Parents generally do a good job of shepherding their children through the first 10 to 12 years of their lives, author and pediatrician Meg Meeker says. Then many moms and dads drop the ball.

“Once our kids start to hit puberty, we parents have bought into the belief that we are no longer the primary influence and power in our teenagers’ lives. So when our kids hit puberty, we back out.

“I see this in very bright, well-educated, well-meaning parents, particularly professional parents.

“The teenager (wonders), ‘What just happened? Where’d they go?’ They don’t express that, but that’s how they feel.”

Meeker, a Traverse City, Mich., resident who earned her medical degree in 1984 from the University of Cincinnati, frequently appears on national radio and television shows to discuss parenting and family issues. Her books include “Your Kids at Risk” and “Strong Fathers/Strong Daughters.” Her sixth book, “The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers,” is due out soon.

She will speak to parents about improving their relationships with their children, especially teens, at 7 p.m. Monday at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center in Norwood. Tickets are $30.

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