I am not suggesting that a little lip gloss at age 12 is a dreadful thing. I am talking about extremes here.

How can we possibly reassure teens that they are safe and that these tragic events are low frequency events that are unlikely to happen yet again?

Using such stereotypes to label girls and their behavior -- especially in the fragile middle school years -- can have detrimental effects on a girl's self-esteem and self-image.

The other day, my son looked at me with those same wide eyes that once asked, "Mommy, when I'm older will you marry me?" and asked, "Mom, I'm getting older, doesn't that mean I should start wearing Hollister?"

The very best love stories, I think, are of conflict resolved. And all the baby (or big kid) steps it took to get there.

Someone once coined the term "Imaginary Audience Syndrome" to aptly sum up the experience of a typical middle-schooler as he moves through his day, certain of being constantly evaluated by his peers about everything from the way he laughs to the color of his shoelaces.

Let's be honest: When was the last time you talked about alcohol ads with your kids? I don't mean in a "Wow, that was a cool ad they had on during the Super Bowl," kind of way.

Judge me all you want about my junior high giggle reflex, but there is something very sweet about my girls (three daughters) being able to tease me about boy stuff.

My fiancé and I are having trouble getting his seventh grade son to care about the quality of his homework. What can we do to get him to do a better job?

The key question to ask yourself as a parent is "How can I empower my tween?"

For the past two years, my girls have been in different schools -- one in middle, one in elementary. And, without making too big a drama out of it, I have to tell you that it has been a huge pain for my husband and me.

Funny how when we need sleep most, we can often find ourselves sleep-deprived.