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Sandra Yi reporting If you have children, you know raising them can be challenging.
And a new book hopes to give parents some insight they've never had before.
The book is about teens, written by teens, what they think about such things as divorce, peer pressure, even politics.
They say it's just all about - 'What Our Parents Should Know'.
Students in this eighth grade honors English class have a lot to say about life - and living it. But they say, oftentimes, their parents don't understand.
Sarah Tellesbo/Student: "I JUST HOPE THAT PARENTS REALIZE WE DO HAVE MINDS OF OUR OWN. WE ARE PEOPLE AND THEY NEED TO LISTEN TO US."
And their message can be valuable. This book - called 'What Our Parents Should Know' - is based on a collection of their essays - written this school year.
Susie Myers/Teacher: "TO UNDERSTAND THEIR THINKING AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND THE PRESSURES WE PUT ON THEM WITHOUT KNOWING IS INCREDIBLE."
The 137 - page book tackles typical teen subjects like dating and curfews - and more serious topics like drugs and teen homosexuality.
Sarah Tellesbo wrote about depression - based on her own battles. She shared her story to help other teens and their parents. The end of her chapter includes resources for parents and warning signs.
Sarah Tellesbo/Student: "I KNOW I STARTED OUT WANTING TO BE SECRETIVE AND NOT WANTING MANY PEOPLE TO KNOW, BUT AS SOON AS PEOPLE STARTED LOOKING AT ME, IT WAS OBVIOUS I WAS DEPRESSED AND PEOPLE WILL EVENTUALLY FIND OUT, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S TOO LATE."
Other students urge parents to teach their kids about the things in life money can't buy.
Taylor Roper/Student: "PARENTS NEED TO SET AN EXAMPLE BY LETTING THEIR KIDS KNOW THAT BY PURSUING THINGS OF LASTING WORTH, WE ENCOUNTER LASTING HAPPINESS."
Students say, what's in these pages is a perspective people often don't find often, but should.
Sarah Tellesbo/Student: "I THINK IT'S A LOT BETTER COMING FROM THE KIDS BECAUSE IT'S WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY NEED IN THEIR LIVES, INSTEAD OF AN ADULT'S PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THEY THINK IS GOING TO BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO."
The class received one copy of its book today. The kids hope to market it nationwide, and try to have it in bookstores this summer.
