I must admit, being a pre-teen these days can be stressful, but being a parent of a pre-teen is even more so.  The pressure of raising a soon-to-be-teenager often brings a sense of worry that is not alleviated by any words of wisdom, even though I may provide some later.  So, I’m not here to say that everything is going to be okay, because it may not be.  As a teacher and a parent, I inform both my children and my students about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and peer pressure, but I’ve seen time and time again that no matter how prepared pre-teens are about the pressures of the hallway in high school, it is really up to the individual person to make right choices.  All we can do for them is lead by example, know who their friends are, and be supportive.  We have to remember that we once thought that we were invincible too – we wanted to be left alone, but we also wanted supportive parents.  This age range brings different joys – the fact that they are pretty much independent, still cute, and can offer insight on topics previously foreign to them.  Watching your child succeed, learn from mistakes, grow….  Pre-teen woes can be pre-teen wonderful.