No panic, grandparents. The bullies and druggies are complete non-starters. No problem at all there. I presume as we get further up the middle school ladder, more kids will be experimenting with drugs, and she will have to cope with temptation. I keep telling her she's already had some practice resisting friends that test your resolve. She had one friend who put some pressure on her to try gluten with all the standard tricks--just a little bit, you know you want to try, it's really good. . . I tried not to hate the friend, and Rose did not indulge.

I'm thrilled to report no bully problems. In fact, no rude eye rolls, closing out silences, turned backs, behind your back talk, evil gossip, name calling. . .wow the list of cruel things girls can do to each other in middle school just goes on and on, and we've had none of it. (Yet, of course.)

Instead, Rose is enjoying old friends and making new friends. The good news is she knew over a dozen kids going to this school from her elementary school, Sunday school, old preschool, etc. The bad news is almost none of them ended up in the same classes as her. The good news is she still gets to enjoy them on the bus and at lunch--two of the most socially fraught areas of middle school. Every day she sits with her cousin and one of her best friends, and they often have another girl join them. The classes do a lot with small groups, so she's making friends with the people in her group. I really like it when she comes home and compliments a seatmate who helped her with a computer problem or tells me about someone in her class whose poem she really liked. I like how she appreciates them without feeling like she has to compete.