A fellow educator once told me that her goal was to help students thrive, not just survive. The goal of this book is to help parents do the same while their children are in middle school. Middle school offers many challenges for families. Here you will find practical, easy to implement solutions to these challenges, as well as tools to keep the connection with your child during these years. Preserving your relationship with your child is not only important to make it through the middle school years, but essential to being an effective parent during the next stage of adolescence, Teenagers. This book was written to help you retain your sanity and sense of humor while persevering through these often challenging times as a parent. Parenting is not an easy job. So many parents have said to me, "If they (my kids) only came with a book " Well, here is the book that should have come with your kids and will help your whole family get through the tough middle school years.