Parenting 911

An emergency guide for the tough issues parents of 10- to 15-year-olds face every day.

In our risk-filled world, 10- to 15-year-olds trust their parents to be there when the chips are down. Many parents are well-meaning but often paralyzed with fear, unsure whether and how to intervene:

"My son is always shut up in his room. Could he be using drugs?"

"Lately my daughter is obsessed with her weight. Does she have an eating disorder?"

"Since the divorce, my son has been so angry. Could he be depressed, too?"

"After going out with her boyfriend, my daughter came home with a bruise. Did he hit her?"

"Someone my daughter met in a chat room wants to meet in person. Is that safe?"

Drawing on a national survey of parents, teachers, and students, interviews with a wide range of experts, and the latest research, and written with the support of the National Middle School Association, Parenting 911 brings parents the information and reassurance they need to identify and handle the crises that can erupt even in the best of homes. You'll find invaluable advice on:

Substance abuse Sexual encounters Troubling friends Depression Eating disorders Violence Breaking the law Nontraditional family structures Failure in school Extreme sports Online dangers

Charlene C. Giannetti is a journalist and the author of three previous books. She is the mother of two children in their roller-coaster years and lives in New York City. Margaret Sagarese taught young adolescents and has written many books. She is the mother of one roller-coaster-year child and lives on Long Island, New York. The authors of The Roller-Coaster Years, they host online chats and field message board queries for iVillage's Parent Soup on America Online and the World Wide Web.