Middle School: The Inside Story: What Kids Tell Us, But Don’t Tell You
by Cynthia Tobias and Sue Acuna

I just finished school supply shopping for my oldest daughter as she preps for fourth grade and it hit me all over again how quickly our little ones grow.  It won’t be long before she is heading into middle school, so I figured I’d get a head start on parental preparation and read Middle School: The Inside Story. Those middle school years were certainly my toughest time growing up and I’d like to ease that stress on my daughter (and on me!!) as much as possible.

In this book, Cynthia Tobias and Sue Acuna share quotes from conversations they had with middle schoolers so you can hear their perspective on all things tween and teen.  They divide the chapters into sections on Changes (emotional, physical, etc.); Parenting issues (how to discipline, handling technology); Friends and Other Problems (like middle school dating); School (keeping up with homework, teaching more personal responsibility, working with teachers, and learning styles).

It’s an easy and insightful read with insider information about what middle schoolers are going through and what they wish parents knew but don’t always verbalize to us.   I sometimes wished the authors would tackle more in-depth discussions within this book.  It seemed like they were often referring us to other books as resources (For more information on this, you can read……).  Maybe a list of resources at the end would be helpful, but I’d prefer to have one go-to resource rather than one book that refers me to read several other books.

For me, though, the book reminded me of what it was like to be a middle schooler and maybe that’s what I really needed as a mom.  I need to remember so I can parent my own up-and-coming tween/teen better.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”