Table of Contents
Foreword xiii
Introduction: How and Why This Book Works 1
Part 1 The Foundation for Parenting Middle Schoolers
1 What's a Middle School Makeover? 9
2 Middle School Brains Are Different 21
3 Middle School Requires Bravery 37
4 Talking with Your Middle Schooler, or Not 51
5 It's Not Your Problem 63
Part 2 Helping Your Kid Through Real Middle School Problems
#1 "Everyone Has an Instagram but Me" 85
Coming to Terms with Your Child's Entry into the New World of Social Media
#2 Goodbye, Birds and Bees-Hello, Porn 93
Answering Your Middle Schooler's More Advanced Questions About Sex
#3 Good Girls Gone Bad 97
Helping When Girls Turn Against Each Other
#4 There's More Than One Way to Be Cool 101
Helping Your Son make Connections with Other Guys When He Doesn't Play Sports
#5 Put-Downs and Comebacks 107
Preparing to Deal with the Middle School Bully
#6 Not My Kid-Oh, Wait... 111
Discovering Your Kid Has Been a Bully, or Maybe Just a Jerk, or Probably Just Human
#7 Camis, Tight Jeans, and Booty Shorts, Oh, My! 115
Dodging Fashion Battles with Your Middle Schooler
#8 Your "Sneaking" Suspicions 121
Reacting to a Kid Who Goes Behind Your Back
#9 Can You Hear Me Now? 127
Living in Cell Phone World, with a Cell Phone Boy or Girl
#10 Going Out, Going Nowhere 131
Understanding the Middle School Dating Scene
#11 It's a Great, Big World out There (Emphasis on Great) 137
Evaluating How Much Independence to Give Your Middle Schooler
#12 "Get Him Out of My Room!" 141
Dealing with Sibling Fights and Manipulations
#13 Going a Different Speeds 145
Helping Your Socially Immature Kid Find a Comfortable Place in Middle School
Finishing Touches: Your Middle-Age Construction Project 151
Conclusion 171
Acknowledgments 175
Endnotes 177
References 179
Index 181
About the Author 186