Drama, Rumors & Secrets: A Middle Schools Guide 
Summer is almost over! You may be thinking what it just started or thank goodness! Either way school is just around the corner. You may even have a list of things to do. Go school clothes shopping (yikes missed Tax Free weekend), get school supplies at Target a million dollars later.. (oh yeah because you bought that bedding that finally went on sale ), and last but not least prepare my daughter for drama at school! No need to fret that one we have you covered. Most students feel like their school is the biggest place for drama. Staying true to yourself in changing times can be a transitional period for your daughter for discovering themselves and their friends. In the book AmericanGirl, Drama, Rumors & Secrets, you will find tips for helping your child deal with, well… drama, rumors & secrets.
Drama can eat up a young girl’s life. Finishing a project may seem impossible when every time Katie gets an idea, a text pings in about Zoey and Trinity’s ongoing three day fight. Drama makes more drama. Drama at home can create drama with friends and vice versa. Most girls worry about what other people think about them. Drama expresses those fears. Girls dealing with daily drama may end up worrying more about how they appear rather than how they truly are and what they really feel. This can make a person feel quite lonely. Now, there is such a thing as good drama. For example, during lunch time Lisa confronted Molly for posting something rude about Kelly, saying “What you said about Kelly isn’t true. You should take it down and apologize to her.” The lunchroom has never been so quiet. This is an example of good, healthy drama.
BFF Basics
- Friendship can only be given, you can’t demand it.
- Friends need freedom.
- Friends aren’t for ranking.
- Calling somebody your BFF doesn’t make it true. Deep friendship grows out of honesty and trust.
Talk Versus Gossip, Stopping Drama Before It Starts.
Friends talk about friends all the time it’s natural. So how is your daughter to judge what she can say freely and what she can’t? Before she starts talking, sends that text, or post that comment remind her to ask herself these questions:
- Am I talking about something another person considers private?
- Would I totally change what I’m saying if the person I’m talking about was standing next to me?
- If this person found out what I’m saying, would she feel upset, hurt, and would I feel guilty?
- Am I saying something to make myself feel powerful or popular?
These may seem like common sense, but a lot of young girls don’t go through a thought process like this before speaking. Lastly, your daughter will most likely be confronted with a lot of rumors during her middle school years. Here are some techniques she can use.
Rumor Armor
- Be skeptical of the facts. How does the person telling the story know what she supposedly“knows”.
- Be skeptical of yourself, too. We all believe what we want to believe. Before jumping on the bandwagon, ask yourself what makes you want to help this rumor along, and if the story is true, so what? If a girl made a mistake, do you really want to be one more person who won’t let her forget it?
- Don’t be afraid to speak up. With a few simple questions, a rumor can vanish right in front of your eyes. “Why should I believe that?” “Why are we talking about this?” “Who says?” All are great ways to watch a rumor poof into thin air.
Tips for escaping the drama
- Do things you love.
- Have friends outside of school.
- Help others.
- Find a “Favorite Aunt.”
- Remember, today isn’t forever.
Look out for part 2 of this blog. Also be sure to grab a copy of AmericanGirl book, Drama, Rumors & Secrets.