Our goal as parents is to raise healthy, confident, and competent adults! But it doesn't happen overnight. In this episode, Emily Edlynn, PhD, author of the new book Autonomy-Supportive Parenting, discusses why it's so important for us to let our kids do things for themselves in the middle school years. We talk about what controlling parenting looks like, how it negatively impacts our kids, as well as how we can support our middle schooler's autonomy without being a permissive parent.About the Guest:Dr. Emily Edlynn is a clinical psychologist specializing in children and adolescents who writes about parenting on her blog, The Art and Science of Mom. Emily has written a parenting advice column for Parents.com since 2019 and has also written articles for the Washington Post, Scary Mommy, and Motherly. Emily is currently the director of pediatric behavioral medicine at a private practice in Oak Park, IL, where she lives with her husband, three children, and two rescue dogs. Connect with Emily Edlynn, PhD on Instagram.Buy Autonomy-Supportive Parenting.Learn more about Emily's work at https://www.emilyedlynnphd.com/.Connect with Raising Middle School Girls:Thank you for listening to the Raising Middle School Girls podcast. Want to hear more from experts who can help you support your middle school girl? Please subscribe to the podcast or sign up for the Raising Middle School Girls newsletter.  Do you have a burning question about raising your middle school girl? Send a DM to @RaisingMiddleSchoolGirls on Instagram to have your question considered for a future episode. We're in this together, parents!