* Discourage snap decisions. During adolescence, Moss notes, kids struggling to
figure out who they are can easily form inaccurate perceptions of their academic weak-
nesses. Reassure your child one challenging assignment or bad grade need not rule
out a future career. "Kids often make up their minds by sixth grade whether they're ca-
pable of doing science and math," says Moss. "We have definitive evidence that by age
6, girls have already started to internalize negative stereotypes that science and math
are not for girls." In reality, she notes, understanding science and math simply requires
more thinking for some people than others; it's not a skill based on gender.
According to State of Science Index findings, 96 percent of U.S. parents want their kids
to know more about science. It's critical for us to maintain interest during the middle
school years, and according to Moss it's our responsibility to help children see the pos-
sibilities.
"Kids in fifth through eighth grade have a whole lot of empathy and really do want to
make the world a better place," she says. "They have the power, but we need to instill
confidence and give them the tools and encouragement to pursue STEM."
