Being the mom of a tween can feel a bit like being on a roller coaster sometimes.  Social, emotional and physical challenges pop up daily and just when you think things are running along smoothly,  there is a hiccup in the tween universe.

Be unique

Over the last few years we’ve talked to our kids about drugs, body image, body science, doing your best, bullying, friend challenges, conflicts with teachers and boys.  Our kids love when we can relate to their experiences with our own stories from our childhood and we’re also always on the lookout for great reference materials that might help as well.

Recently I came across a great set of books that are perfect companions to our own stories of survival.

The books are by American Girl, are reasonable priced at just under $9 and topics include dealing with boys, friendships, self esteem, cultural differences, death, money management and many more. My daughter and I read out a few scenarios each night and I leave them in her room so she can read on her own as well.  Kindle versions are available too.

A Smart Girl’s Guide to Tricky Situations is filled with tons of tips for common scenarios that kids (and adults) run into, here are a few examples:

What to do:

• If your zipper breaks
• If you don’t make the team
• If you get a pimple on the big day
• What to do if the popcorn in the microwave catches on fire
• If you did it and you get caught

A Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles covers common issues that every kid is likely to bump into:

• Betrayal
• On again / off again friendship
• Speaking up
• Jealousy
• Being left out

A Smart Girl’s Guide to Knowing What to Say covers everything from condolences to overcoming shyness, cultural differences or awkward situations. Some of my favorites:

What to say:

• When someone is sick
• When a friends pet dies (or your pet dies)
• When you need a clever comebacks (including when you’re bullied or see someone getting bullied)
• If someone hurts your feelings
• If you’re mad
• When you’re grateful

For more of the series see below or check out the Smart Girl’s Guide series
available at Amazon.com.