Staying Close While Standing Back…
The art and science of parenting adolescents. Please join us for a
discussion led by Julie Metzger, RN/MN.
Date: Tuesday, November 17
Time: 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Middle School
Who: 7th and 8th grade parents and guardians
One of the greatest balancing acts parents face in today’s world is knowing when
to step forward to guide the lives of their pre-teen and teen and when to let their
child make independent decisions and choices for themselves. These moments
can be as simple as what they wear that day to a decision to not attend college
or have sex.
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How do families work together in a partnership of trust and respect as
teens and parents encounter new experiences and face real risks?
What are specific ways we can encourage our children to be resilient,
accountable, and independent people in a fast-changing world?
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The Work of Adolescence
What is the developmental space of teens—physically, emotionally,
socially, and cognitively?
What makes them unique and uniquely vulnerable to taking risks?
What are the myths and truths about choices teens are making today?
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The Work of Parenting Adolescents
What are strategies on communication, connecting, and staying informed?
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Julie Metzger, RN/MN, is a pediatric nurse, a writer, and an educator. She
created Heart to Heart, For Girls Only on puberty and sexuality for preteens and
their parents; it has been shared with tens of thousands of participants in the
Puget Sound region over the past 20 years. Julie has also written and presented
a health curriculum on decision making for middle and high school students. She
is a well respected and popular speaker on a wide range of parenting issues, is a
nurse consultant at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and is the parent of three
adolescent children. Julie is a cofounder of Great Conversations—focused on
health education for families. Julie and her colleague, Rob Lehman, MD, have
written a book together for pre-teens, Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?
Come with questions!