The Rollercoaster Years

Book excerpt: For the 20 million parents of 10- to 15-year-olds, The Roller-Coaster Years is a lively guide to mastering the ups and downs of early adolescence. Every parent knows about the terrible twos and the brooding teens, but few have anticipated the wild ride of these magical yet maddening years that can provide all the thrills and chills of a carnival ride. Now, drawing together the latest information from experts, supported and advised by the National Middle School Association, and with surprising insights from the authors' own surveys of parents, teachers, and the children themselves, The Roller-Coaster Years covers every facet of the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of early adolescents, including: • Appearance Anxiety • Distractibility • Fears and Other Emotions • The Battle for Independence • Success in School • Friendship and Peer Pressure • Sexual Awakening • The Lure of Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol • The Promise and Peril of Electronic Media • Sticky Questions About Your Own Past