Hyla’s Middle School’s Parent Education Speaker Series presents pediatric nurse, author, and educator, Julie Metzger on February 13 from 7-9 PM. Join us for a conversation on Staying Close While Standing Back: strategies to strengthen family communication with adolescents. “One of the greatest balancing acts that parents face in today’s world is knowing when to step forward to help guide their children’s lives and when to let their child make independent decisions and choices for themselves,” says Julie of this crucial phase in development. For over 30 years she has worked with families of teens and pre-teens on topics of puberty, sexuality and decision-making. She has shared her program Heart to Heart to tens of thousands of families throughout the Pacific Northwest and San Francisco Bay Area.

Julie has also written and presented health curricula on decision-making and friendships for elementary, middle and high school students throughout the Pacific NW and Bay Area including Castilleja School and Lakeside School. Julie brings a wealth of knowledge from her experiences, is a well-respected and popular speaker on a wide range of parenting issues, worked in many capacities as a nurse consultant at Seattle Children’s Hospital and is a parent of 3 young adults. Julie and her colleague Dr. Rob Lehman are co-founders of Great Conversations – focused on health education for families of preteens. Their book, Will Puberty Last My Whole Life? was published in the spring of 2012 and the second edition will be published in August 2018.

Julie has also written a workbook/journal for preteen girls published in 2014 titled “This is Me – a Journal for Girls.” Julie’s work has been featured in the New York Times and on the TODAY Show. Julie Metzger, RN MN is a pediatric nurse, writer and educator. You don’t want to miss this! Free and open to all. For questions, please email hylaoffice@hylamiddleschool.org