The Crucial YearsThe Crucial Years

The kids are not alright. There is a pivotal sea-change happening in children's development. The age of puberty has been trending earlier for decades, and now starts as young as 8 years old in girls and 9 in boys. Depression and anxiety are drastically on the rise. We are raising children in ever increasingly complex and challenging times. Bullying doesn't just happen on the playground, but over text and DM. Couple earlier puberty with ill-equipped, developing brains and the onslaught of new media and stressors that never existed when we were kids, and it's clear that parents need a new guide to raise this new generation. The crucial years is your essential handbook to navigating the often misunderstood and overlooked years of middle childhood (ages 6-12). As a mom and clinical psychologist, Dr. Sheryl Ziegler knows firsthand how challenging these years can be, yet she also recognizes that this is a tender age and pivotal opportunity to connect with your child before they distance themselves in adolescence. Dr. Ziegler masterfully unlocks the enigma surrounding modern puberty and offers evidence-based strategies, interventions, and answers to middle childhood's most perplexing questions and concerns. With The crucial years, you have all that you need to guide your child through the hazards and thrills of puberty and help them emerge as well-rounded, confident young adults.