negative pressures brought about by the culture. The website offers separate online magazines for middle school girls, high school girls, college women, and mothers. Virtuousreality.com features age-appropriate articles, surveys, an advice column, bulletin boards, a prayer board, and much more. Virtuousreality.com receives visitors from all fifty states and over 30 countries worldwide.

Time Articles On Being 13

Youth Specialties' Mark Oestreicher pointed out this series of Time articles on being 13. Check them out! I was surprised by some of the statistics.