Middle School Kids Ages 10-12 and Younger & Concerns About Mental Health

It would be wonderful if there were a sure-fire way of reducing anxiety and depression, but individuals differ so widely that recommendations are broad.  Probably the single most important step, which has to start at a much younger age than middles school, is to encourage open communication between children and parents, with parents offering an openness and real interest in how children are feeling and what is going on in their lives.

During middle school, part of the young adolescent’s job is to become more independent from his or her parents; yet, the awareness that the parents are still there in that young teen’s corner is vital.  One of the hardest parts of parenting young teens is knowing if and when to push them to do more.  Some teens long for such guidance even if they appear to resist it; others react negatively and become resentful.  A highly motivated teen who a parent might see as overcommitted can react negatively to being told to “ease up”—or may breathe a sigh of relief that it is okay to slow down a bit.  Making sure there is space to talk—driving places, meals together, specific “family time”—can help facilitate discussion and keep communication lines open.

Answered by Dr. Glen Elliott, Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director at CHC