Q: My son's been struggling with science all year. I just found out that he has stopped turning in his homework assignments. What should I do?

A: It's important to find out why your son missed the assignments. If you're honest with him about your concerns, he'll be more likely to be honest with you. You might say something like, "The teacher told me you're not turning in assignments. I'm worried your grade will suffer. What's going on?" If you son doesn't have an answer or the problem continues, contact his teacher. She can help you work as a team to find the best solution. For example, she may need to go over confusing information with you son. Or, he may need to finish his homework before he watches TV, talks on the phone, or goes outside.

My daughter sure can hurt my feelings. She acts like she never wants to be seen with me. I think my clothes, hair and what I say embarrass her. Although I won't accept rude behavior from her, I've learned not to take her attitude personally. It helps when my husband reminds me that she's just "acting her age." I know she feels self-conscious and unsure of herself. And she really wants to fit in with her friends. It's tough sometimes, but I try to respect her feelings. If she doesn't want to go certain places with me, like the mall or the movies, I don't force her. I'm also careful not to tell corny jokes or criticize her when her friends are around. But I've drawn the line at changing my outfits and hairstyle. I'll be glad when this part of the middle years is behind us!

A teenage neighbor asks a sixth-grader to smoke marijuana. A friend offers chewing tobacco to a 13-year-old walking home from the bus stop. What would your middle grader do? Here are some ideas to help your child steer clear of these harmful substances.

Bring it up. Talk often with your middle grader about alcohol, tobacco, and other illegal drugs -- and their effects on young bodies. Instead of lecturing, ask you child to tell you what these substances look like and what they do. If she doesn't know, look up the answers together.

Make it real. Use real-life situations to highlight the dangers. Examples: a young actor who has died from an overdose, a baseball player who's battling mouth cancer.

Spell it out. Set clear guidelines and consequences. Example: "I'm against illegal drug use. I love you and want you to stay safe. If you ever try drugs, you'll lose all privileges for a month."

Show your middle grader the power of words with this language activity. Materials: catalogs or junk mail, pencil, paper.