Have a child entering the teen years? Here’s some advice from the book “How to Survive Your Teenager” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who’ve done it:

“You will not believe that this is the same sweet child of just a few years back. They are moody, don’t like anything you say, don’t like how you look, don’t like how you talk, or anything about you.

—Patty Lambropoulos, Chicago, Ill., mother to three sons, 23, 21 and 17, and one daughter, 14

“If something doesn’t work out my daughter’s way, we get the rolling of her eyes. I’m sure it will get worse before it gets better.”

—Rick Barbero, Gaithersburg, Md., father to one daughter, 12, and one son, 5

“For whatever reason some kids seem to reach puberty and then forget all about taking care of their personal appearance. This usually happens with boys, but with me it was my daughter. I really don’t know why this happens but other parents have told me it happened with their kids, too. My daughter would wear stuff over and over without bothering to wash it. Some of her socks could have stood up by themselves; it was disgusting. I think kids just have so much to deal with while going through puberty that taking care of things like that doesn’t seem important. But I insisted that she take the time to do laundry and look presentable.”

—Reilly Burton, Swissvale, Pa., parent to one daughter, 16

“Understand that it’s a short period in life, so don’t deny them this period. They are only testing the waters of life. However, you do need to have life jackets on hand for them and yourself.”

—J.P., Davenport, Iowa, parent to three sons, 28, 25 and 22

“It’s harder to get a girl through the teenage years than a boy. You have a sweet little girl and suddenly this lurking, teenage horror will pop out, probably when something traumatic is happening in your own life. My daughter and I would have a fight about something inconsequential and suddenly she was leaping up from the dinner table and finding the nearest door to slam. Then she wouldn’t speak to me for days at a time and I was left wondering why. They will outgrow this: the problem is, you never quite remember that while it’s happening.

—Sharon London, San Francisco, mother to one son, 43, and one daughter, 40

Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share. Visit www.hundredsofheads.com to share your advice or get more information.