Ready for middle school? Middle school expert brings mother-daughter conference to Raleigh

Icard is the author of "Middle School Makeover: Improving the Way You and Your Child Experience the Middle School Years." As a parent of a middle schooler, I highly recommend this book. It has really helped me understand this stage of the parent-child relationship and make informed decisions in the way I interact with my tween.

The conference is designed for fifth and sixth grade girls (seventh graders also are welcome) and their moms. Icard hosts the event and brings along other experts, who will share the "inside scoop on all things middle school" so moms and daughters can leave with a stronger bond and the tools to handle whatever comes your way. Stephanie Zerwas, psychologist and UNC-Chapel Hill associate professor who specializes in therapy for tweens, teens, and young adults, will participate. (I have featured her several times on Go Ask Mom, most recently in an article about teens eating Tide Pods.)

Find more information about the conference on Icard's site. Registration is open now. You can register online. For moms nervous about their girls moving up to middle school, this might be a great opportunity to learn more about how to make this a smoother transition for everyone.