Sometimes the best place to seek advice is from unlikely sources. Recently, a friend and 6th grade teacher at a local middle school asked her students what advice they have for adults and what advice they have for their peers. Let’s just say 11 and 12 year olds are hilarious, but their advice is spot on!

Advice 6th graders have for other 6th graders:

• Don’t get confused with your schedule.
• Be very smart.
• Be yourself the first day.
• Always be happy.
• Never turn on your phone in class.
• Don’t be scared of getting lost, it gets easier and you will know the way.
• Have fun, don’t mess around like me. Try your best.
• You don’t get a lot of homework so when you get homework, DO IT.
• Be organized and put things in the right folder.
• Keep all your papers unless your teacher tells you that you can throw them away.
• Don’t forget your locker combo or you’ll be embarrassed.
• It’s not as scary as you think.
• Don’t use a lot of passes (it will help later on).
• You might have a lot of homework but DON’T FREAK OUT.
• Pay attention.
• Make sure you make friends that you TRUST.
• Don’t be stressed, there are people here for you.
• It’s fun after you get past being scared.

Organization, stress management, perspective, individuality, I don’t know about you, but I work on all of these every single day.

Advice the same 11 and 12 year olds have for the adults in their lives:

• Do not drink and drive, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs.
• Take care of your kids.
• Pay your bills.
• Don’t spend money on random things.
• Don’t be the boss of me.
• Always have a girlfriend, never marry.
• If you’re going to do something risky, think about your family.
• (to teachers) stop giving me headaches please.
• STAY CALM.
• Be nice.
• You may be stressed but in these times, just relax, rest, and do not power through anything. The best way to relax is to move with flow.
• Don’t stress over a bunch of work you will get it done.
• 6th grade is harder than you probably think.
• Do your job!!!!!
• Believe your children or they won’t like you.

Leave it to kids to point out how much we needlessly stress ourselves out. Also, who knew how badly kids want to feel appreciated by their elders? They just want us to trust them and know that their lives are stressful too. I get it! Finally, lets bring it full circle and hear from the teacher.

Lessons teachers teach that continue to apply in adulthood: