Connecting with someone who not so long ago was your baby and now only responds in shrugs and eye-rolls is difficult, but open, respectful communication is exactly what a preteen needs.
In Mom, I'm Not a Kid Anymore, Sue Sanders guides by example, in 25 conversations and moments she has shared with her daughter, Lizzie. Everything is fair game:
-"Tell me about your mean girl."
-"You and Dad do that?"
-"When...