by Andy Kizilos-Clift, guest blogger

There are many ways to get through to adults --there are also many ways to get through to a kid. This is just some of the essentials of getting through to middle schoolers – who are not adults or children.

Middle school is difficult… and that is an understatement because kids can be mean and hurtful, and everyone is looking out for himself or herself.

Middle-schoolers are concerned with the basics, like talking in class just enough so you are funny but not so much that you get detention. You also want to get A’s and pass classes. Middle schoolers want to stick out and seem different – or, blend in with everyone else. Not getting bullied.

This is not diary of a wimpy kid. One of my friends cuts and another was walking in town with a complete stranger who did not look safe to me. And it makes me think just what a difference in lifestyles there is. And I would love to have a funny story about middle school but truth is about half of the kids at my school have some level of anxiety. THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE it is a difficult time in everyone’s life, and middle-schoolers just want to be left alone. I think middle school is the worst time in everyone’s life. Any adult that says otherwise was popular in middle school, which means that their perspective is flawed.

So when advertising, make sure that school does not seem like some magical happy funland.

One of the most difficult things in middle school is organization. So, stores should advertise to middle-schoolers for things like back to school items, but don’t do it too early in the summer, it makes us rage. We don’t want to think about school in July. Bed, Bath and Beyond people really like lotion and hand sanitizer – they have become really popular which is weird. People have become so rabid about hand sanitizer that they have a nickname for it – “Hand-Sani” which doesn’t work! When people go to stores, they just want to get stuff that’s “in” –they like the product because their friend introduced them to it and they like it or everybody else has one so they want one too. Also, if it is really cheap, and they can buy a whole bunch, middle-schoolers love that.

ADDENDUM: This from the point of view of the mother: It is interesting to notice that for a couple of years everything is about fitting in. No fruit-snacks at lunch, no Batman tee-shirts, etc., and then in 8th grade it seems to shift back, as if these things are ironic or nostalgic instead of embarrassing. –Nancy Clift