Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- 1 Letting Go: An Introduction -- Understanding The Process Of Letting Go -- The Importance Of Understanding Letting Go And The Work Of Mothers -- The Mothers I Interviewed -- Gender -- Race -- Overview Of This Book -- 2 Becoming Adolescents And Pulling Away -- The Impact Of Pulling Away On Mothers -- Letting Go And New Challenges In Parenting -- Coming Together -- Conclusion -- 3 Keeping Teens Safe At A Time Of Risk -- Challenges In Maintaining Control And Keeping Teens Safe Letting Go: Maintaining Control And Granting New Freedoms -- Resources: Activities And Neighborhoods -- Trouble -- Conclusion -- 4 Promoting School Success And Preparing For Postsecondary Education -- Promoting Engagement -- Promoting Motivation -- Limitations On Mothers' Ability To Help Teens -- Trouble: Truancy, Suspension, Expulsion -- Finding Schools And Other Resources -- Upper-middle-class Mothers -- Middle-class Mothers -- Working-class Mothers -- Preparing For Post-graduation -- Upper-middle-class Mothers -- Middle-class Mothers -- Working-class Mothers -- Conclusion 5 Parenting Young Adults And Letting Go -- Post-high School, Ages 18-22 -- Middle-class Mothers -- Working-class Mothers -- Post High School: No College -- After 22: Emerging Adulthood: Launching And Letting Go In A Time Of Uncertainty -- Middle-class-mothers -- Working-class Mothers -- Reflecting On Motherhood At This Point In Their Lives -- Letting Go And Adjusting Expectations: Dealing With Disappointment And Regrets -- Conclusion -- 6 Conclusion -- Appendix -- Designation Of Social Classes -- The Samples -- Sample Characteristics -- Limitations Of This Study -- Doing Interviews Interview Topics -- Fathers -- Teens And Young Adults -- Bibliography -- Index By Demie Kurz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Ann Arbor, Mi Available Via World Wide Web.