As a parent, I dreaded my daughter entering middle school.
Middle school was the most trying time of my childhood.
I came from a rather strict and sheltered elementary school. There were 10 students in my sixth-grade classroom. We were taught by Sister Mary Clare and I wore a uniform every day.
And puberty hit me hard. I gained 50 pounds in what seemed overnight.
I felt uncomfortable and awkward in my own body.
Middle school was like throwing me to the wolves.
I prepared my daughter for how mean kids could be.
And I taught her to always wear deoderant (because I made that mistake).
I made sure she was always in a physical activity so that she’d know her body was strong.
But the mental overwhelm caught me by surprise.
