CURRENT WAVE

After visiting the families in their home across the various time points, the current wave of the Toddlers Up study is very interested to keep in touch with how children's roles and relationships within the family may change over time. As our pre-teens are only one year away from adolescence, we are eager to see how their getting older may change the responsilities and freedoms they enjoy within the home. We are also interested in how these changes may impact the way children relate to their parents and their siblings.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Secondary school can be considered a world of its own. And a difficult one at that. After the initial adjustment to the secondary school setting in Year 7, the Toddlers Up team is curious as to how the second year is coming along. Does being in Year 8 help children be more confident in their school subjects? More comfortable in their own skin? More independent in their studies? These are the types of questions were looking to answer through a series of questionnaires and a short discussion about a typical day at school.

LIFE AT SECONDARY SCHOOL

Last but not least, we are very interested in understanding how being in secondary school and getting closer to being a teenager may change children's friendships. We all hear the tales of how teenagers tend to have trouble with their parents and their friends, but is this really the case? If it is, are there skills or abilities that may help children get through this stage easier? Previous research suggests that although adolescence does have its ups and downs, having strong relationships with one's friends and family can help make for smooth sailing.

MAKING FRIENDS