When my daughter was five years old, I cried on her first day of Kindergarten. It was hard to let go of my sweetest little girl. I wondered if the other kids would play nice and if the teachers would be fair. My daughter, on the other hand, went running into the class without ever looking back. She was so ready for the “Big Girl” school. Her love for school never dwindled. Now, as she gets ready to start High School, I can’t promise that I won’t do the same on the first day. This time I will cry because I know that the days will fly by faster and my “baby girl” will become a woman before I know it. I wish I could be there to watch her “ah-ha” moments, to hear her corny jokes, to see the girls giggle, to encourage her to flirt back, to push her to volunteer, to cheer louder than all the other parents when she sings, plays her instruments or acts out every line in her school plays. Most of all, I wish that I could be with her, standing shoulder to shoulder, as she makes each life changing decision. But, I know that I cannot be there all the time. I must learn to let go and trust that she will make good choices. I must have faith that I have given her the tools to build wisely. But, just in case, I wrote this book so that she can take her family's advice with her to High School. These timeless words of advice will be treasured for years to come.