This Is So Awkward
Peoples Media, This Is So Awkward 410 episodes Nov 10, 2026
This Is So Awkward is a podcast for adults raising tweens, teens, and early twenty-somethings through the awkward parts of growing up. Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett explain the science behind physical, emotional, and social changes with humor and no judgment. Episodes cover body changes, big feelings, friendships, sex, social media, and other blush-worthy questions. Full episodes are also available to watch on YouTube.
Episodes
The 411 on Growth Hormone
Height is a loaded topic – especially during adolescence – because we live in a height-ist society. It helps to know the real science behind the hormone that fuels growth. In this episode, we detail where growth hormone is produced in the body, how it tells bones to lengthen, and how it impacts other organs, too. We also get into why and when a doctor might prescribe growth hormone as a treatment.
Teen Mental Health Struggles: It’s Not Just About Social Media
Is social media truly driving the teen mental health crisis? Because if it is, we should be taking one set of steps to protect kids. But if it’s not, we’re spending a ton of energy barking up the wrong tree. Dr. Candice Odgers has been researching teen mental health and tech use for decades. Her data strongly suggests that social media is only one culprit – the other major drivers include family m
Why Your Teen Won't Sleep (And What To Do About It)
Show Notes:
Watch the full episode on Youtube!
Join the LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP HUB
Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
Download the FREE Playbook for Getting Your Kid to Talk
Order our book This Is So Awkward
Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super
The 5 Traps That Make Parenting Decisions Harder
The people raising tweens and teens make what feels like a million decisions a day. How do we know if any are the right ones?! This episode explores five of the most common decision-making fallacies. Many of the potholes that cause us to make the wrong choices are actually avoidable, so here’s the path to clearer decision-making.
Show Notes:
Watch the full episode on Youtube!
Join the L
Guys and Sex with Dr. David Bell
We’ve covered boys and we’ve covered sex, but we’ve never covered male sexual health… until now. To understand more about what they’re doing and why, we’re joined by adolescent medicine physician Dr. David Bell. This episode covers a lot of ground: sexual development, porn, mental health, and the intersection of culture + technology. And as always, there’s lots of advice about how to talk about it
Modern Marijuana: What You Need to Know
What you think you know about marijuana doesn’t entirely translate to today’s weed. Yes, they’ve got the same active ingredient — cannabis — but the dose is now far higher, making it essentially a new drug. Enter Linda Richter, a leading expert from the Partnership to End Addiction, to explain how the pot of generations past has changed. She breaks down the wide range of cannabis-containing produc
The Insidious Ranking Lists of Middle + High School
Kids have ranked other kids according to attractiveness, popularity, and sexual appeal for decades. But today’s tech platforms –– from social media to group chats to AI –– can amplify this old-school cruelty. Ranking lists reach many more people, with implications that can be extremely hard for kids to escape. This episode is dedicated to the hidden culture behind these lists: why they fuel humili
Sexual Assault and Consent
The story of the “Cornell 7” gang rape has sent shockwaves across the country. As details emerge, a parade of issues have follow, from disturbing legal loopholes to the impact of media on young people’s behavior to the responsibilities of bystanders. We are joined by Dr. Debby Herbenick, professor and researcher on young people’s sexual behavior, to discuss a way forward. The Cornell case is not s
The Childhood Wounds We Bring to Parenting
Our childhoods may be long ago, but they don’t always stay in the past. The hurts and patterns we experienced can shape relationships with adults and our kids, especially during the complicated adolescent years. In this episode, psychoanalyst and author Dr. Galit Atlas explores the conscious and unconscious ways childhood wounds can influence our parenting and pathways for understanding our past w
Growing Up in the Age of Deepfake Nudes
AI makes it easy to create fake sexual content — changing what a person is wearing, the pose they are striking, or generating a video of them engaging in sexual acts. Teens regularly encounter these images on social media and in their group chats. The result: complex social, emotional, and legal ramifications. We’re joined by Dr. Supreet Mann, author of a new report about AI and deepfake nudes fro
The Puberty Update: Timing, Trends, and What We Still Don't Know
Just like the kids going through it, puberty data is constantly growing and changing. In this episode, we update listeners with the latest research about puberty: when it begins, what influences its timing, and how long it actually lasts (feels like forever sometimes!). ICYMI we fill you in on new findings about first periods and environmental impacts on hormone shifts, too. And we share at least
Does AI Help Raise Kids?
AI impacts all of us at every age – down to the youngest kids. But how, exactly, does it change things like brain development, language acquisition, and interpersonal relationships? Pediatric surgeon and early childhood expert Dr. Dana Suskind explains. This episode is a must listen for anyone who wants to understand how to balance AI’s utility with the essential messiness of human interaction. Ki
Senior Year of High School, Unfiltered
Senior year of high school looms large – not just in the minds of teens, but their parents, too – for all its stresses and tribulations. In this episode, we hear straight from Vanessa’s daughter about her experience navigating senior year of high school: what she did to prepare the summer leading up to it, her approach to the college application process, how she attempted to find balance during su
The Science of Real Optimism
The term optimism doesn’t just refer to blind positivity. It’s also the acknowledgement of challenges that lay ahead, plus the belief we have the skills and tools to face them. Dr. Deepika Chopra is a psychologist and optimism expert. She joins us to explain optimism, sharing science-based strategies that really work to cultivate resilience and hope, even in the darkest moments.
Show Notes:
Can Middle School Be Wonderful?
Rereleasing this gem pushing back on the tired trope that middle school is a phase to endure not enjoy. But according to educator, principal, and author Chris Balme, these years may be some of the most fascinating and important in a child's life. We talk about identity, belonging, growth, and the incredible transformation happening beneath the surface during these often-misunderstood years.
S
Understanding the Kids Who Challenge Us Most
Rerelease of one of our all time most eye-opening episodes about the kids who act out, push boundaries, or seem impossible to reach. In this episode, Psychologist, educator, and author Doug Bolton helps us understand that these kids need more connection not more punishment. He shares a compassionate new framework for understanding struggling kids. Drawing on decades of experience and insights from
Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders, Explained
Rerelease of an important episode on eating disorders. Eating disorders and disordered eating can show up in many different ways—and often aren't easy to recognize. In this episode, clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, Dr. Kelly Bhatnagar helps us break down the language, the warning signs, and the realities behind these increasingly common struggles. We explore everything from bi
Migraines, Hormones, and Teens
Rerelease! When kids struggle with frequent headaches, are they stress-related? Hormonal? Something more serious? In this episode, pediatric neurologist and headache medicine specialist Daniel Noam Lax helps us make sense of one of the most common—and often misunderstood—health challenges. We explore what causes headaches and migraines, why adolescent girls are especially susceptible, and wh
Can Resilience Be Taught?
A rerelease on the eternal question: Is resilience a skill kids can develop over time? Psychologist and child development expert Tovah Klein unpacks what resilience really means and how trusted adults help kids build it. From managing frustration and failure to building confidence and coping skills, we explore how to support tweens + teens without overprotecting them.
Show Notes:
Raising
ADHD and the Social Scene: Friendships, Dating, and Growing Up
We’re rereleasing our incredibly popular episode that tackles how ADHD can shape tweens' and teens' friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual decision-making. In this candid conversation, psychologist and ADHD expert Ari Tuckman draws on 25 years of experience working with young people with ADHD to explain how attention, impulsivity, emotional intensity, and social dynamics can influence rel
When Autism Meets Puberty
Rerelease! What happens when puberty’s changes intersect with autism? Neuropsychologist Donna Henderson shares expert insights on helping autistic youth navigate this unpredictable life stage with knowledge and dignity. The conversation focuses on how families can support autistic youth through this transition using clear communication, individualized strategies, and an understanding of neurodiver
Before You Email the Principal: Let's Talk Health Class
Parents have a lot to say about health and sex education in schools, which is fair. In fact, it’s the reason we named our own health + sex ed curriculum That Health Class (insert wink, wink) because of the baggage those words carry. If adults received this education at all, their memories of health + sex ed induce giggles, queasiness, a cold sweat or all three! So why is health + sex ed so importa
Dr. Mary Claire Haver on The New Perimenopause
Menopause is a moment in time. But perimenopause can last a decade or more – just like puberty! Dr. Mary Claire Haver returns to the podcast to talk about what’s happening inside the body and brain during perimenopause, why it’s so important to identify the start of the stage of life, and preventive steps you can take to optimize your bones, your muscles, your sex drive, and your sanity.
Sho
Empty Nesting
When kids leave home it’s one of the biggest transitional moments of parenting. Feelings range from grief to excitement to loneliness to adventure, for many a mashup of all of these, and that’s just in the first week! This episode covers how we can prepare ourselves (and our kids) for this new era, by setting boundaries, expressing expectations, finding our people, and tons of communication with e
The 5 ingredients to keep off kids’ skin
As the obsession with expensive, make-me-look-younger skin care products rages on, the public deserves to know why some of these products are concerning. There are real medical reasons for young people to avoid these products. We explain which ingredients should be avoided in the tween and teen years, and which ingredients actually help (yep, there are some good ones out there!). This episode isn’
The Holderness Family on Letting Go (Kind Of)
In this hilarious and heartfelt episode, we’re joined by the dynamic duo Kim and Penn Holderness who share how they handled their daughter's college departure. We cover it all: from overpacking to the medical preparation needed before sending a kid off to the chaos on move-in day, and ultimately, to the pride of watching a kid grow into their own person.
Show Notes:
Talk to your teen’s doct
Understanding GLP 1’s
Seemingly everywhere we turn we encounter the class of drugs known as GLP 1’s and the debate over their impact on health and weight. It’s so difficult to separate fact from fiction on this clickbaity topic. So we turned to one of our trusted endocrinologists, Gillian Goddard, author of The Hormone Loop to: provide the history of these medications, untangle the relationship between weight, diabetes
When Your Kid’s Friends Worry You
Friendship choices are a huge part of growing up and can shape kids in great (and challenging ways.) When parents are concerned about friends it’s hard to know if another kid is a “bad influence” or just part of a normal part of the trial and error of relationships. Figuring out how to handle our concerns can be the trickiest part so this episode focuses on how to constructively address kids’ frie
The Creativity Advantage
In our achievement driven culture, creativity often gets billed as a talent bestowed on the chosen few. But in fact, creativity can be a habit part of anyone’s life, offering big picture benefits like better emotional and cognitive wellbeing. Joining us to explore how to incorporate daily creativity into family life are Blythe Harris and Mallory May, authors of the new book Daily Creative.
Sh
You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong!
Pooping is one of the most important – and least discussed – part of the human experience which leads to shame, misinformation and silent suffering. Neurogastroenterologist and author of You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong Dr. Trisha Pasricha is changing the conversation by opening the lid on gut-brain health, constipation, period poops and so much more. Plus, she offers very specific guidance for healt
Baby Steps to Big Kid Independence
Growing up requires the building blocks of many, many skills over time. From crossing the street to driving a car to working a first job, each new level demands increased self-sufficiency. The hard part for parents is knowing when a kid is ready for each stage and the best ways to let go. This episode offers guidance for the journey that kids (and parents) will travel along the way.
Show No
The Role of Trusted Adults
“Find a trusted adult.” Kids hear this endlessly––you probably do, too, if you’re a frequent listener to this podcast. Why? Because it’s one strategy that’s proven to keep kids safe and healthy. In this episode, we take a deeper dive into trusted adults: who are they? What role can and should they play? How and why should they set boundaries? And how can they support themselves as they support kid
Countdown to the Bittersweet Send-Off
It’s simultaneously wonderful and worrying to launch a kid. The most common denominator question is a version of this: Are they going to be ok when they leave us? We hope – and wonder – if we’ve taught them enough to be out in the world. Christina Geist spent her oldest child’s senior year of high school compiling those life lessons in Before You Fly Away. Her musings are as heartfelt as they are
Can We Make Our Kids Happy? with Laurie Santos
If you ask parents what they want for their kid, 99% say some version of: I just want them to be happy! But happiness––and how we achieve it––is complex and layered. We turned to the happiness guru, Dr. Laurie Santos, founder of the Happiness Lab and professor of Yale’s famous class “Psychology and the Good Life,” for answers and insights. You’ll be so happy you listened!
Show Notes:
Watch
When Teens Date: Where Parents Fit
Show Notes:
Watch the full episode on Youtube!
Join the LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP HUB
Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
Download the FREE Playbook for Getting Your Kid to Talk
Order our book This Is So Awkward
Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products a
Our Tech Debate with Jonathan Haidt + Catherine Price
The world around kids’ access to technology is changing at lightning speed – from bell-to-bell school phone bans to the re-emergence of the landline to governmental social media limits for those under 16. No one has been more at the center of these shifts than social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. He joins us along with his The Amazing Generation co-author Catherine Price for a lively conversation a
Looksmaxxing, the Manosphere, and our Boys
Two particularly powerful forces affecting boys – looksmaxxing and the manosphere – have gone mainstream. If you care about boys and young men, you must educate yourself in order to talk to them. Looksmaxxing and the manosphere have a fair amount of overlap, which is why a conversation that begins about one often lands at the other. To talk about these topics, you need to know what they are, the v
Gynecology for Kids & Teens: Yes, It’s a Thing!
When people think of gynecology, they usually think of care that happens for older teens and adults, from birth control to pregnancy to menopause. But there’s a whole world of gynecologic conditions that affect young girls and adolescents, too. Dr Nichole A Tyson + Dr. Joseph Sanfilippo, giants in the field of Pediatric Adolescent Gynecology, join us for a wide ranging conversation about painful p
Exam Stress: Turning Down the Volume
Exams have always been a stressful part of growing up. But layer on growing college admissions pressure, spiraling teen mental health, and recognition of the wide variety of learning styles, and the volume turns way up. This episode was prompted by a listener's question seeking advice about how to get through exam season from every angle: from the role of AI to the necessity of exams in the first
The Hidden Science of Teen Motivation
What makes kids tick? Even when they appear uninterested, defiant, or lazy, there’s usually much more lurking under the surface. To learn how to pull it out of them––and how to connect and communicate, too––we’re joined by Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabes (inspiration for the movie Mean Girls), who has spent her career exploring how to get the best out of tweens and teens.
How Kids Get Emotionally Intelligent
Emotional intelligence is often called EQ. Some might say it’s a soft skill, but in fact research shows it’s central to lifelong resilience and wellbeing. Building EQ takes years and years––adults are still working on it too!––but starting young, kids can develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision making abilities. This episode digs into all the wa
Getting Real About Sex Ed with Shafia Zaloom
Sexuality education is proven to have positive impacts on kids’ lifelong wellbeing in all areas and yet, people assume it only covers S-E-X. In fact, as health educator Shafia Zaloom discusses on the podcast, this corner of education provides young people with a wide variety of life-critical skills like emotional intelligence, boundary setting, conflict resolution, and so much more. Yes, science-b
Teaching Kids to Trust their Guts
Gut instinct is only partially innate – it’s also very much learned and developed over time. And it turns out to be a fundamental safety skill kids need to master. To do this, we need to shed the “stranger danger” approach of the 1980s, replacing it with the concept of “tricky people,” because it turns out that those who harm kids are often not strangers to them at all. This episode is all about h
Parents Have Feelings Too: Anger, Disgust + All the Messy Emotions
Parenting brings up so many difficult emotions like: disgust, disappointment, anger and more. Layer on top the shame parents experience for having those feelings! Two mental health professionals, Hilary Hendel and Julie Fraga, authors of Parents Have Feelings Too, join us to normalize the full emotional landscape of parenting and offer tools for moving forward in loving and constructive ways.
It’s Not Fair!
Kids are constantly analyzing and expressing their views on fairness––they do it in school, at home, on the sports field, basically everywhere. There are two different interpretations of fairness: equity and equality. We explore the difference between meeting each person’s individual needs vs slicing the pie the same way for all. While the constant refrain of “It’s not fair!” can be irritating to
Mattering in Today’s World
It’s easy to feel untethered in a modern world filled with stressors and tech-laden realities, but research tells us that the secret sauce is mattering: a combination of feeling valued and offering value back. Mattering fuels wellbeing. Journalist Jennifer Wallace, author of Mattering, joins us to explain this beautiful concept, sharing data-driven ways to achieve it for ourselves, our families, a
The Wild West of AI + Education
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is affecting every aspect of our lives, including education. When it comes to the impact of AI on kids’ learning and overall wellbeing, we don’t have the luxury of waiting on long-term studies. There is, however, a new “pre-mortem” study out from Brookings, looking at whether AI does more good or more harm in education. Here with the answers is Dr. Re
Weightlifting + Cross Training in Teens
The pressure to look a certain way and perform at peak athletic levels keeps moving younger and younger. It begs the question: what’s actually healthy and safe for growing bodies? This episode starts with the science of growth spurts and then answers some of the most common questions we get: is it safe for tweens + teens to weight train? If so, at what age? How important is cross-training really?
Consent 101 for the Early Years
Teaching kids about consent begins in their earliest years as they learn what it looks like to give and receive permission for any number of things. Hand in hand is their developing sense of privacy and safety in relationship to others. All of these skills become critical as kids grow and mature. Pediatrician and author of Eyes, Knees, Boundaries Please!, Dr. Krupa Playforth, joins us for a joyful
A Different Kind of Resolution
We’re not big believers in New Year’s resolutions, but we ARE big believers in resolving to make change and do better. This episode is about learning lessons from the past, recognizing where we want to (and need to) take a do-over, and harnessing that wisdom as we head into the new year!
Show Notes:
Watch the full episode on Youtube!
Join the LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP HUB
Go to Quin
“Are You Mad At Me?”
There is another F word – no, not that one. It’s FAWN, the under-appreciated fourth companion of the well-known coping responses: fight, flight, and freeze. Fawning means people-pleasing, and it can be used for survival – truly! Listen to this fascinating conversation with psychotherapist Meg Josephson on how to recognize fawning, break the cycle, and replace it with other coping strategies. She h
Teens, Screens, and The Science of Adolescence
Headlines blare with the dangers of tech, frightening parents and shaming kids. Making sense of the data requires research-based guidance rooted in an understanding of adolescent development. Enter Erin Walsh author of It’s Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence for ways forward that both set limits and foster connection with young people.
There is a Snapchat sponsored seg
The Power of Secure Attachment
Secure attachment is a term that gets thrown around, but it’s often not clear what it means or why it matters! In fact, it’s a decades old psychological concept that points to the protective impact on a child’s lifelong wellbeing of having just one caring adult. Therapist and author of Raising Securely Attached Kids, Eli Harwood AKA the Attachment Nerd, joins the podcast to dissect the critical ro
Bigger Kids, Bigger Safety Needs
A life with more independence, generally has more risk. As kids get older, they might start walking to school alone, playing on travel sports teams, sleeping at friends’ houses, driving on their own, or exploring outdoors… all increasingly without adult supervision. Expanding autonomy demands new tools for safety, including the rationale behind the rules. This episode is chock full of common scena
Emotional Longevity in a Burnout Culture
Longevity isn’t just about living longer, but living well. Yes getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and regular exercise are important for longevity, but so is recognizing and releasing feelings. Dr. Elisha Goldstein joins us to explore overwhelm, and then helps outline small, actionable steps we can take to improve our well-being to model emotional longevity for our kids.
Show Note
Sexual Harassment in Middle Schools
Show Notes:
Watch the full episode on Youtube!
Join the LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP HUB
Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
Download the FREE Playbook for Getting Your Kid to Talk
Order our book This Is So Awkward
Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products a
Love the Kid You’ve Got
The world often pits tweens + teens against their trusted adults. But research shows that young people actually thrive when they feel a connection with those very adults. So how can everyone get on the same side? What’s the path to stop fighting unimportant battles, and instead work together to manage fears and worries? Here to make sense of these complex topics is Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, pediatr
Teen Love in the Digital Age
Many of today’s adolescent relationships look radically different than they used to: from the labels used to describe them to the order of flirting, fooling around, and going on an actual date. We hear that teens are having less sex… but are they? And then there’s the role of AI chatbot companions, nudes, sexting and more. Join us in the muddy waters dating today––we promise to clear things up.
Rethinking College with Jeff Selingo
Higher education is changing at a wildly dramatic pace. Shifting politics, rising tuition costs, and draws like sports and weather all contribute to changes in the application landscape. In this episode, higher ed journalist and author of Dream School, Jeff Selingo, answers some of today’s biggest questions including: Does attending a top-tier school matter? What’s the value of community college o
LIVE! Making Sense of Risk Taking
Gambling, nicotine and e-bikes… Some degree of increased risk taking during the tween + teen years is completely expected, even among the non-risk takers. This is thanks to where they are in their brain development, a physiological fact that doesn’t make life particularly easy for them or their adults! Cara + Vanessa cover the topic in a LIVE recording, exploring kids’ penchant for risk taking thr
Raising Strong Girls
Being a girl in today’s world can be highly empowering, but at the same time it often means walking through a cultural minefield of social media messaging, toxic perfectionism, and unachievable bodily ideals, all before you turn 13. Journalist Kate Rope‘s new book, Strong As A Girl, looks at the factors that can offset these forces, starting with self-compassion. Our discussion covers the emotiona
The Surprising Effects of Alcohol on Your Body
The drinks have changed, yet the alcohol education of young people has remained relatively simplistic. This podcast offers listeners the class that we think should be taught in every high school—the information kids need in order to make informed choices. We start with the science of alcohol, and how it impacts bodies and brains differently. Then we get into consent, drink spiking, mixing alcohol
The True Story About Hormones
The endocrine system – in charge of making and sending all the hormones throughout the body – is basically the musical conductor for puberty. During puberty, a network of specific glands and hormones work together like an orchestra, eventually leading to a sexually mature reproductive system along with certain smelly and awkward side effects. Listen to how endocrinologist Dr. Gillian Goddard tells
Caffeine’s Effects on Growing Bodies
Caffeine might be the most socially acceptable addictive substance on earth. For starters, it’s sold in coffee shops on nearly every city corner. It’s also available in gummies and sprays. Kids have become a huge target market for highly caffeinated products. What are the repercussions? How does caffeine work in the body and brain? Does it impact growing bodies? Is it safe for your kid? We cover i
Big Kids, Bigger Feelings
Parenting gets easier right? HA. As our kids get older our expectations grow right along with them, sometimes outpacing their abilities. We need reminding that they are works in progress, with developing brains and burgeoning emotional intelligence. This combination makes for exciting – albeit sometimes challenging – moments when, despite wanting to do our best, we can’t necessarily get there. Ent
Getting Boys to Open Up
The world (wrongly) assumes that teenage boys want to be left behind their closed bedroom doors until emerging years later. In fact, tween and teen boys want connection, meaning, and care; they might just show it in different ways. We welcome the authors of Talk to Your Boys, Christopher Pepper and Joanna Schroeder onto the podcast to share research and strategies for connecting to boys during the
R-E-S-P-E-C-T and teens
Individuation is an important theme threaded through the tween and teen years: the formation of independent identity ultimately allows a kid to stand on their own in adulthood. But getting there can sometimes look – and feel – pretty disrespectful. How can we make sense of the challenges, confusion, and sometimes painful moments? (or months?!). Child development specialist and bestselling author B
Protecting the Joy in Youth Sports
The benefits to kids of playing sports are super clear. But the picture has gotten more complicated with the pay-to-play takeover of youth sports and the increasingly intense pressure on kids (and their families) to perform at higher and higher levels. Amanda Stanec, youth sports expert and author of Protecting the Joy, is here to make sense of the research and offer balanced guidance for families
Back to School Battles
Moving from summer mode into school gear is a tricky transition for everyone – kids and adults. Predictable battles arise over tech use, clothing choices, and summer reading (for starters… we could go on and on!). This episode offers some simple strategies to avoid a bumpy start to the academic year. Alleviate the solvable stressors to make BTS a little more fun!
Show Notes:
Join our LESS
Social Media and the Law
Tech, social media, and the law intersect in ever-evolving and highly confusing ways. Rules vary from state-to-state, without any consistent age gate. This leaves minors – and the adults who care about them – unclear about what is and isn’t legal. On topics like child pornography, sexting, sextortion, and revenge porn, Kaitlin Andrews, family lawyer and educator from the Schools Consent Project, o
Normalizing Conversations About Difficult Topics
Most of us would prefer to avoid conversations about big, hard topics with the kids in our lives. But we also know how critical it is for us to talk to them about uncomfortable things like sexual assault, miscarriage, and mental health struggles. Which is why we’re so happy to know Jessica Zucker, author of Normalize It, a psychologist, and a parent. She gracefully navigates the tricky balance of
Stretch Marks, Keloids, and Ingrown Hairs!
The skin erupts with surprises across the tween and teen years… and it’s not all acne! Stretchmarks happen when bodies grow out or up quickly. Keloids are 3-D scars. Ingrown hairs aren’t permanent like the other two, but they still present their own challenges and stressors. We dig into what causes each of these skin challenges and what (if anything) can be done about them.
Show Notes:
Joi
When Kids Leave the Nest
It’s simultaneously wonderful and worrying to launch a kid. The most common denominator question is a version of this: Are they going to be ok when they leave us? We hope – and wonder – if we’ve taught them enough to be out in the world. Christina Geist spent her oldest child’s senior year of high school compiling those life lessons in Before You Fly Away. Her musings are as heartfelt as they are
Consequences + Discipline with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
We are rereleasing one of our most popular episodes addressing one of the biggest challenges for caregivers: How do we discipline kids with the goal of teaching them how to do better next time? Tina Payne Bryson, psychotherapist and our personal guru, gives us a clear and empathic pathway to instituting consequences in our families.
Show Notes:
Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS
Get you
Our Kids Know More + Less Than We Think
It can be really hard to gauge what tweens + teens actually know about the biggest ticket topics. That’s because, in this age of information, they are pummeled with “facts” about sex, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, wellness, and so much more. It can seem like they have encyclopedic knowledge sometimes… until you get past the confident tone and actually listen to what they are saying. This episode will
Leaving Our Baggage at the Door
In this Season 1 re-release: Our own puberty stories are seared into our brains and the temptation is to share those experiences, the good and the bad, with the kids in our lives. Except, kids need to have their own puberty journeys without carrying our puberty baggage on their shoulders. Adults need to find their own trusted adults with whom to share these memories and Cara and Vanessa do just th
When We Care and They Don't
Parents know better, right? Maybe. While we may have brains mature enough to anticipate what’s coming down the road 5, 10, 20 years from now (and the lived experiences to back it up), we can’t force our kids to care about the things we deem important. This power struggle occurs throughout the tween + teen years, on everything from minor issues like wearing deodorant to major tensions like grades o
Parenting the Emotional Roller Coaster with Dr. Aliza Pressman
We’re rereleasing one of the very first episodes we ever recorded because it’s also one of the best. Developmental psychologist, Dr. Aliza Pressman, joins us to discuss the ways to respond to the emotional ups and downs of parenting adolescents. Aliza’s practical and actionable advice boils down to this: What’s going on for our kids and how can we meet them in a kind and constructive way?
Sho
Setting Boundaries with Other Adults
Setting boundaries takes practice: kids need to learn this skill and most adults need to evolve it. Practically speaking, boundary-setting starts with drawing lines on our kids’ behalf. In doing so, we show (more than tell) what is (and isn’t!) okay for strangers, family, and friends to do and say — from comments about body changes or clothing choices to judgments about life paths. The trick is to
Deep Dive on Periods
Dr. Hina Talib, adolescent medicine specialist, joins us for a deep dive on periods. We discuss menstruation as a vital sign, what’s considered normal for teen menstruation and what’s not, when to worry and when to seek advice from medical providers. We’ll cover everything from mittelschmerz (WHAT?!!!) to endometriosis, so tune in for accessible expert advice on all things periods!
Show Notes
Recommended
ESPN SportsCenter Update
Back to the 80s Radio
Heaven’s Gate Academy
Deadline: White House
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
TED Business
Ranger Bill | Old Time Radio Adventure & Family Drama
زن بودن
Christmas Old Time Radio
The Adventures of Superman | Old Time Radio
Booked, Blonde & Busy w/ Olivia Ponton
The Human-Animal Connection - Pet Life Radio Original
