Episodes

5d ago

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. Show Notes: The Keys ; A Guide to Digital Safety from Snapchat Snapchat Family Center It’s their world: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9

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 role of secure attachment on people’s development and explain ways to achieve it in our families. Show Notes: Raising Securely Attached Kids 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2

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 scenarios––from sleepovers to seatbelts, from driving to parties––and tips for adults about setting limits now to strengthen kids’ safety muscles for the future.. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25

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 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18

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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11

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, pediatric psychologist and author of Love the Teen You Have. Show Notes: Love the Teen You Have 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4

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. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28

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 or technical school? How do people rationalize the rising cost of higher education? Show Notes: 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21

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 through 3 very timely topics and how to point them towards making good (or at least better) decisions. Show Notes: 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14

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 emotional challenges faced by both parents and daughters, how fear impacts parenting decisions, and why it’s so important for girls to express their interests and emotions. Show Notes: 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7

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 and caffeine, blood alcohol concentration, blacking out, and more! And as always, we suggest different ways into the hundreds of conversations you’ll want to have on the topic. Show Notes: 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30

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 the fascinating story of how hormones work throughout puberty, making a complex system so much more understandable. Show Notes: 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. Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 23

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 it all. Show Notes: 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. Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 16

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. Enter Alyssa Campbell, MS Ed and her new book Big Kids, Bigger Feelings . Alyssa swoops in with thoughtful, evidence-based guidance for managing these bigger feelings found in bigger kids. Oh, and she tackles our enormous emotional reservoirs, too! Show Notes: Big Kids, Bigger Feelings Seed & Sew 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. Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 9

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 these formative years. Show Notes: 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. Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 2

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 Betsy Brown Braun explains this developmental stage and teaches us how to draw lines, set expectations, and not personalize what’s happening! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 29

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 navigating the youth sports industrial complex. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 26

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 AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 22

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, offers guidance on where the law is clear, where we’re still looking for clarity, and what to do while the ground shifts under our feet. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS FBI resources on teen sextortion, Contact your local FBI field office , call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov . Schools Consent Project Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 19

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 educating kids about the difficult issues without dumping our own baggage on them. TW: this episode contains conversation about miscarriage and sexual assault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 15

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: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 12

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 practical, whether you have a child who is about to fly the nest, one who flew away long ago, or one so young you can hardly imagine that stage of life. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Before You Fly Away: Life Lessons From Home 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 8

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 your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5

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 make you feel less alone (you are not the only one who has been dumbfounded by an adolescent!) and help you help them sort fact from fiction. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 1

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 that in this episode. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 29

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 or substance use. How can we adults learn to manage our own feelings while simultaneously finding ways to inspire our kids? This hilarious and personal episode is packed with that advice. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25

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? Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 22

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 set boundaries while still encouraging connection, because we want kids to learn about limits without walling themselves off. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 18

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: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 15

Human connection is critical to wellbeing for people of all ages. But it's also a skill that can be taught and honed. We’re big believers in not glossing over conversations with kids about how to be a friend. How can you approach this conversation that feels all at once very basic and also can be very charged? Start by appreciating the cultural myths about friendship, then move into some of the more obvious tenets of being a friend (that aren’t always obvious to kids!), and finally, get well-versed in the friendship-challenges kids face. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 11

We’re rereleasing this episode because a heartfelt listener question offered up a common parenting challenge: My teen daughter treats me so badly that I just want to pull away from her. Our advice starts with the science behind adolescent mood swings and then moves into setting limits in the heat of the moment and beyond. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 8

Successfully imparting information to kids is more art than science. Often it’s as much about tone and approach as it is about the content itself. Plus, there are so many variables that can impact how things go like temperament, personality, mood, stress and so on. We offer some of our favorite tenets that can help steer conversations to a place kids can hear what we’re saying, maybe even engage with us, and leave the door open to further discussions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 4

We’re rereleasing this episode because it’s gotten even more important since we first recorded it. Move over sex and drugs, there’s a new hot topic to add to the list of the zillion talks you’ll have with the kids in your life: gambling. It’s time to start conversations about everything from online gambling sites to gaming platforms to fantasy sports leagues. Plus add the fact that kid-targeted phone-based apps offer lots of entry points into the world of wagering. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 1

There’s knowing your body parts and then there’s body literacy. It turns out, both are key to health and safety. If knowing your body parts is like having a map, being body literate is like being able to read a compass. We’re joined by Konika Ray Wong, a health educator and author of body books for kids down to age 4. She covers concepts like interoception and attunement (yes, big words!), central concepts for people who want to understand their body’s cues. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 27

Rereleasing this gem as part of our summer series. If you’re sending a kid away for part of the summer – or even if you’re just sending them off for the day – there are certain key conversations to have before getting too far into summer. We cover everything from body changes and clothing choices to tech use and trusted adults. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 24

The fine line between informing and oversharing is tricky to navigate, especially when it comes to topics like puberty, sex, and drugs. On the one hand, kids need information; on the other, we must take into account things like personality, communication style, and desire for privacy, not to mention set boundaries according to their developmental stage. So when does sharing information cross over into too much information? This episode has the answer and so much more. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 20

We’re rereleasing this episode ahead of the summer months when body hair becomes a hairy issue ;) We cover everything you ever wanted to know: when and where hair grows as kids’ bodies change, the social and emotional implications of sprouting on different parts of the body, and how to handle conversations about keeping vs. getting rid of all this new hair. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 17

Being a steady, calm parent to tweens and teens seems like an impossibility. But there’s decades of research and data supporting this style – not only is it achievable, it has lifelong positive impacts. Enter “lighthouse parenting” from Ken Ginsburg, a framing based on his deep experience as an adolescent medicine doctor and rooted in his optimism that raising teens is an opportunity not a burden. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order parentandteen.com fosteringresilience.com 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 13

As the weather warms up, acne becomes more front and center – literally. This episode covers: what causes acne, how warm weather affects kids’ skin (for better and for worse), and how to approach acne on the body at a time of year that calls for fewer and fewer clothes. A combo of science and guidance for addressing this tricky topic! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Get your Alloy prescription today. Visit https://myalloy.com/SOAWKWARD today for $20 off your first order! Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 10

Psychotherapist Lynn Lyons tells it like it is. She’s treated anxiety in kids and adults for 30 years and counting. This episode is packed with pearls about how to manage kids’ anxiety, what to do with your own, and the 3 biggest mistakes people make: avoidance, accommodation, and lack of autonomy. After listening, you will feel far less anxious – we promise! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 6

The recently published Make America Health Again (MAHA) Report has made a big splash, putting the wellness of American children center stage. The report focuses on four issue areas – ultraprocessed foods, environmental chemicals, physical activity/mental health/tech use, and (over)medicalization of kids. We explain what it says, what’s reliable, and how the positions taken affect tweens and teens. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order The MAHA Report 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 3

Many of us are in the sandwich generation, caring for kids while also caring for aging parents. Caregiving is hard work: it’s physically exhausting when kids are little, and increasingly emotionally exhausting as they get older…meanwhile, elder care can be an intense combination of the two. What if we could reframe caring for others from burdensome slog to hero’s journey? In When We Care , Elissa Strauss leans into research to advocate for a new view of care – one defined by the opportunity to gain wisdom, meaning, and connection. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order https://www.elissastrauss.com/ 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 30

In a house with kids of different ages, it can be challenging to sort through what’s appropriate to discuss with whom. Keeping information siloed can create a culture of secrecy within the family unit, but introducing topics before a given kid is developmentally ready can cause its own harms. Then there’s the very predictable (and yes, awkward) scenario of younger kids educating their close friends or fellow passengers on the school bus by sharing overly sophisticated content. Gotta love that phone call from another parent! We dive into all the permutations of what information should be discussed with all kids under one roof and what information is best saved for family “breakout rooms.” Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 27

We can always count on science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer to delve into the latest research and distill it down to nuggets of wisdom. Chock full of data and analysis, Melinda’s writing ultimately helps us help our kids. Her newest book, Hello, Cruel World! , chronicles how to build coping skills, find connection with others, and cultivate meaningful lives – all of which allows our kids (and ourselves) to stand strong in a turbulent world. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Hello Cruel World! Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 23

Nicotine… alcohol… prescription drugs… illicit drugs. All of these fall under the overwhelmingly gigantic umbrella of “substances.” Teen experimentation ranges from none to a little to A LOT. And while some of these substances are similar to what was around when we were growing up, others are radically different or brand new. This episode catches everyone up on the current landscape, covering the different classes of drugs, the science of how each affects the body, and how culture impacts use. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 10% off your purchase. Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com/AWKWARD Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 20

Kids between 6-12 are generally called pre-tweens and tweens. But some say they’re living in the “forgotten years,” almost as if there’s a lull in development during this time span. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Especially as we understand more about brain development and as puberty starts earlier and earlier. Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, clinical psychologist and author of The Crucial Years , explains why the school-aged years mark an age of opportunity for the in-betweener kids and their parents. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com slash AWKWARD . New customers can enjoy this special offer of only $1.99 a meal at Everyplate. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 16

If we had a dollar for every time a kid says “but everyone else is…” Whether about a sleepover, screentime, spring break trip, or a newly-hatched plan to try hang gliding, that phrase puts parents and caregivers in a tough spot. We want our kids to feel included, but at the same time there may be concerns about what they’re hoping to do, have, see, or experience. The decision tree becomes further complicated when a kid lacks reliable information about what the heck is actually going on! This episode offers lots of paths through tackling a request that “everyone” else is doing, including how to make decisions and the conversations that go hand-in-hand. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com slash AWKWARD . New customers can enjoy this special offer of only $1.99 a meal at Everyplate. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 13

Teaching kids about their changing bodies is as much about the delivery as it is about the content. Kids thrive when information is delivered with joy in authentic and interactive ways, honoring their natural curiosity and quest for knowledge. Enter Melissa Pintor Carnagey founder of Sex Positive Families and author of the new book for kids Growing Into You. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com slash AWKWARD . New customers can enjoy this special offer of only $1.99 a meal at Everyplate. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 9

Educating kids about healthy relationships is a modern phenomenon we can get behind. It makes us cringe to look back on the harmful relationship, sex, and gender tropes we were taught back in the day. This episode takes that hindsight and flips it, offering tools to help kids build their own healthy relationships. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com slash AWKWARD . New customers can enjoy this special offer of only $1.99 a meal at Everyplate. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 6

There is no secret sauce to raising successful children, but it sure is fascinating to understand some of the elements that result in a family filled with high-achieving siblings. And it raises lots of important questions, too, like: What even is success? When are the sacrifices to reach goals too great? And what do parents ultimately want for their children? New York Times writer and author of The Family Dynamic , Susan Dominus, helps us dive into all these complicated questions. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets, at BollAndBranch.com slash AWKWARD . New customers can enjoy this special offer of only $1.99 a meal at Everyplate. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AWKWARD199 to get started. 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 2

We’ve lost track of how many times we get asked when to move on from pediatric care. Some people ask because of personality – usually a clash between parents and doctors – but mostly they ask because they know there’s a time for kids to move on to adult practitioners, they just don’t understand when. In this episode we share details around how pediatric care is different from adult care, why people might stay with their pediatrician a little longer than anticipated, the list of clear reasons why you really should move on, and much more. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 29

Fentanyl is a truly terrifying drug because even a tiny amount can be deadly. When fentanyl is added to illicit drugs (like cocaine) and counterfeit prescription “medications” (xanax purchased online, for instance), unknowing users can ingest tiny – but fatal – doses. Listen to the expert advice of Marcia Lee Taylor, strategy advisor to Song for Charlie and the former President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. She explains not just how fentanyl gets into the drug supply and how it affects the body, but also how to talk about it in ways your kids can hear. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Song for Charlie Signs of an Overdose 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 25

April, May, and June are packed with big (and small) celebratory events. While these rites of passage often build wonderful memories, they’re not without complications. This episode offers lots of ways to get ahead of any worries about safety, how to navigate complex family dynamics, and ways to manage our own big emotions. All of this helps us have the important conversations our kids need. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 22

Thanks to hormones and rapid brain development, tweens and teens can be explosive, make impulsive decisions, or struggle to get organized. Layer on top of that a brain with ADHD and the picture looks even more complex. To illuminate the interplay of the neurobiological factors of ADHD and puberty is clinical neuropsychologist Karen Wilson, PhD . Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Understood.org 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 18

A set of challenges called ACEs – short for Adverse Childhood Experiences – tether directly to all sorts of physical and emotional consequences. These stressors range from violence to food insecurity to natural disasters, outcomes backed by 30 years of research. We’ll explain how, even though the ACEs create their own downstream issues, these aren’t inevitable. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip CDC on ACES Cleveland Clinic on ACES 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 15

At long last! An episode dedicated to how ADHD can impact tweens + teens relationships, romantic lives, and sexual behaviors. Dr. Ari Tuckman 25 years’ working with kids and adults who have ADHD provides a deep understanding of the ways their social interactions can be affected by their differently wired brains. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip understood.org 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 11

When it comes to educating kids about sex, reproduction, and all the rest, there’s lots of information out there. What there doesn’t seem to be is a wealth of information about – at least for younger kids on the front end of this learning curve – is a ton of accessible information about the different ways babies can be made. A mom reached out after we spoke at her school, explaining that she used an egg donor and hasn’t talked to her kid about it yet. She’s searched for resources, but can’t find any age-appropriate ones. So, voila! We did a podcast about it. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 8

Answers to so many questions about fertility incoming! How do female and male fertility cycles work? What’s the long-term impact of contraception on fertility? How about STIs? Or autoimmune disease? And what are the arguments for and against freezing eggs at increasingly young ages? We cover it all (and so much more) with reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Jaime Knopman. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Jaime Knopman on Instagram Chick mission 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 4

There is so much buzz (and fear) springing from Netflix’s Adolescence. Many are trying to make sense of the heady topics it covers… others have opted to avoid watching altogether. Our advice: It’s must see TV. While its premise is extreme, its themes – social media + tech use, toxic masculinity, bullying, loneliness and more – are universal to today’s youth. There’s no turning a blind eye. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Download the FREE Playbook for Getting Your Kid to Talk Order our book This Is So Awkward Understanding Boys with Ruth Whippman Raising a Healthy Gamer with Alok Kanojia Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 1

Resilience is a buzzy word in the world of “good parenting,” but what does resilience even mean and how do adults help kids get there? Psychologist, researcher, and professor Tovah Klein unpacks what resilience truly is and the critical role parents and trusted adults play in building this skill. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Raising Resilience 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 28

The list of things we want or need or hope our kids will do is long and ever-growing. It might start with brushing their teeth twice a day and making their beds, but it inevitably expands to include things like getting themselves out of toxic friendships and calling us when they’re in trouble. Much to our frustration (and even though we know better), we cannot force them to do any of these things. We can nudge, bribe, ask, beg, even yell… this episode covers these and other ways we try to point them in the right direction and eventually empower them to make good choices on their own. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 25

Nutrition is the first line of disease prevention. And yet, words like “diet” and even “nutrition” itself are laden, suggesting concerns about body image or eating issues. How to thread the needle? We can teach kids – and re-teach ourselves – the short and long term impacts of what we eat and drink. Maya Feller, registered dietician and nutritionist, shares her strategies, including why teaching this to kids matters for longevity… theirs and ours! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Maya Feller Nutrition 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 21

There are 3 main reasons why someone might travel to get healthcare: (1) there’s no one local who can help, (2) after some sleuthing and you think you’ve found the very best person but they’re located somewhere else, or (3) you’re not even home when you get sick or injured. Whatever the reason, navigating long distance healthcare comes with very predictable pros and cons that most people haven’t thought through. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Mama Bear Legal Forms 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 18

The list of things adults are *supposed* to do in order to support kids can feel overwhelmingly massive. It turns out, a small handful of them help address kids’ worries while quieting our own. And because these steps turn out to be fairly simple, they feel achievable. Ashley Graber and Maria Evans, psychotherapists and authors of Raising Calm Kids in a World of Worry , share this actionable, science-based guidance. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Raising Calm Kids in a World of Worry: Tools to Ease Anxiety and Overwhelm 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 14

Getting a driver’s license was a rite of passage for generations. Now, though, fewer kids are opting in. This episode looks at the reasons why so many teens are skipping over this life skill. And for the ones who do still get behind the wheel, we get into all of the hilarious missteps and critical learnings for their parents.There’s beauty in all the unvarnished failures, useful guidance, and heartfelt realizations we experience during this symbolic – and very real – step towards adulthood. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 11

Choices about sex education, information, and communication can be deeply affected by trauma, especially sexual trauma. And vice versa. This episode explores why the two are connected, and how to break the cycle. We’re in conversation with Melissa Kilbride, an LCSW and certified sex therapist who works with adults and couples to address their own trauma and advocates for sexual health education for kids. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Melissa L. Kilbride & Associates @askable_mama on Instagram 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 7

Everything you ever needed to know about testicular emergencies in one episode! Beyond the basics about how they grow and change, it’s important to know when a lump, bump, or complaint warrants a visit to the doctor. We cover it all, from the benign to the worrisome, like cancer. Learn about scrotal rashes, hernias, epididymitis, torsion, and more. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to phyla.com and use code PUBERTY for 25% off your first order Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4

It’s easy to connect a headache with a hard day or stomach pain after a fight with a friend. But it is more complicated to grasp the relationship between chronic pain and our reservoir of repressed emotions and traumas. Licensed Clinical Social Worker and author of Mind the Body, Nicole Sachs, joins us to make sense of the connections between physical and emotional pain. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD ESSENTIALS Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip 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 at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 28

Judging ourselves, judging other parents, judging our partners and judging our kids… none of these feels good, and all clog lines of communication. But this is a really tough habit to kick. The first step is owning our judgment, so in this episode we share a bunch of our own parenting fails and then (try to) forgive ourselves. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 25

Middle school and middle schoolers get a really bad rap and their educators are looked upon with sympathy. But what if we flip that narrative on its head and view this stage with excitement? Here to shift the perspective on this transformational age into one of opportunity and wonder is school founder, middle school principal, and author Chris Balme. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 21

The study of microplastics is a rapidly expanding field because they are literally ubiquitous – in our bodies, our oceans, our food. Found everywhere from brains to testicles, from tap water to sea salt, this episode unpacks what we know and what we don’t yet know about the impact of microplastics on the human body. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Your Brain is Full of Microplastics: Are They Harming You? Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18

When kids misbehave or act out, it’s natural for adults to react with anger, disappointment, punishment, or even disconnection. But struggling kids actually need the opposite – their behavior improves when they feel connection and belonging. Psychologist and lifelong educator Doug Bolton translates decades of experience into actionable, empathic ways forward. His book, Untethered , offers a beautiful path to change the way we all think about dysregulation, community, and raising kids. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Untethered by Doug Bolton Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 14

Adults are baffled, bemused, and slightly horrified by what they hear about teen dating. Our 16-year-old guest, Elle Kristine, helps set the record straight on today’s teen relationships. She uses decidedly modern methods to offer teens relationship advice, like her @AskElle account on TikTok and her AI-based teen dating app. Ultimately, Elle believes that today’s teens are looking for the same things they have always sought in relationships: connection and love. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11

The language of teen relationships is literally foreign: the glossary-requiring terms they use to describe their romantic lives vary from kid to kid, with little agreement. What do words like “situationship,” “talking” (which isn’t actually talking), and “hook-up” mean? Now layer on the virtual world in general – and social media in particular – and you can feel like you need to get a PhD in the language of young love. Journalist Lisa Phillips, author of First Love , defines it all, ultimately creating a playbook of the realities of youth romance. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip First Love by Lisa Phillips Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 7

It can be increasingly hard to find valid, science-based health guidance in this age of rampant misinformation and now missing information. This episode zooms in on the prevention of pregnancy and STI/STD transmission, one corner of health and sex education that is in the midst of erasure from many government websites. We cover everything from abstinence to barrier methods, hormonal contraception, and IUDs. And if for some reason the content of this podcast gets censored, it’s all in our book: This Is So Awkward ! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Head to http://lumen.me/AWKWARD for 20% off your purchase Get 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code AWKWARD Visit equip.health/AWKWARD to get a free consultation from Equip Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 4

Teens can be so brutally honest at some moments and utterly clueless at others. Chip Leighton, the self-described middle aged dad influencer Leighton Show and author of What Time Is Noon , memorializes it all with a hefty dose of barb-filled humor. Chip lays bare a hilarious, unvarnished view into the experience of parenting teenagers. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_leighton_show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_leighton_show/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 31

Parenthood is complicated by a million complex issues, only ramping up in the tween + teen years. Then layer on the common truth that any two people can disagree. Adults bring their own knowledge and history to parenting – their upbringing, temperament, and even values can differ radically, often landing them on different sides of the same question. So what are co-parents to do when they don’t see eye-to-eye on issues like substance use, screen time, clothing choices, or just general independence-seeking? Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Managing Divorce with Adolescents Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 28

Life is messy. Tyler Moore AKA Instagram’s The Tidy Dad helps families declutter not just their physical messes but also their emotional baggage too. Everything from middle school mayhem to toilet bowl hygiene, this episode is chock full of practical advice. But there’s no judgment for those who have a ways to go before they qualify as tidy! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24

This is not a political episode but sex education is a political issue. At the start of a new presidential administration we are already seeing shifts in what can and cannot be taught in schools. Our guest, Jaclyn Friedman, helps clarify the facts and project what the future of sex ed may look like. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 21

Why do we double down on a decision even when all evidence points to it being the wrong choice? It’s often thanks to the phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance and its companions: self-justification and memory rewriting. Social psychologist Carol Tavris explains what these words mean, how they play into decision-making, and why adults can’t help but fall into this trap even as their kids get older. This fascinating episode will blow your mind! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Mistakes Were Made (but not by ME) Estrogen Matters Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 17

New Year’s resolutions are fine, but goal setting is better. This reframe makes physical and emotional wellness more achievable, for kids as it is for adults. But sometimes, in an effort to get “healthy,” people of all ages develop behaviors that are anything but. This episode opens with our what’s in and what’s out list for 2025 – far more fun than standard resolutions – and offers tips for identifying when health goals turn unhealthy. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Episode on Orthorexia Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 14

One week ago, Los Angeles erupted in flames. Firestorms engulfed entire communities on both the east and west sides of town. Thousands have been displaced, losing not just their homes but their schools, parks, and community gathering spots. In this episode, we cover how to prepare for emergencies – not just the physical items you need to have at the ready, but also the conversations to be had with tweens and teens. It will surprise no one that this is not one talk but many. Newsletter with LA Resources Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 10

In the evolving narrative around motherhood and work, our guest, Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled and author of The Power Pause, is on the frontlines. She emphasizes the diverse choices women make regarding career pauses for family life, highlighting the tradeoff of foregoing one’s professional identity for a period with more time spent with our children. We cover everything from the primacy of adult friendships to “teen-ternity” (pausing when our kids are older), and the significance of planning for career transitions. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Mother Untitled The Power Pause Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 7

Kids have different learning styles, sometimes to the pride (or frustration) of their parents. They also have different learning modes, that can shift and change even throughout the day. Journalist Jenny Anderson and education researcher Rebecca Winthrop have created a framework to understand why kids become disengaged learners or unhappy achievers, and how the adults in their lives can help to re-engage, support, and encourage them. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 3

Handling complicated sibling dynamics while managing the adolescent years can be a heavy lift. Having kids at different stages of puberty, not to mention the impact of mood swings on the family, can require very careful navigating. Luckily Dr. Corinna Tucker who specializes in the science of sibling relationships, guests on the podcast to help with all these tricky questions. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Psychology Today blog: the Science of Siblings . Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 31, 2024

There are a million things we tell kids to keep them safe and as they grow up, the conversations evolve. But there are 5 specific topics – narrower conversations, if you will – that adults need to cover with teens before they head out the door for the night. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 27, 2024

Nick Kroll – the comedian, actor and Big Mouth creator – sits down for an honest, authentic conversation about what life was like as someone late to the puberty party. Nick offers a window into how developing and growing later than his peers affected him in both good and hard ways throughout his life. This is a great episode to listen to with a late bloomer in your life! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Nick Kroll Bio Uncertain Parenting interview with Dr. Molly Colvin Big Mouth on Netflix More information on late bloomers: Decoding Boys by Cara Natterson , Chapter 4 Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 24, 2024

Parents juggle so many decisions about their kids’ health – from preventive ones ( Should they get that vaccine? ) to urgent ones ( Do we need to go to the Emergency Room?! ) There’s not a singular approach, but pediatrician Dr. Jessica Hochman has a lot to say about how to make the best decisions for your family. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Ask Dr Jessica The Meg Foundation for Pain Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 20, 2024

Telling kids to “suck it up” doesn’t translate into resilient, emotionally healthy kids. But in one of our recent viral videos on our @less.awkward Instagram account, many commenters still espouse that very approach – kids are soft these days; they have toughen up; you’re raising snowflakes; you’re kid isn’t going to be able to cope in the real world… This episode explores the research showing why suck it up parenting doesn’t work nearly as well as empathic parenting. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. IG Reel referenced in episode Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 17, 2024

There’s a tremendous list of stressors bearing down on teen girls – body image struggles, mental health issues, and academic pressures just to name a few. The key to supporting them is finding ways into connection and conversation. Licensed Clinical Social Worker Cathy Cassani Adams leverages decades of clinical, academic, and personal experience to advise adults on how to reach teen girls. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Restoring Our Girls Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2024

Ask a bunch of 6th graders to define “popularity,” and you’ll get as many answers as kids. It’s hard to define – for tweens, teens, and even adults – but popularity can have powerful impacts on friendships and well-being. This episode explores the types of popularity: being well-liked vs powerful. We cover the connection between popularity and social control, intimidation, even bullying. While the topic might transport us back to our middle school days, popularity in both its good and bad forms persists well into adulthood. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 10, 2024

She grew up in the rural south, not knowing that her period pain – so intense it sidelined her each month – wasn’t typical. It was only when Dr. Loretta Duggan was in her training in Family and Adolescent Medicine that she put a name on it and got treatment. Now she runs a practice in her home state of Georgia, providing care to adolescents and young adults with joyful delivery of health information and open lines of communication. Our wide ranging conversation covers everything from menstrual health as a vital sign to hormonal therapy to STI prevention, it all boils down to this: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD HER Health Dr. Loretta Duggan Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 6, 2024

Australia has just banned social media for kids under the age of 16. This prompts so MANY many questions including: What counts as social media? How will the ban work? Who’s responsible for implementation? Should we have a similar ban in the US? And perhaps most importantly, we explore what is the data (if any) sitting at the root of the ban, including what would be the ideal basis on which to write and enact laws. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule ("COPPA") | Federal Trade Commission US state age assurance laws for social media – AVPA What Jonathan Haidt Gets Right… and Wrong Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 3, 2024

Over the last few decades, cultural conversations around sexism have gotten more – not less – complicated. From social media and pervasive beauty culture to slut shaming and toxic masculinity, there’s a lot to manage for kids and adults supporting them. Jo-Ann Finkelstein, clinical psychologist and author of Sex & Sensibility, offers framework and guidance for all of these complex topics. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns To celebrate Phyla’s exciting new launch, we’re offering 25% off your first order. Go to phyla.com and enter the code "puberty" at checkout. Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 29, 2024

Consent conversations can – and should – start early. So early that they begin around topics that have absolutely nothing to do with sex. We offer ways to apply the lessons of consent to a bunch of different topics in kids’ lives and start a conversation that will happen many different times in many different ways throughout a kid’s life. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: visit PhylaBiotics.com and get 60% off their serum, and the entire 3-step system for only $48. Use the code PUBERTY60. Tea and Consent Video Cycling Through Consent Video Teens and the Law with Jonathan Cristall, Esq. Advice from Famous Sex Educator Shafia Zaloom Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 26, 2024

Our two mothers have, between them, more than 100 years of parenting experience. They share it all – including lots of lessons learned while raising the two of us and what they love most about being grandparents. And if you’re wondering, the answer is yes, we absolutely ask them about how they talked to us about puberty, sex, teenagers, and all the rest of it. Enjoy this love-filled episode! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: visit PhylaBiotics.com and get 60% off their serum, and the entire 3-step system for only $48. Use the code PUBERTY60. Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22, 2024

Kid’s organizational skills (or lack thereof) can be a huge source of tension and frustration for adults. But executive functioning are skills that can be learned over time – we just have to be patient with brains in progress and dominant limbic systems. And certain challenges, like procrastination, are actually much more complex than they initially seem. Psychologist and executive functioning expert, Dr. Tori Cordiano, joins us back on the podcast. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: visit PhylaBiotics.com and get 60% off their serum, and the entire 3-step system for only $48. Use the code PUBERTY60. Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Dr. Tori Cordiano Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19, 2024

When it comes to college, getting in is only the beginning. The much longer journey includes twists and turns about handling independence, making new friends, managing academic rigor, experiencing loneliness, facing rejection, and finding community. We’re joined by college-life guru and social media megastar Harlan Cohen, who shares his heartfelt guidance for supporting kids through these bumpy times. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Year 13 For Parents on Facebook Best First Year Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 15, 2024

Fearmongering works for clickbait, but don’t rely on it to pave the way to a great relationship with your kids. There are so many reasons to choose joy over fear, starting with the impacts of non-stop stress causing the body to release cortisol round the clock. This is especially true when toeing into tricky topics. This episode starts with a rant – because any more negativity coming from the world of news will undo us! – and then moves to why + how we opt to make these conversations fun. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD What Teens Need to Know About Sex Talking to Tweens About Sex What School Aged Kids Need to Know About Sex Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 12, 2024

Boys need – and deserve – all of the same conversations that girls get (and deserve!): they want to learn about their changing bodies, express their ideas, and make sense of their realities. Clinical psychologist Dr. Chris Miller offers a path forward based on 25 years of working with boys and their families. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code AWKWARD to receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Boys Institute for Growth (BIG) Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 8, 2024

Should I let my kid play tackle football? That listener question raises a tangle of others, so we set out to address the big ones including: what is a concussion? How they should be treated? When do the prevention strategies or treatments cause their own issues? And why has concussion advice changed so much over time? Getting into conversation with kids about concussions does not have a one-size fits all answer, but this episode offers all the tools you need to help. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 5, 2024

There’s so much research swirling around! From substance use to gaming to porn, the overwhelming number of studies can make raising kids feel overwhelming. Dr. Yalda Uhls founded The Center for Scholars and Storytellers to help make sense of all of this data by bridging the gap between families and tech companies, content creators, and studios. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Center for Scholars and Storytellers Media Moms and Digital Dads: A Fact Not Fear Approach to Parenting in the Digital Age Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 1, 2024

Lying is normal – literally everyone does it – but it peaks during adolescence. Sometimes they’re little white lies, sometimes they’re big, scary lies. To help us understand how to handle all of them – and the difference between consequences, discipline, and punishment – child development specialist and parenting guru Betsy Brown Braun guides us through. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2024

Our favorite otolaryngologist, Dr. Nina Shapiro, dropped in to cover all that can go wrong with tween + teen ears, noses, and throats. We talk about everything from piercings to pimples, bloody noses to snoring, and HPV to Herpes. Fun times! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! HYPE: A Doctor’s Guide To Medical Myths, Exaggerated Claims and Bad Advice: How to Tell What’s Real and What’s Not The Ultimate Kids’ Guide To Being Super Healthy Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 25, 2024

When we speak to kids in schools, we practice what we preach: we are in conversation with them. We learn from them as much as they learn from us. This episode is packed their advice for the adults in their lives. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 22, 2024

For anyone who has ever wondered if that much blood is too much blood, this is the episode for you. Pediatric Hematologist, Dr. Kristina Haley, covers a range of bleeding issues from heavy periods and endless nose bloods to clotting disorders and anemia. She explains when it’s time to call in reinforcements. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 2024

Evolving relationships – and budding romantic ones – are a big part of puberty and adolescence. This incredible conversation with Ebele Onyema from the OneLove Foundation, dives deep into how to identify unhealthy versus healthy ones, and steps to take when there’s reason for concern. We encourage adults and teens to listen. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 15, 2024

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Click bait headlines change the health decisions we make on a daily basis. This started 20 years ago with press coverage demonizing hormone replacement therapy for women in menopause. Today there’s tons of buzz about the importance of HRT – much of this is thanks to the indefatigable work of Dr. Avrum Bluming. You don’t want to miss this episode! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 2024

It can feel like touching the third-rail to even consider talking about masturbation. We get it. Truly. But it’s a healthy — and very important! — part of development for kids to learn what feels good, the autonomy they have over these feelings, and the value of privacy. So take a deep breath. We’re here to help you figure out when and how to begin these conversations. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 8, 2024

“Healthy Gamer” sounds like an oxymoron. But not necessarily according to our guest, psychiatrist Dr. Alok Kanojia, who untangles the upsides from the downsides of video games. Why are kids drawn to gaming? Why is gaming more addictive today than ever before? How does it build community and shape identity? Does it feed into toxic masculinity? And how in the world can parents be in partnership with their kids to develop healthy gaming habits?! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! How to Raise a Healthy Gamer Healthy Gamer Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 4, 2024

Parents and other trusted adults screw up. We’re human. Not to mention, tween and teen’s time of incredible transformation is a breeding ground for errors – ours and theirs. But it’s also a perfect time to take do-overs, a form of repair that creates connection, builds empathy, and offers grace. Cara and Vanessa share their own shame-inducing mess-ups, including the beautiful positives that emerge out the other side. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 1, 2024

How can we foster kids' independence while setting limits? This sits at the heart of helping develop their autonomy as they move from childhood to adulthood. We’re joined by an incredible guide for this journey: Dr. Emily Edlynn, licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric health psychology. We promise she makes it fun! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/FREEAWKWARD Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 27, 2024

Tween and teen brains are like bumpy dirt roads under construction and will be for quite some time! Neuropsychologist Dr. Molly Colvin helps us understand the upsides and downsides of the adolescent brain and offers practical pathways to communicate with and support the kids in our lives. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP For FREE breakfast for life, go to HelloFresh.com/FREETISA . That’s one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active! Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 24, 2024

Substance use and abuse is a massive, ongoing conversation with tweens and teens. These layered conversations happen over years. But here’s what they all share in common: at some point – often at many points – most kids find themselves faced with a choice to use or not. So how do we inform and empower them? And when should we be concerned? Dr. Joseph Lee, psychiatrist and CEO of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, shares all. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP For FREE breakfast for life, go to HelloFresh.com/FREETISA . That’s one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active! Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Monitoring the Future Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 20, 2024

Spoiler alert: the only life hack for sleep deprivation is… more sleep! Lisa Lewis is the journalist who helped pass California’s new later school-start time law, all in an effort to prioritize teen sleep. This episode makes you look at sleep needs – for our kids and us, too – in a whole new light. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP For FREE breakfast for life, go to HelloFresh.com/FREETISA . That’s one free breakfast item per box while subscription is active! Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 17, 2024

Adults often bring their own baggage into conversations with tweens + teens. Nowhere is this more evident than with body image. It’s a fraught and complex issue to begin with – helping kids achieve positive (or at least neutral) body image becomes nearly impossible when we entangle their feelings about their bodies with our feelings about our own. Psychologist and leading expert in body image research, Dr. Charlotte Markey, offers invaluable advice. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Adultish Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 13, 2024

Listen more and lecture less. It’s the golden nugget piece of advice about being in conversation with tweens and teens. But zipping your mouth can be tough – because you know the right answer or because your worry overruns your self control or because constructive conversation gets hijacked by your frustration. This episode is all about how, why and when we need to shut our mouths. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 10, 2024

People often ask for advice about talking about tricky topics when there are big age gaps between kids in the home. The short answer is that there are some conversations everyone can be a part of, and others need to be handled individually. The longer answer, which we get into with journalist Ericka Sóuter, speaks to which conversations might be age-segmented and how to help kids understand what they should — and shouldn’t — share with their siblings. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! How to have a Kid and a Life Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 6, 2024

As technology has evolved, family communication has changed right along with it. Enter the family chat – which can take place on messaging apps or social media platforms. This space might be a forum for political arguments, meme sharing, telling kids it’s time for dinner, or all of the above. It’s fun! It can be LOL funny! But how can we use text “conversations” to stay connected without further increasing our tech dependence? Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 3, 2024

Changing bodies and fluctuating hormones require kids to develop a new awareness of their own bodies and new skills to care for them. Occupational therapist Dr. Allie Ticktin joins us to explore sensory integration, the importance of the 3 “hidden senses” (vestibular, interoception, proprioception), and what dysregulation looks like in kids this age. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Play 2 Progress Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 30, 2024

For today’s tweens and teens, youth sports specialization reigns supreme, a new “normal” that presents enormous physical, emotional and financial challenges for kids and their families. We get into all the pros and cons, from helping kids fulfill their potential and achieve their goals to keeping them safe and healthy. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 27, 2024

Most people feel pressure to look a certain way regardless of gender or age. And at least as long as we can remember, fad diets and supplements have been marketed as shortcuts to achieve these goals. Things have only amplified over the past decade thanks to social media. So what diets are effective? And safe?? If any! And how should tweens and teens make sense of all of the information streaming their way at the very same time their bodies are transforming? We try to make sense of it all. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 2024

Tina Bryson provides a masterclass in the science of why it’s so important to show up for kids and how we can do it, even imperfectly. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! The Power of Showing Up The Center for Connection Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 20, 2024

Days before they leave for college, Cara and Vanessa’s 2nd-born sons made their debut appearance on the podcast. Listeners will have to make their way through even more laughter than usual as we ask them hard hitting questions like: What’s it like being the second kid? What do they wish they could change about their mothers? And why are their rooms such a mess? Unvarnished, hilarious, and deeply honest, this episode is one for the ages. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 16, 2024

Homework can be a massive source of conflict throughout the school years. Brian Platzer is an expert on how to minimize this: he’s a teacher, tutor and writer. His advice isn’t just realistic and actionable, it changes the dynamic for good! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Taking the Stress Out of Homework Teachers Who Tutor Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 13, 2024

Boys face strong cultural messaging about how they should look, act, and express themselves. Social media only amplifies the narrative, delivering it to tweens and teens in every imaginable way. Which is why our conversation with journalist and author Ruth Whippman was so valuable: starting from a place of deep understanding of science and data, she interviewed boys and young men and then wove their stories with her own parenthood in the new book BoyMom . Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! BoyMom by Ruth Whippman Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 9, 2024

Dealing with executive functioning in tweens and teens can be a perfect storm of frustration, anger, and low self-esteem. Clinical psychologist, Tori Cordiano, shares insight into what’s happening in the brain and trade secrets about how kids and adults alike can maximize executive function skills at different ages. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 6, 2024

Teaching our kids to take charge of their personal health means covering everything from knowing their SSN to understanding their family’s health history. It’s an important part of the journey toward independence. So how can we educate our kids about all of these details and empower them to take charge of their personal health? Listen in! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Three Sixty-Five brand by Whole Foods Market Go to Quince.com/awkward for free shipping and 365-day returns Get $25 off any Gabb smartphone GABB.com/AWKWARD Go to K12.com/AWKWARD today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. Get 25% off your first order of Phyla, when you visit PhylaBiotics.com and use the code PUBERTY at checkout! Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 2, 2024

There’s a timeline for puberty - when it starts and how fast it proceeds - which means that there’s also “early” and “late.” Layered on top is the relativity of puberty: when everyone else is going through it (or not), the person who’s not (or is!) feels out of sync. This episode explores the science behind the timing of puberty and how adults - both parents and doctors - might approach a late bloomer. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Nick Kroll on Being Late to the Puberty Party Roger Bennett on his English Adolescence Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 30, 2024

Boys continue to be socialized to cover their true emotions, despite moves to shift away from this status quo. One of the strongest forces working to make change is Ashanti Branch, a pioneer in education reform and founder of the Ever Forward Club. Ashanti shares the necessary tools and support necessary to further rewrite this narrative. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Ashanti’s Instagram/Twitter: @branchspeaks Ever Forward Club Instagram/Twitter: @everforwardclub Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 26, 2024

There isn’t ONE time to start puberty or end puberty and someone has to go first. In this episode, Cara explains the science behind early puberty and we explore the social and emotional impact of being an early bloomer. Plus you get to learn what an orchidometer is! This is a great episode to listen to with your kids. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Andrew Goldberg on Being a World Famous Early Bloomer Dr. Louise Greenspan’s on Puberty’s Dramatic Shift Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 23, 2024

How tall will your kid be? Almost every parent asks their pediatrician… and given our height obsessed culture, kids begin to do the same from surprisingly young ages. This episode covers the science behind when and how kids grow, decoding all the different growth charts and, as always, offering the language to discuss these tricky topics. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Late Bloomer episodes: Nick Kroll On Being Late To The Puberty Party Roger Bennett on his English Adolescence Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 19, 2024

The number one puberty question we get asked is: when is my daughter going to get her period?!!! And while no one can say for certain, this episode will cover what are red herrings (pun intended) and what are true signs that her period is coming. Listen in for some practical information as well as Cara and Vanessa’s own first period stories. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 16, 2024

Young people get plastic surgery for a host of reasons, sometimes related to health and sometimes cosmetic. Plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Teitelbaum helps people put aside any judgment by explaining the various physical and emotional reasons why kids might get surgeries like breast reduction, breast augmentation, or rhinoplasty (AKA nose jobs)… and why at times they should not go under the knife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 12, 2024

One of the most common questions - and worries - about puberty are zits. Why do we get them? Where? When? And what can be done? Get everything you need to know about acne, backne, chestne, buttne, and more… Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 9, 2024

The word “healthy” is everywhere, but its meaning can be utterly unclear. If you think it’s hard to decode what’s healthy and what’s not, now imagine attempting to do so with a tween or teen brain. It turns out, there are four fundamental tenets called the pillars of health: sleep, nutrition, exercise, and hygiene. This episode breaks them down, offering nitty gritty information about each one in order to help people of all ages achieve better health. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 5, 2024

This episode is all about breast development: when they grow, why they can be painful or lumpy (or both), and how to manage this shifting landscape. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 2, 2024

The million conversations to have with kids ages 8-18 (and beyond!) require patience and strategy. Listen to this episode with child development specialist Dr. Robyn Silverman to make your life a million times easier. Buckle up! Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP How to Talk to Kids About Anything Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 28, 2024

Erections and nocturnal emissions – AKA boners and wet dreams – are big pieces of puberty that often go unmentioned unless they’re punchlines in a joke. Which is a big conversational miss, because these topics can cause unnecessary confusion, shame, worry, or awkwardness. In this episode, we break down the science behind boners and wet dreams (and yes, we also use the language that kids use) and then offer practical ways to help males manage these unexpected and uncontrollable experiences. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 25, 2024

Fibroids, Endometriosis, PCOS…the list of gynecologic hot topics goes on and on. Gyn Dr. Karen Tang is author of the myth-dispelling It’s Not Hysteria. She takes on pretty much every question about women’s reproductive health – starting in the tween and teen years — combining science with actionable guidance. Show Notes: It’s Not Hysteria Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 21, 2024

The third re-release in the series: What do teenagers need to know about sex? A lot. By the teen years, these conversations become both personal and complex. Some teens still need foundational knowledge, while others are ready for far more sophisticated information. For those who need help teasing apart what they need to know, by when, and how to say it, we’ve got you. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Planned parenthood https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex Tea and consent video https://youtu.be/oQbei5JGiT8?si=4rNEBx5YW4oeWPI_ Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 18, 2024

Swinging moods are a hallmark of the puberty years. And since kids start puberty earlier than ever before, so too do those emotional ups and downs. Understanding the physiology of rising and falling hormones makes it much easier to develop strategies for managing this roller coaster ride – for adults and kids alike. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 14, 2024

The second re-release in a series of 3: What do middle school kids need to know about sex and when? The learning curve is steep between 5th - 8th grade. Not only is this a time when kids are progressing through puberty, but it’s also when most begin health and sex education classes in school… and also when most get their own phone. We cover how to stay ahead of all of it. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 11, 2024

Stress is ubiquitous, with new stressors appearing regularly in tween and teen lives. Clinical psychologist Dr. Jenny Taitz shares practical strategies for people of all ages to manage overwhelming emotions. Show Notes: Stress Resets by Dr. Jenny Taitz Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 7, 2024

The first re-release in a series of 3: What do younger kids need to know about sex and when? We cover all the conversations kids need, from kindergarten until they start middle school. How to build the foundation — anatomically correct vocabulary, consent, and privacy — using age-appropriate and inclusive language. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 4, 2024

Trends in sexual behaviors continuously evolve, with often older generations often judging the choices of younger ones. That’s nothing new. But today, there are some new norms that feel particularly alarming like, for example, the prevalence of choking during sex and other forms of rough sex. Professor Debby Herbenick, sexuality researcher responsible for much of the emerging data, joins us to share her insights. Show Notes: Yes, Your Kid: What Parents Need to Know About Today's Teens and Sex Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31, 2024

A new bestselling book The Anxious Generation is making big waves in the parenting world. Jonathan Haidt presents incredibly important data, but the messaging around the book is scaring many parents, making some feel terrible about their tech choices. This episode walks through what he gets right (sociological data, tech use trends, and the importance of limit setting) and what he gets wrong (specifics about puberty and brain development). Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 28, 2024

Whether it’s a kid who has moved out of their childhood home or one who’s just away for the summer, there’s a list of conversations to have before they fly the coop. Dr. Jill Grimes, author of the Ultimate College Student Handbook – one of our favorite high school graduation gifts! – shares her best tips on everything from drugs to birth control to when to take yourself to the emergency room. Show Notes: Updated Ultimate College Student Health Handbook Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24, 2024

Human bodies aren’t designed to live with chronic stress, and yet these days, so many do. Including kids. This episode explains the physiology of the stress response, what happens in tween and teen bodies in particular, and steps to manage it. Show Notes: *Note: This episode tethers to a newsletter article for our membership – if you want to receive deep dive articles, join at Less Awkward Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 21, 2024

Disordered eating and eating disorders – two separate issues along a single continuum – are widespread among tweens and teens. While these struggles aren’t new, rates are up and people are talking about them more openly. This episode starts by defining terminology like anorexia, bulimia, bingeing, purging, bigorexia, and orthorexia. Then we get into all of the reasons why kids (and adults) might experience one or more. Show Notes: Center for Emotional Wellness Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 17, 2024

A listener asks: Is it ok to snoop through your kid’s phone? And if you do, and then you find something surprising or worrying, what next? We cover the complexities of talking to kids when information was gathered while spying on them. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 14, 2024

This sounds negative, but it’s not: helping kids to avoid failure is a major parenting goal. They need to learn to handle setbacks in order to navigate life. Educator and author of 8 Setbacks that Can Make a Child a Success Michelle Icard goes beyond managing kids’ failure to making space for healthy risk taking. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 10, 2024

Ah, the first pancake: it’s either overcooked, undercooked, or somehow both simultaneously. Every parent (and grandparent, too!) lives a steep learning curve the first time through, racking up a long list of what and how they could have done better. But there’s also a silver lining as we all get better at the job over time. This episode is about letting go of the guilt we feel when we make mistakes, instead leaning into a parenting growth mindset. Show Notes: Join our LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 7, 2024

Trailblazing integrative pediatrician and author of Healthy Kids, Happy Kids Elisa Song has long been a deep believer in the brain-gut connection. Her two decades in functional medicine have made her a leading voice… you’ll understand why when you hear how she explains the gut microbiome to the youngest kids and connects it to issues like teen anxiety for the older ones. Show Notes: Order Elisa's book: Healthy Kids, Happy Kids NEW! Community Membership and link this https://lessawkward.com/community/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3, 2024

A listener wrote in asking: if I give my kid a hard “no” answer to something I know they really want to do, am I just setting them up to go behind my back and do it anyway? Limit setting would be so much easier if it were black and white. This episode explores the gray area of boundary-setting so that adults can remain in conversation with the kids they’re desperately trying to keep safe. Show Notes: NEW! Community Membership and link this https://lessawkward.com/community/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 30, 2024

Author and economist Emily Oster covers all the ways to apply data to thoughtful decisions, from wellness to managing illness. There’s science all around us, but sometimes so many numbers that we feel overwhelmed. Emily to the rescue. Show Notes: NEW! Community Membership and link this https://lessawkward.com/community/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 26, 2024

Odors make a grand entrance as bodies grow and change. This episode covers everything from how we smell (olfaction) to how we smell (stinky or delicious). There are lots of specific ways to prevent potent odors on increasingly sweaty, oily, hairy bodies — we dig into many of them. Show Notes: NEW! Community Membership and link this https://lessawkward.com/community/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 23, 2024

Menopause maven Dr. Mary Claire Haver, author of The New Menopause, joins us to debunk myths and educate listeners about some of the big topics like: hormone therapy treatment, the data on estrogen, and new ways to approach this complex stage of life that so often intersects with puberty. Show Notes: The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver North American Menopause Society NEW! Community Membership and link this https://lessawkward.com/community/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 19, 2024

Recent news highlights troubling trends in sex, like sexual strangulation (often called choking). Acknowledgment of sexual aggression among teens and young adults — and they report lots of it — has motivated many adults to engage in conversations about sexual mores with the kids in their lives… not one of the sex talks they ever imagined having. This episode provides some initial ways into those conversations. Show Notes: The Troubling Trend in Teenage Sex NEW! Community Membership and link this https://lessawkward.com/community/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 16, 2024

Managing technology use is one of the steepest climbs in the modern age. It’s true for ourselves, and goes double for kids we care about. Dr. Michael Rich, author of The Mediatrician’s Guide and founder/director of the Digital Wellness Lab, frames the current issues and then offers calm, thoughtful advice. Show Notes: The Mediatrician’s Guide Digital Wellness Lab Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 12, 2024

In this live recording, Dr. Aliza Pressman offers actionable and realistic ways to build resilience in kids (and ourselves). Her advice, grounded in the fundamental principles of developmental psychology, adds a joyful and humorous twist! Show Notes: Order Dr. Aliza Pressman's book The 5 Principles of Parenting (And our book This Is So Awkward ) Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 9, 2024

Substance use and abuse education is critical to keeping kids healthy and safe through adolescence and beyond. We’re joined by bestselling author and teacher Jessica Lahey who combines the best research about teen brains with clear how-to-advice. This episode is so rich with science and data, you’ll revisit this episode down the road. Show Notes: Jessica Lahey Videos The Addiction Inoculation by Jessica Lahey Dopamine Nation by Anna Lemke High by David and Nic Sheff Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 5, 2024

Artificial intelligence – and especially ChatGPT – have been ascendant this year. This episode asks (humans) about all the ways this technology has rapidly integrated into our lives. Suddenly there are a whole host of conversations to have with kids about the use of AI, in school and beyond. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 2, 2024

Navigating the intersection of autism and puberty requires a combination of scientific information, shared vocabulary, and sensitivity to everything from learning style to temperament to neurodiversity type. Hear the guidance of neuropsychologist Dr. Donna Henderson, who is passionate about identifying and supporting autistic individuals. Show Notes: Is This Autism? A guide for clinicians and everyone else Is This Autism? A companion guide for diagnosing Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 29, 2024

Move over sex and drugs, there’s a new hot topic to add to the list of the zillion talks you’ll have with the kids in your life: gambling. It’s time to start conversations about everything from online gambling sites to gaming platforms to fantasy sports leagues. Plus the fact that kid-targeted phone-based apps offer lots of entry points into the world of wagering. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 26, 2024

Let go of your assumptions about adolescents – it’s time for a reframe! Author and researcher Ellen Galinsky has spent decades studying societal questions – particularly about kids and their families – and offering actionable advice. She sees adolescence as a time for opportunity, creativity and positive change. This episode will have you positively giddy from Ellen’s insights, optimism, and positivity. Show Notes: The Breakthrough Years Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 22, 2024

Changing bodies plus individuation plus warming temperatures. Springtime is a time kids begin to make new choices about what they wear. Some feel insecure, some feel super confident, and some are looking to reflect the latest trends… adults often have lots of opinions about all of it. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 19, 2024

The college admissions process starts almost as early as puberty does! Okay, not quite… but it can feel that way. It’s ever-evolving, as mystifying as it is complex. Joining us to make sense of it all and reframe the insanity is journalist and author of Who Gets In and Why, college admissions expert Jeff Selingo. Show Notes: Who Gets In and Why Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 15, 2024

Nicotine ranks up there with heroin and cocaine on the list of most addictive substances. And yet it has been folded into daily routine life, making it a substance that is both abused and normalized. We dive into the delivery devices for nicotine – explaining the evolution from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco in the form of vapes, chew, and nicotine pouches – and then examine why this substance works differently in developing tween and teen brains. Show Notes: Episode Resources: Adolessons Huberman Lab podcast on nicotine Big Vape documentary NY Times article on Zynfluencers Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 12, 2024

Kids’ chronic headaches can be one of the most frightening, mystifying, and frustrating issues parents face. To help us understand headaches, particularly migraines and why teen girls (and women) are so prone to them, is pediatric neurologist and headache medicine specialist Dr. Daniel Noam Lax. Show Notes: American Headache Society American Migraine Foundation Daniel N. Lax, MD Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 8, 2024

In a world that fears or reviles teen girls, Chelsey Goodan, seasoned tutor and author of Underestimated, offers powerful insights into what we get wrong about teen girls. Relying on the voices and perspectives of the girls themselves, Chelsey offers a new way forward for supporting and empowering the girls in our lives. Show Notes: Underestimated: Connecting to The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5, 2024

Youth is marked by the feeling that anything is possible, a readiness to take on the world. And then somewhere along the way, many of us lose that feeling. Photographer and New York Times bestselling author Kate Parker has captured the feeling of unstoppability in her new book, Force of Nature. She shares how she found inspiration in young women across the country, and how we might rediscover it in ourselves. Show Notes: Order Kate's book: Force of Nature Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 1, 2024

Girls and young women who specialize in sports and dance are vulnerable to the female athlete triad – an interconnected set of risks which include eating disorders, amenorrhea (loss of menstruation), and osteoporosis. We explore these issues and the reasons why they post long term physical and mental health dangers to young people. Even more, we examine how many of these risks are not particular to females, but affect male athletes as well. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27, 2024

So much about school has changed over a generation, not the least of which includes a dramatically amped-up college process. By understanding today’s educational landscape, we can help kids develop the tools they need in the classroom and the real world beyond. Ana Homayoun, author of Erasing the Finish Line, is perfectly poised to teach us all. Show Notes: ERASING THE FINISH LINE: The New Blueprint For Success Beyond Grades and College Admissions . More on Ana Homayoun Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23, 2024

Thought supporting your kid through high school was the end of the stressful parenting days? Think again. These days, summer jobs and internships are the next hurdle in our high pressure world. We dissect how life has changed from back in our day with the ultimate goal of keeping in perspective what really matters. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20, 2024

The Care and Keeping of You turned 25! And its younger sibling, The Care and Keeping of You 2 is 10. You don’t want to miss this special episode where author of the original TCKY, Valorie Schaefer, and Cara describe their anniversary collaboration – a behind the scenes look at what was changed in this iconic book, starting with much more inclusive content. The world has changed… The Care and Keeping is keeping up. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 2024

Cara is now on the banned booklist – that’s a new milestone! Cara is the doctor behind The Care and Keeping of You , a 25-year old beloved book about body changes that was recently banned from the children’s section at the Huntington Beach Library. Which means it’s harder for kids to find good body information but, meanwhile, they’re one click away from porn with no safeguards put in place. We talk about all the reasons books like these are critical to help keep kids healthy and safe, and why limiting kids’ access to porn is where energy should be spent instead. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 2024

We’re all for sex education in schools, but it’s as important (maybe more so!) for these conversations to happen at home, too. The trick is making them inclusive and shame-free while acknowledging our communities and contexts. Melissa Carnagey, sex educator and founder of Sex Positive Families, is full of thoughtful and actionable guidance for families. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 9, 2024

A heartfelt listener question that stopped us in our tracks is also a version of one we get frequently: My teen daughter treats me so badly that I just want to pull away from her. Our advice starts with the science behind adolescent mood swings and then moves into setting limits in the heat of the moment and beyond. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 6, 2024

It’s more complicated than ever to have conversations with tweens and teens about politics. Cue Beth and Sarah from Pantsuit Politics, who guide us along the bumpy path of raising civic-minded kids, from informing without catastrophizing to instilling values without hitting them over the head. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 2, 2024

Why do teenagers faint? Also known as vasovagal syncope, this form of passing out can happen for a bunch of different reasons. We get into all of them. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Cleveland Clinic on vasovagal syncope Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 30, 2024

The concepts related to gender feel confusing to many. Aydin Olson-Kennedy, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than fifteen years of experience providing psychotherapy to transgender and non-binary people, joins us to better understand all of this. He offers advice about how to best support all kids allowing caregivers to be loving and inclusive. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 26, 2024

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 70% of kids drop out of youth sports by 13. Here to discuss the factors that have gone into the “professionalization” of youth sports and how to raise truly empowered athletes on all levels is Kirsten Jones, former D1 athlete, performance coach, and author of “ Raising Empowered Athletes ." Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 23, 2024

A recent uproar blames tween girls for clogging the aisles at big box beauty stores like Sephora, lathering their faces with expensive skincare and makeup products designed for adults. A few of the brands have doubled-down, pitching their lotions and potions to kids living through a deeply vulnerable moment in their development, placing them in the crosshairs of social media influencers and savvy marketers. Girl-world expert turned corporate guru Rachel Simmons helps untangle this complex web of forces and offers some ways forward. Show Notes: Rachel Simmons Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 16, 2024

Caring for kids is not a straight line (especially during puberty!). Enter developmental psychologist Dr. Aliza Pressman, host of the Raising Good Humans podcast and author of the new book The 5 Principles of Parenting , with research-based advice delivered as only Aliza can – profound and hilarious all at once. Show Notes: The Five Principles of Parenting Raising Good Humans podcast Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 9, 2024

Getting physical and getting hives – two things that aren’t commonly thought about simultaneously. But over the past couple of decades, allergies, especially to food, have become front-and-center. As has hook-up culture. We were reminded by a listener that their intersection deserves attention, too, when we got this question: How do I teach my kid to be safe and respectful when hooking up with someone who has allergies? And if my kid is the one who’s allergic, how do they stay safe while getting intimate? Show Notes: FARE: FoodAllergy.org Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 2, 2024

Anxiety abounds: it was surging before COVID, but then leapt to new highs (> 20% of all kids!) during and after the pandemic. We’re joined by LCSW Amy Killy to learn about innovative anxiety management strategies like SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), because having tools to manage anxiety makes us all a little less anxious. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 26, 2023

Happy Holidays! Today we re-run our Season 1 episode with Henry + Zoe Winkler is a father/daughter. This is a master class on how grandparents play loving, supportive and epicenter-of-fun roles in their grandchildren’s lives. If we’re lucky, children have grandparents who can act as an extra set of trusted adults, helping them navigate the twists and turns of childhood. But every parent knows that when it comes to grandparents, the rules tend to get thrown out the window - cake for breakfast anyone? We laughed and cried during this inspirational conversation with a very special family… we think you will, too. Show Notes: This Is About Humanity Alien Superstar Book Series Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 19, 2023

We’ve had countless requests to dive into the topic of neurodiversity, and we’re thrilled to start here with podcaster, author, and founder/CEO of Tilt Parenting Debbie Reber. It’s a conversation about puberty plus ADHD, autism, and so much more. Show Notes: Tilt Parenting Differently Wired: A Parent’s Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 12, 2023

That’s a wrap! It was such an honor to spend the past two months speaking across the country about our new book This Is So Awkward. Even though we did a lot of talking, we also did a lot of listening and learning, too. Passing along the top lessons learned from speaking to thousands of folks through the fall. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5, 2023

Middle school is hard enough, and then you add puberty. Here to walk us through the trials, tribulations, and yes JOYS of it all is Phyllis Fagell, school counselor, journalist, and author of two books about surviving and thriving in middle school. Plus, she’s simply delightful! Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 28, 2023

Taking a positive approach to health and sex education works better than fear mongering. Still, though, we need to talk about the scarier consequences of sex, starting with STIs and STDs. In this episode, we cover the most common infections, how they are transmitted, and how they can be prevented or treated. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 21, 2023

Getting a tween or teen to say thank you can sometimes feel like pulling teeth, but it’s not always about saying the exact words. The long game is about cultivating a sense of gratitude in kids and learning to decipher the different ways they might choose to show their appreciation. Spoiler alert: it’s not always in the way we might expect. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14, 2023

Some of the best advice we’ve heard for how to talk to boys about everything from health to sex to friendship comes from award-winning educator and writer, Christopher Pepper. He offers invaluable insights into the lives of teen boys. Show Notes: TeenHealthToday.com TalkToYourBoys.com Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 7, 2023

Revealing our newest project: a reliable, relatable and fun health and sex ed curriculum arriving in the next few weeks! We’ve had this in the works for a while, but our book tour audiences across the country have provided new inspiration. Now we’re reaching out to our listeners: What would you want to see included? And if you’re an educator, how can we make the teaching as light a lift as possible? Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 31, 2023

There’s no federally mandated standard for sex education – in fact, there aren’t consistently enforced standards across states or even local school districts. Jaclyn Friedman, founder of Educate US, joins us to un-complicate this web of loose and widely-varying recommendations, ultimately explaining where parents and educators alike go from here. Show Notes: Jaclyn Friedman https://educateusaction.org/resources/ https://siecus.org/state-profiles/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 24, 2023

Discipline is about teaching kids, not about punishing them. It can be challenging to take that approach when managing our kids’ behavior, but ultimately the goal is for kids to do better next time. Our consequences need to keep that goal in mind and Tina Payne Bryson joins us to give us a pathway toward that goal. Show Notes: Tina Payne Bryson Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 17, 2023

Divorce and changing family structures create complexity for everyone. When kids are going through puberty, this adds a layer on top of already shifting physical, social, and emotional worlds. Family lawyer Sophie Jacobi-Parisi combines professional insights with deep empathy to help families manage this transition within a transition. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn and on Instagram Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 10, 2023

To celebrate the launch of our new book, THIS IS SO AWKWARD, we are sharing an Ask Us Anything hosted by comedian, co-creator of Big Mouth (and Vanessa’s brother) Nick Kroll. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 3, 2023

Data guru Emily Oster joins us to talk about puberty in a way only an economist can. She’s as warm and funny as she is devoted to good research, which is why she has become a wonderfully loud voice in the world of parenting. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Parent Data Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 26, 2023

Here’s a super common question that we get all the time: How do I know if content is appropriate for my kid? The short answer is: It depends. The longer answer in this episode takes into account a variety of factors. The ultimate answer may still be… it depends. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 19, 2023

Caring for tweens and teens is complex at baseline, but add to that navigating moving countries, changing schools and learning whole new cultural systems… it can be a very complicated stew! Dr. Anisha Abraham offers clear guidance – including reminders about the upsides of growing-up cross-culturally – for those walking this winding path. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus High School Back to School Workshop Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 12, 2023

Adults get a lot wrong when it comes to kids and technology. Here to bridge this divide is expert in media and tech, and the author of Growing Up in Public , Devorah Heitner. She provides insights for balancing kids’ burgeoning independence and guidance for creating constructive approaches to this complex issue. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop High School Back to School Workshop Growing up in Public: Coming Of Age In A Digital World Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 5, 2023

One year ago, we finished writing our book, This Is So Awkward . The summer writing frenzy ended with giddy laughter and exhaustion. We pressed record literally five minutes after turning it in to be able to share, one day, what we learned about ourselves, each other and puberty in the process. A year later (and a month before publication) is that day! Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop (this ends 9/19) High School Back to School Workshop (this ends 9/26) Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 29, 2023

Pediatric endocrinologist (and our personal hero) Dr. Louise Greenspan has lots to say about the latest research on early puberty. This episode covers emerging data from one specific study run during the Covid pandemic. Are the trends found recently blips? Or the beginning of a new, new normal? Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop High School Back to School Workshop Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 22, 2023

Kids’ changing friendships during the middle and high school years are a profound part of growing up. While developmentally normal, these changes can be confusing and sometimes painful but they can also be exciting and filled with new opportunities. We will walk through what to say (and what not to say) to kids through these shifts. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop High School Back to School Workshop Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 15, 2023

Young people are struggling under the weight of today’s toxic achievement culture. Journalist Jennifer Wallace’s new book, Never Enough , provides rigorous research to help make sense of how we got here, shedding light on the critical underpinnings of how to combat this issue in our own families. Show Notes: Never Enough by Jennifer Wallace Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop High School Back to School Workshop Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 8, 2023

Our families and our kids don’t always turn out the way we expect, with surprising difficulties or unexpected setbacks along the way. Dayna Abraham to the rescue! She’s an educator and parent of three neurodivergent kids managing her own ADHD. None of this stops her – in fact, it fuels her – from offering clear, tactical guidance and humorous reassurance for dealing with the most challenging parenting situations. Show Notes: Calm the Chaos Lemon Lime Adventures Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop High School Back to School Workshop Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 1, 2023

Nearly everyone enters summer with lofty tech goals (fewer screens! more fresh air!). Whether you achieved them or not, going back to work and school inevitably means more tech is back in the mix. This episode offers scripts for talking to kids about keeping up good habits and shedding the less good ones. Show Notes: Pre-order our book This Is So Awkward Book Preorder Bonus Middle School Back to School Workshop High School Back to School Workshop Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25, 2023

Back for a second visit to the podcast, author/blogger/mom Uju Asika shares insights about raising Black boys in the UK. This conversation picks up where our episode from last season left off, covering issues about race, sexism, masculinity, and cultural influences on tweens and teens across the globe. Show Notes: Raising Boys Who Do Better with Uju Asika Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 18, 2023

It’s easy – and quite human – to identify a symptom or two or three and roll them into a diagnosis. This is as true for kids as it is for adults, so we walk through a bunch of scenarios (and role plays!) about how to handle tween and teen self-diagnosis. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 11, 2023

When scientist David Hu realized there was no age-appropriate book for his son to understand his penis – a part of the body his son found deeply fascinating – David wrote one! The resulting book is filled with eye-popping and entertaining scientific facts (like the speed of farts vs the speed of ejaculation). We can promise this episode will have you laughing hysterically and deeply engrossed at the same time. Show Notes: The P-Word: A Manual for Mammals Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 4, 2023

Every summer has its own soundtrack, and then there’s the one that’s on replay year after year: that endless conversation about the importance of hydration. Learning to care for a growing body means understanding how to stay hydrated and also how to recognize when you’re not. Pro tip: every bit of info in this episode applies to people done with puberty, too. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 30, 2023

Listeners often ask us to address sibling dynamics during the adolescent years. Frankly, that could be its own multi-episode series. But just because it’s a vast topic doesn’t mean we can’t toe into the conversation. So in this episode, we start by tackling birth order and sibling relationships during these years, getting into only-child dynamics too. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 27, 2023

We tend to be prepared for waterworks at graduations and send-offs, but sometimes big emotions sneak up at unexpected moments. Summer is a time with lots of such moments, so in this episode we talk through how to handle tears… or just let them flow. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 23, 2023

If you’re sending a kid away for part of the summer – or even if you’re just sending them off for the day – here are the key conversations to have before getting too far into summer. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 20, 2023

When the adults raising boys understand their biological and social development, they can better support and guide them. Jennifer Fink is a writer, podcaster, and mom of four (boys) who makes it her mission to change the way we think about caring for adolescent boys(!!). Show Notes: Twitter: @jlwf @BuildingBoys FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/945086638893108 Instagram: @j_l_w_f Substack newsletter -- Building Boys Bulletin - https://buildingboys.substack.com/ Website: https://buildingboys.net/ Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16, 2023

We’ve covered body positivity and eating disorders on this podcast, but one topic we haven’t hit: orthorexia, an obsession with "healthy" eating. The precise definition is still up for debate and it’s not yet recognized as a clinical diagnosis. Nonetheless, it’s increasingly recognized as a type of disordered eating, and adolescence is a common time for it to emerge. Show Notes: National Eating Disorders Association Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 13, 2023

The hand-off for healthcare responsibility from parents to teens can be complex and bumpy. But it’s a practical – and ultimately legal – necessity! Dr. Sara Levine, Adolescent Medicine specialist, offers sage guidance starting with this central tenet for the ongoing process: start the process early. Show Notes: Sara Buchdahl Levine, MD, MPH, FAAP On Instagram with Caraway Health Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 2023

This is Part 2 of our series with disability rights activist Emily Ladau. In this conversation, Emily up-ends the wide ranging assumptions many people make about disabled people and sexuality. Show Notes: Emily Ladau Demystifying Disability National Council for Independent Living Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 6, 2023

Disability rights activist Emily Ladau describes her experience through puberty with a physical disability, sharing her own story in the most eye-opening, heartwarming conversation. If you’ve never thought about what it’s like to transform physically and emotionally while managing physical limitations, this episode will open your mind. Show Notes: Emily Ladau Demystifying Disability National Council for Independent Living Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2, 2023

We are joined by our fantastic intern, Elizabeth Rudge, to hear what she learned while researching the health and sex ed standards across the country. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s a huge range of requirements here, not to mention consequences for *not* teaching the bare minimum. Show Notes: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships with Ebele Onyema SIECUS Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 30, 2023

A listener shared her concern about her early-blooming 7th grade daughter hanging out with 8th and 9th graders. She’s asking a version of a very big, very common question: how should adults manage the known risks to a younger kid in a social dynamic without irritating or alienating that same kid enough that they run straight into the arms of the older crowd? Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26, 2023

This super common question comes our way regularly: Is it normal for breast buds to appear and disappear? (Often followed by: because it happened to my kid!). The short answer is a resounding YES. This episode offers the longer answer. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 23, 2023

Dopamine is the famous – and somewhat infamous – feel good neurochemical in the brain. Neuropsychologist Molly Colvin returns to The Puberty Podcast, this time to explain adolescent moods, decisions and actions given where they are along the path of brain maturation and their heightened sensitivity to dopamine. Show Notes: Molly Colvin on Twitter Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 19, 2023

A parent wrote in with a wonderful question about how to manage the increasing demands of his tweens and teens. When one is having an issue, is there a way to find balance with the others who still deserve (and need!) attention? Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 16, 2023

Sleep and food may dominate the chorus of parenting battles, but sunscreen is a highly predictable seasonal interloper. Wearing it prevents skin cancers (and wrinkles!), yet our less-than-consequential-thinking kids often refuse to (or worse yet, they flat-out lie). This episode is all about sunscreen – different types and ingredients and SPFs – and how the heck to get a kid to actually use it. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 12, 2023

We received an excellent question from a listener in response to our Season 1 episode about hook-up culture featuring OOMLA interns. Can the current reality of situationships be chalked up to things like the lack of parental voice at the end of a phone line, no intimidating person when you ring the doorbell, and other absences that were unimaginable when we were growing up? Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 9, 2023

Back by popular demand, clinical psychologist Dr. Tori Cordiano explains study skills: from setting realistic expectations to understanding how they evolve over time. Tori is a Puberty Podcast favorite because she offers clear advice and guidance that will save us adults from completely losing it! Show Notes: Tori Cordiano Insta and Tori Cordiano newsletter sign-up and website Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5, 2023

Questions swirl around bras: Does a kid need to wear one? When should they start? What type should they wear? The list goes on and on, and we cover all of it. Spoiler alert: the answer often boils down to it all depends… Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 2, 2023

Listener questions can open up profoundly important conversations. Like this one, that asks whether their menstruating 10-year old daughter should start taking a birth control pill because the family lives in a state where abortion is illegal even in the case of rape . We answer from every angle, wading into medical, parental, social, and emotional considerations. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 28, 2023

The author of our own puberty narratives — literally — is coming to theaters everywhere this weekend. Judy Blume’s stigma-shattering story “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” has been adapted into film more than 50 years after its initial publication. There’s so much to say about the impact of this story, then and now. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 25, 2023

It’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t been gobsmacked by Peggy Orenstein’s chronicles of adolescence, laid out in her books Girls & Sex and Boys & Sex . During peak COVID, Peggy wrote on a new and wildly unrelated topic: Unraveling dives into the hilarious and harsh realities of raising teens while anticipating an empty nest. We talk to her about all of it! Show Notes: Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 21, 2023

Caregivers of tweens and teens sit in the middle of the family sandwich, looking out for kids and aging parents, but often stretched so thin we can’t even identify — let alone meet — our own needs. This episode is all about how to ask for the help we need, finding balance so that we can look after ourselves as well as everyone else. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 18, 2023

There’s lots to say on a controversial subject that ranges from hair removal to nose jobs. We explore it all with one reigning principle: leave your judgment at the door. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 14, 2023

When 19-year-old Henry was in the 4th grade, he received a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. His tween and teen years were intertwined with chronic illness, but he made the conscious choice not to be defined by it — instead, becoming a multi-sport athlete and fiercely independent adolescent. Then, sophomore year of high school, a second, separate medical challenge came his way. Adults and kids will all be inspired by Henry as he shares his personal journey on this special episode. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 11, 2023

We welcome Dr. Kelly Fradin back to the podcast to discuss a highly complex aspect of parenting: managing kids’ medical diagnoses and subsequent challenges. Her new book, Advanced Parenting , is an empathetic guide designed to help adults understand and manage all kinds of health challenges — both physical and mental. Show Notes: Advanced Parenting Follow Dr. Kelly Fradin on Social Media Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Substack Newsletter Transcript Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 7, 2023

The stressful – not to mention (sometimes prohibitively) expensive – college process lands some kids where they want to be. But others are left disappointed. And many describe being somewhat traumatized by the whole experience, regardless of outcome. How can we be supportive to the kids in the midst of a process that itself has gone haywire? Show Notes: www.grownandflown.com Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 4, 2023

The microbiome is an important component of health throughout the body: in the gut, on the skin, and yes, even in the genital tract. During puberty, as bodies change these ecosystems shift, particularly in the moister, oilier, and hairier parts. We get into why the situation turns itchy, focusing on one major category: yeast infections. Show Notes: The Vajenda by Jen Gunter Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 31, 2023

This is one of the most common questions we get from adults! Can I talk to a kid about their changing body when I don’t have the same parts? Spoiler alert: 100% YES. We spend this episode explaining why and how to cover mechanics and logistics, even when you don’t share the same biological equipment. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 28, 2023

Dealing with executive functioning in tweens and teens can be a perfect storm of frustration, anger, and low self-esteem. Clinical psychologist, Tori Cordiano, shares insight into what’s happening in the brain and trade secrets about how kids and adults alike can maximize executive function skills at different ages. Show Notes: Tori Cordiano Insta and Tori Cordiano newsletter sign-up and website . Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 24, 2023

Excellent listener question alert! What’s a parent supposed to do when they follow our advice and attempt to start conversations, only to be repeatedly shut down by their kid? Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Transcript Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 21, 2023

We thought our recent social media post about masturbation was benign, offering straightforward advice about safe ways to talk to your kid. But it sparked a massive reaction — good and bad. Which is why we decided to do an episode talking about why masturbation really freaks people out. Show Notes: IG Reel discussed in the episode Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 17, 2023

Braces, retainers, and all other mouth hardware offer a rite of passage for the awkward years. This hardware affects self-esteem, finances, executive functioning and more. Thanks to a beautiful listener question, we unpack all the ways that orthodonture impacts adolescents… and their parents. Show Notes: Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 14, 2023

Lying is normal – literally everyone does it – but it peaks during adolescence. Sometimes their little white lies, sometimes they’re big, scary lies. To help us understand how to handle all of them – and the difference between consequences, discipline, and punishment – child development specialist and parenting guru Betsy Brown Braun guides us through. Show Notes: www.betsybrownbraun.com Facebook.com/BetsyBBraun Twitter @BetsyBBraun Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10, 2023

Hickeys are back… but they never really went away. This episode focuses on these classic teenage suction-splotches and the age-old questions like: do we say something when we see them or zip our lips?! And what causes them anyhow? Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 7, 2023

Science journalist and author Donna Jackson Nakazawa explores the two-sided science of estrogen: as a source of female superpower and the root of certain mental health disadvantages. In light of recent data about teenage well-being, this is a must listen for anyone who wants to understand teen girls. Show Notes: Girls on the Brink donnajacksonnakazawa.com Instagram: @DonnaJacksonNakazawa Twitter: @DonnaJackNak Facebook: @donnajacksonnakazawaauthor Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email thepubertypodcast@gmail.com Watch the full episode on Youtube ! Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 3, 2023

Different families, different rules… a fact most apparent during sleepovers. Turns out, even Cara and Vanessa have surprisingly divergent opinions about sleepovers and how to handle the sticky situations that can arise. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 28, 2023

We tackle the hormonal science behind voice changes and their social and emotional impacts, including the perennial question: why are these ups and downs so embarrassing? Show Notes: Join the Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 24, 2023

This bonus episode with Dr. Lisa Damour dives into specific topics like substance abuse, gender socialization, gender identity, and race. Lisa parses the research to shed light on modern day life as an American teen. Show Notes: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers Ask Lisa Podcast Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 21, 2023

Adults walk a fine line in an effort to both support the teens in their lives and help them learn to manage the expected distress of adolescence. The incredibly wise and wonderful Dr. Lisa Damour shares invaluable advice from her newest book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, packed with data and decades of experience. Show Notes: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers Ask Lisa Podcast & Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 17, 2023

This week saw a massive – and massively important – data dump about the physical, emotional and sexual behaviors of teens. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the CDC provides critical though imperfect insights into the lives of post-pandemic high schoolers. Show Notes: 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Associated Press Article on YRBS Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 14, 2023

After the American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidelines about the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents last month, a firestorm ensued, starting with the medicalization of the term obesity. Therapist and body positive activist Zoe Bisbing shares her perspective of this evolving, complex conversation. Show Notes: @mybodypositivehome on IG My Body Positive Home Link to AAP guidelines Emily Oster newsletter NY Times Daily episode Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10, 2023

Does it matter if a kid is sloppy, leaving shoes strewn across the room or wet towels piled on the floor or school papers shoved half-in/half-out of a 3-ringed binder? These habits leave many adults frustrated because they imply that kids don’t care about their surroundings or the feelings of others. But is this accurate? Show Notes: Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 7, 2023

Pediatrician, co-author of You-ology, and Girlology co-founder Trish Hutchison joins us to cover the questions we get all the time: When is the right time to talk about… fill in the blank. We have no doubt this informational and fun episode addressing everything from anatomy to sex to pornography will be helpful as you attempt these conversations with the kid(s) in your life. Show Notes: Girlology You-ology Trish on Instagram Girlology on Instagram Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 3, 2023

Every kid will knowingly disobey a rule – sometimes many rules – but occasionally the reason is completely understandable. Like the time (last week) when Vanessa’s kid downloaded Snapchat against her explicit wishes… Show Notes: Subscribe to The Awkward Roller Coaster Newsletter Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 31, 2023

There are a million things we tell kids to keep them safe and as they grow up, the conversations evolve. But there are 5 specific topics – narrower conversations, if you will – that adults need to cover with teens before they head out the door for the night. Show Notes: OOMSHORTS Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 27, 2023

Period underwear brand Thinx recently settled a class-action suit alleging their underwear contained PFAS, a family of thousands of chemicals found in everything from fabrics to take-out containers. PFAS add functionality, but they’re not particularly healthy (for humans or the earth). The suit against Thinx aimed at the claim that their products are sustainable, organic and non-toxic. We answered tons of questions about what to do with period underwear. Show Notes: The Vajenda from Dr. Jen Gunter The Awkward Rollercoaster Our PUBERTY PORTAL Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24, 2023

Evolving relationships – and budding romantic ones – are a big part of puberty and adolescence. This incredible conversation with Ebele Onyema from the OneLove Foundation, dives deep into how to identify unhealthy versus healthy ones, and steps to take when there’s reason for concern. We encourage adults and teens to listen. Show Notes: https://www.joinonelove.org/ Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20, 2023

Technology and social media have become increasingly intertwined. Researchers and authors Carrie James and Emily Weinstein, go deep into what they know about how tech affects adolescent social interactions and vice versa, and what teens wish adults understood about their digital existence. Show Notes: Behind Their Screens Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 17, 2023

While it’s tempting – and often-time fair – to demonize the role of technology in the lives of teens, there are lots of positives, too. In fact, at times the pros outweigh the cons. Hear all the data and insights from Carrie James and Emily Weinstein, authors of Behind Their Screens . Show Notes: Behind Their Screens Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 13, 2023

Common Sense Media released data from a study of 1300 teens (ages 13-17) collected in September 2022. Finally updated information about teens and their pornography consumption! Common Sense did an outstanding job collecting and presenting it. We hit the highlights and offer advice about how this data changes the way we talk to kids about porn. Show Notes: Common Sense Media Report on Teens and Pornography New York Times Article on Common Sense Media Report LA Puberty Workshop on January 28th www.myoomla.com Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 10, 2023

Sometimes kids share concerns about their friends. The question becomes: what to do with that information? The path through figuring out when something needs to be shared beyond you – with another parent, for instance – can be tricky, especially when the kid who shared in the first place interprets this as a violation of their trust and confidentiality. Show Notes: Los Angeles Puberty Workshop Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 6, 2023

We loved this listener question! How to handle large age spans – sometimes they’re as big as 18 months – between the youngest and oldest kid in a grade, especially when the wide range of physical and emotional development adds to already complex social challenges. Show Notes: Los Angeles Puberty Workshop Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 3, 2023

It’s not uncommon to hear the same questions about race that we hear about sex: How do we bring it up? What if we bungle the conversation? When is the right time? Is it ever too early to begin? Journalist and author of Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World Uju Asika answers all of this and more is a deeply moving conversation about race and kids. Show Notes: Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World Babes about Town blog Los Angeles Puberty Workshop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 30, 2022

We hear this all the time: How do I get my quiet kid to talk? In short, it’s an art not a science. There are, though, tried and true tips and tricks for drawing out the silent kid in your house. Show Notes: Los Angeles Puberty Workshop Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 27, 2022

We’re not big believers in New Year’s resolutions, but we ARE big believers in resolving to make change. This episode is about learning lessons from the past year and harnessing that wisdom as we head into the new year! Show Notes: Los Angeles Puberty Workshop Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 23, 2022

Kids’ friendships are a huge source of stress for both the kids themselves and their adults. The number one worry we hear from the latter is this: do they have enough friends? Spoiler alert! They only need one. This episode offers advice for helping kids build new friendships, one or many. Show Notes: Los Angeles Puberty Workshop on January 28th Dionne Warwick - That’s What Friends Are For Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 20, 2022

Between what they eat and how much , not to mention who’s doing the prep and cleanup, food can be a battle between kids and adults. Stacie Billis to the rescue! The co-host of the podcast Didn’t I just Feed You draws on her culinary chops and her child development background to dish out realistic and practical ways to get our tweens + teens fed. Show Notes: Didn’t I Just Feed You Instagram Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 16, 2022

It would be nice if kids intuitively understood the value of money, where to keep it, how to budget and save, and how to check their bank balances. But these are all skills that need to be taught step by step, creating building blocks for more sophisticated conversations about financial literacy. In response to questions about how to start, we share some basic first steps. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2022

High school romances today share lots of similarities with decades past, with emotional and physical connection still at the heart of these first relationships. But when things like technology, social media, and hook-up culture are layered on top, high school romance has a distinctly “modern” vibe. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9, 2022

A great question from a listener! And one that *lots* of people have… but feel awkward about asking. Bedwetting can extend well into the tween and even teen years. So we dive into the medical and psychological reasons, plus the fixes. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 6, 2022

Dr. Becky Kennedy is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Good Inside and a social media parenting whisperer. Listen as she shares simple but deeply resonant advice about how to frame – and deal with – challenging behaviors in tweens and teens. Show Notes: www.goodinside.com Instagram Twitter Facebook Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2, 2022

People ask us ALL THE TIME about shoplifting: the adults are generally shocked, despite this being an incredibly common phenomena among adolescents. A listener recently asked about how to handle shoplifting and its downstream moral quandaries. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 29, 2022

For today’s tweens and teens, youth sports specialization reigns supreme, a new “normal” that presents enormous physical, emotional and financial challenges for kids and their families. We get into all the pros and cons, from helping kids fulfill their potential and achieve their goals to keeping them safe and healthy. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25, 2022

Sometimes buying gifts for tweens + teens can feel like a no-win situation. So we’re doing a verbal gift guide with lots of suggestions about the whole gift-giving process with kids. And maybe a gift idea or two ;) Show Notes: OOMSHORTS Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22, 2022

Note to adults: this episode addresses specific sexual acts. So often we hear from adults, “But how do I say it?!” Amy Lang, sex educator and author of Sex Talks with Tweens: What to Say and How to Say It has wonderful and realistic strategies for tricky conversations with adolescents. Show Notes: Sex Talks with Tweens: What to Say and How to Say It Website: www.birdsandbeesandkids.com Social Media: Instagram Facebook Podcast: Just Say This! Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2022

Getting together with family and friends for the holidays can feel like a minefield with growing kids – unsolicited comments and awkward conversations abound. We walk through ways to prepare for and mitigate unwanted collateral damage this holiday season. Show Notes: Discount Code: 15% OFF at myoomla.com Code: PUBERTYPODCAST Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 15, 2022

We posted a TikTok about wet dreams and within two days, it went viral. Thousands of people commented that we shouldn’t talk to kids about this topic, ever. Hear our reactions to random strangers’ reactions to our TikTok (we beg to differ!), our theories about what makes our content go viral (hint: it’s always the videos about male body parts) and how that translates to real life conversations (spoiler: better to talk about it!) Show Notes: The Puberty Podcast Episode on Erections & Nocturnal Emissions Link to SpillingthePubertea TikTok on Wet Dreams Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11, 2022

A listener asked how to handle crushes and dating among middle schoolers. But the question went both broad and deep – covering everything from screen limit setting to time management. In response, so did we! Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 8, 2022

Dr. Aliza Pressman, host of Raising Good Humans Podcast, joins us on stage for a live podcast recording, packed with strategies and frameworks for managing unpredictable, complex adolescent mood swings. Show Notes: Raising Good Humans Podcast Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4, 2022

It’s not uncommon for things to be great between a parent and a kid, when suddenly the other shoe drops. We got a letter from a parent whose thriving kid was caught cheating. How to handle that one? Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 1, 2022

Just the thought of puberty makes most people cringe, a sad (and amazing!) fact given that absolutely everyone goes through it. Complicating matters, the meaning of the word “puberty” has changed dramatically over the last few decades. So what is modern puberty? Why does it start earlier and last longer now? And how do we talk about it without cringing?! Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2022

What to do when you discover nudes on your kids phone? Or sexting? Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 25, 2022

As kids get older, the parenting community shifts dramatically. Gone are the days of baby groups and adult-supervised play dates. To fill the hole, Lisa Heffernan co-founded Grown & Flown, which has become the largest online community for parents of teens and young adults. Listen to her hard-earned wisdom. Show Notes: Grown and Flown College Admissions - 7 day free trial Grown and Flown Free Newsletter Grown and Flown Parents Facebook Group Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2022

A listener sent in a question – via voice memo! – asking for advice: she’s a self-described introvert/nerd raising a highly social tween. So how can adults raise kids when those kids have unfamiliar temperaments? Show Notes: LIVE Puberty Podcast Recording at the JCC Manhattan Shop OOMSHORTS Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 2022

Do you ever feel like you can’t understand what kids are talking about? Us too! “Talking” doesn’t even mean talking anymore. This episode is all about the new terminology and how to ask a kid to help you translate. Show Notes: LIVE Puberty Podcast Recording OOMSHORTS Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14, 2022

Tons of listeners ask us to weigh in on when they should give their kids access to social media. We have opinions, but (spoiler alert), there’s no ONE way to approach this issue. There are lots of things to consider, though… Show Notes: Get your tickets to our Live Event: Mon, Oct 24th, 2022! Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 2022

Social media offers lots of positive avenues for providing science-based, inclusive health education, and young people flock to it. Danielle Bezalel, creator of SexEdwithDB, offers insightful guidance, educating the next generation. Show Notes: Sex Ed with DB www.sexedwithdb.com Follow Sex Ed with DB on TikTok , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube . OkaySo Planned Parenthood Advocates for Youth Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7, 2022

A listener wrote in with a question about when to talk about masturbation. This is a third rail topic for so many adults! Here’s our advice about when and how to begin the conversation. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 4, 2022

Part 2 of our series on anatomical body parts dives into the XY body, explaining and exploring all of the parts of male reproduction. Even the ones that don’t get a lot of play – epididymis anyone? Show Notes: OOMSHORTS Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30, 2022

Sometimes we over apologize and sometimes we owe an apology but can’t seem to offer it up. This goes for every corner of our lives, including interaction with our kids. Vanessa kicks this episode off by owning a parenting fail for which she needed to apologize, BIG TIME. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 27, 2022

Knowing the names and functions of body parts keeps people healthy and safe. Words like vulva and vagina are not bad words – they are body parts just like elbow and knee. In addition to the external parts of an XX body, we discuss internal parts like the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus. Show Notes: https://myoomla.com/collections/oomshorts Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 23, 2022

A listener asked for advice about getting her 6th grader to try an activity, any activity. Some parts of this conversation are non-negotiable – kids have to do something besides sit on their phones – other parts involve a two-way conversation, especially when that kid is trying to figure out what they might be interested in. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 20, 2022

Acts of service stretch far beyond a resume or a college application – giving back has been proven to enhance peoples’ social-emotional health. Natalie Silverstein, MPH, author of The Busy Teens Guide to Giving Back shares data, real life stories, and practical ways to help kids engage with their communities. Show Notes: Simple Acts Podcast Simple Acts Guide Simple Acts Instagram Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 16, 2022

A listener wrote in asking for help balancing how to have open conversations with teaching privacy, especially when a subject is complicated or charged. How can we talk to kids about certain topics and ask them not to broadcast the conversation to everyone they know without conferring shame? Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 13, 2022

Porn is everywhere, which is why kids are exposed – either accidentally or on purpose. It’s on all of us to have clear, calm conversations with them, which is why this episode offers several different ways in with kids of all ages. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 9, 2022

We are adding a second episode each week inspired by listener questions called: WHAT NOW?! where we answer questions and offer next steps to the wild array of challenges that crop up during the decade of puberty. This week’s question: Is my 5-year old in puberty? Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 6, 2022

There isn’t one path to raising a thriving kids, but there is a special sauce to help tweens and teens get there. Educational psychologist and author of Thrivers , Michele Borba, unpacks the strategies that best support and encourage kids. Show Notes Michele Borba, Ed. D. Thrivers Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 30, 2022

Homework can be a massive source of conflict throughout the school years. Brian Platzer is an expert on how to minimize this: he’s a teacher, tutor and writer. His advice isn’t just realistic and actionable, it changes the dynamic for good! Show Notes: Twitter: @bplatzer IG: @brian.platzer Taking the Stress Out of Homework Teachers Who Tutor Brian Platzer’s article in The Atlantic Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 26, 2022

Last week, we dropped our kids off at college. This week, we share the excitement, grief, pride, terror, and all of the other emotions that went along with it. It was a journey, from crying on airplanes to remembering there are siblings still left at home. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 2022

Our two oldest children, now in college, get raw (and funny!) as they reflect back on conversations about puberty, telling us where we got it right and all the ways we didn’t. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 16, 2022

As kids head back to school, we chat with Dr. Jill Grimes, author of The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook who offers pearls for kids of all ages and the adults who love them. Show Notes The College Student Health Handbook by Dr. Jill Grimes The Campus Cure by Marsha Morris 525 Foundation Social handle: @JillGrimesMD Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 9, 2022

An honest conversation with our interns about hook-up culture, situationships and friends with benefits. Yes, today’s sexual culture is just as confusing as it sounds. Show Notes: https://myoomla.com/pages/the-puberty-portal Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 2, 2022

This episode will blow your mind. Dr. Yug Varma, microbiologist and entrepreneur, takes us on a journey through the wondrous microbiome of the skin, unmasking the causes of acne and offering up a completely new approach to treatment. Show Notes: Phyla Collection Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 26, 2022

Consent conversations can – and should – start early. So early that they begin around topics that have absolutely nothing to do with sex. Learn how to apply the lessons of consent to a bunch of different topics in kids’ lives and start getting comfortable with a conversation that will happen many different times in many different ways. Shownotes: Tea and Consent Video Cycling Through Consent Video Teens and the Law with Jonathan Cristall, Esq. Advice from Famous Sex Educator Shafia Zaloom Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 19, 2022

Struggles with body image affects people of all genders and all ages. Psychologist and author Charlotte Markey talks us through all of it, debunking myths and offering guidance for building positive body image. Production by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 12, 2022

Judging ourselves, judging other parents, judging our partners and judging our kids… none of these feels good, and all clog lines of communication. But this is a really tough habit to kick. The first step is owning our judgment, so in this episode we share a bunch of our own parenting fails and then (try to) forgive ourselves. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 5, 2022

Guiding kids through the adolescent years requires finding true north, a trusted point in the distance during the chaos. So we interviewed education consultants and co-authors of The Parent Compass to get guidance on how to support kids and get out of their way. Shownotes: The Parent Compass Teenager Pro Tips on Instagram & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 28, 2022

We get lots of questions about young love – and lust. It’s an enormous topic incorporating everything from first relationships to hook ups; from crushes to being crushed. This episode explores how to open conversations with kids on all of these fronts while managing our own feelings and behavior on the sidelines. Shownotes: The Power of Melancholy on Raising Good Humans Podcast Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 21, 2022

Spoiler alert: the only life hack for sleep deprivation is… more sleep! Lisa Lewis is the journalist who helped pass California’s new later school-start time law, all in an effort to prioritize teen sleep. This episode makes you look at sleep needs – for our kids and us, too – in a whole new light. Shownotes: Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 14, 2022

All about breast development: when they grow, why they can be painful or lumpy (or both), and how to manage this shifting landscape. Shownotes: The Puberty Podcast Episode with Dr. Louise Greenspan on Earlier Puberty Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 10, 2022

There’s a lot about the law that is assumed but never clearly discussed with kids. We cover a ton of it – from cell phone rights to the rules around how to act when you’re pulled over by the cops to legal details around sexual consent – in conversation with City of Los Angeles prosecutor Jonathan Cristall. Shownotes: What They Don't Teach Teens book by Jonathan Cristall, Esq. What They Don’t Teach Teens RAINN – nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 7, 2022

Dr. Dolly Klock, a family medicine physician and the founder of Adolessons, has become a go-to resource on the evolving party scene. In this episode, she walks us through what’s accessible to kids today, how drugs and alcohol have changed, and what everyone needs to know about new risks. Shownotes: IG: @adolessonsLA FB: @adolessons Tw: @ DollyKlockMD Linked In: @DollyKlockMD Adolessons CDC Youth Risk Behavior Report & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31, 2022

Getting kids ready for summer outings, camps, and other adventures means more than just nametags and bug spray. This episode spans the various ways we prepare tweens and teens for all of the physical, emotional and logistical needs of the season. Shownotes: Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24, 2022

Tina Bryson provides a masterclass in the science of why it’s so important to show up for kids and how we can do it, even imperfectly. Shownotes: Tina Bryson Website @tinapaynebryson The Power of Showing Up The New Adolescence The Sleep Deprived Teen Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 17, 2022

Everything from the clothes kids wear to their desire for makeup, piercings, tattoos, certain hairstyles and hair colors can generate stress, conflict, and drama at home. We explore why different generations see self-expression differently and how to communicate our way through it. A transcript of today's episode is available below: Transcription of today's episode Shownotes: Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 10, 2022

Shafia Zaloom, author of Sex, Teens and Everything in Between, joins us for an eye-opening and reassuring conversation about teen sexuality, communication and vulnerability. Shownotes: Shafia Zaloom's Website Instagram Shafia Zaloom Making Caring Common "The Talk" Dynamo Girl Puberty Workshop Registration Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3, 2022

There is an endless list of points of contention between adults and tweens + teens: curfew, allowance, screen time, piercings…and on and on. This episode explores how to come up with rules and limits on these issues while making them palatable to our kids, in other words, making our rules seem like their idea. Shownotes: Dynamo Girl Puberty Workshop Registration Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 26, 2022

The brilliant and hilarious Monica Corcoran Harel, writer and founder of Pretty Ripe, paints the picture of what her household looks like as her daughter experiences puberty and she enters perimenopause, or what she calls “puberty in reverse.” Shownotes: Pretty Ripe Newsletter Pretty Ripe on IG Jen Gunter "Menopause Manifesto" Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 19, 2022

Everything you ever wanted to know about when and where hair grows as kids’ bodies change, the social and emotional implications of sprouting on different parts of the body, and how to handle conversations about keeping vs. getting rid of all this new hair. Shownotes: Andrew Goldberg On The Puberty Podcast Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 12, 2022

This special episode with Washington Post columnist Meghan Leahy and her daughter, Sophia Rasevic, walks through a family’s atypical puberty journey. Though Meghan is a parenting expert, in this episode she wears her “mom hat'' as she and Sophia share the experience of Sophia’s diagnosis with a condition that dramatically impacted her journey through puberty. Show notes Meghan Leahy Instagram: @mlparentcoach Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeghanLeahyParentCoach Twitter: @mlparentcoach Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 5, 2022

Part 3 of a 3-part series: What do kids need to know about sex and when? In this episode, we focus on conversations about sex with teens in high school and beyond. The continuation of this ongoing conversation about what they - and you - need to know about talking through these very personal topics. Show Notes: Tea & Consent video Outspoken Education Planned Parenthood Sex Education Resources Amaze & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 1, 2022

What do kids need to know about sex and when? This is the second in a 3-part series answering that question. In this episode, we focus on conversations with kids from 5th grade through the end of middle school, a time when most kids enter and progress through puberty and when they’re getting health/sex education classes in school. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 29, 2022

What do kids need to know about sex and when? This is the first in a 3-part series answering that question. In this episode, we focus on conversations with kids from Kindergarten through the start of middle school. We’ll help you build a foundation of anatomically correct vocabulary, consent, and privacy, offering age-appropriate and inclusive language. Show Notes: Your Whole Body Book & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 22, 2022

Anxiety is a humongous topic of conversation these days, especially increasing rates among kids. Dr. Terri Bacow, author of Goodbye Anxiety , helps sort through what falls into this category, points to the best resources for help, and offers anxiety-management tools for kids and the adults who love them. A transcript of today's episode is available below: Transcription of today's episode Show Notes: Goodbye Anxiety Website: https://www.drterribacow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drterribacow/ & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 15, 2022

Sometimes, the very best advice comes from a person who’s just out the other end of an experience. Listen in as our interns give the inside scoop on what adolescents need to know and how that information is best delivered. Show Notes: The Puberty Portal & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 8, 2022

In honor of International Women’s Day, we are joined by Melissa Berton, co-founder of The Pad Project and Oscar winning producer of Period. End of Sentence . Barriers to safe menstruation exist across the US and around the world, caused by financial, cultural and hygienic constraints. This eye-opening episode provides a window into the challenge faced by so many. Show Notes: The Pad Project Period. End of Sentence. Documentary & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4, 2022

Jessica Yellin, award winning journalist and creator of #NewsNotNoise, talks about where to get the best news and how to use history to contextualize what we’re seeing in Ukraine at this moment. Her social media-based platform offers teens (and adults!) a view of the news that values fact over fear mongering. Show Notes: Social: IG: @jessicayellin Twitter: @jessicayellin TikTok: @newsnotnoise YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NewsNotNoise/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewsNotNoise Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/news-not-noise/id1585743634 Newsletter: https://newsnotnoise.bulletin.com/ Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 1, 2022

What do schools cover - and what don’t they - in the famous Sex Ed curriculum? Turns out, there are lots of guidelines, but little consistency from school to school. We’re taking a deep dive into what kids are *supposed* to be learning, why they might not get that education, and the holes that parents/trusted adults need to fill at home. Show Notes: Overview of National Sexuality Education Standards Downloadable guide to National Sexuality Standards Amazing Me Education & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22, 2022

Rachel Simmons, New York Times bestselling author of The Curse of the Good Girl, Odd Girl Out, and Enough As She Is , applies her years of research and work with adolescents to offer guideposts for empathetically raising kids. This conversation explores practical ways to support our tweens and teens with authenticity. Show Notes: Odd Girl Out The Curse of the Good Girl Enough As She Is: How to Help Girls Move Beyond Impossible Standards of Success to Live Healthy, Happy and Fulfilling Lives Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 15, 2022

As bodies grow, new smells emerge from head to toe, hair sprouts in dark, moist places, and both sweat and fluid begin to flow. To solve for odors, rashes and infections, there is a free remedy: AIR. This episode is all about how we can help our kids use air to keep their bodies healthy. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 8, 2022

Meditation and self-reflection are practices everyone - including kids - can use to manage life’s stresses. In this unique episode, in addition to describing how breathing exercises and meditation impact the brain, Mallika leads us through a few very short ones. Listen… relax… and carry these tools into your daily life. Show Notes: Just Be Series by Mallika Chopra Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 1, 2022

A humongous part of raising tweens and teens is messing up. We all make rules but then change our minds; give incorrect information; or simply lose our cool for no good reason. Here’s a dirty little secret: we can always take a do-over. This episode is about the anatomy of a do-over using painfully ridiculous examples from our own lives. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 25, 2022

Most parents say they just want their kids to be happy. What if happiness comes when we find our “Unicorn Space” – a place at the intersection of purpose and meaning? In our conversation with Eve Rodsky, author of Unicorn Space and New York Times bestseller Fair Play , we explore how our expectations of our adolescents, our communication styles and willingness to share our own vulnerabilities can help our tweens + teens find their Unicorn Space. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Show Notes: https://www.everodsky.com Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 18, 2022

Everything you ever wanted to know about period products and were afraid to ask, from the old standby pads and tampons to brand new disruptors like menstrual cups and period underwear. This entertaining and informative tutorial walks through the many ways menstruators can catch their flow. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 11, 2022

Our episode with Henry + Zoe Winkler is a father/daughter master class on how grandparents play loving, supportive and epicenter-of-fun roles in their grandchildren’s lives. If we’re lucky, children have grandparents who can act as an extra set of trusted adults, helping them navigate the twists and turns of childhood. But every parent knows that when it comes to grandparents, the rules tend to get thrown out the window - cake for breakfast anyone? We laughed and cried during this inspirational conversation with a very special family… we think you will, too. Show Notes: Alien Superstar Book Series This Is About Humanity & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 4, 2022

In this episode we tackle the complex challenges in trying to achieve body positivity in puberty with Zoe Bisbing, psychotherapist and co-founder of The Full Bloom Project, a body positive parenting resource. Zoe offers a thoughtful approach to all of the fraught topics around weight and body image during adolescence, as well as guidelines - and tremendous wisdom - for creating a body positive home. Show Notes: Full Bloom Project Zoe Bisbing Body Positive NYC & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 21, 2021

For any parent wondering how to talk to younger kids about their bodies, Kelly Fradin (AKA) @adviceigivemyfriends is an amazing resource. Conversations about changing bodies really should start before bodies morph - Kelly walks through what to say when and how. Plus, in this episode you’ll get a peek into the talks pediatricians have with tweens and teens when they kick parents out of the exam room. Show Notes: http://instagram.com/adviceigivemyfriends/ http://facebook.com/adviceigivemyfriends/ http://adviceigivemyfriends.substack.com/ http://adviceigivemyfriends.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Pandemic-family-through-COVID-19-ebook/dp/B08DDLJ96J/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=parenting+in+a+pandemic&qid=1615247207&sr=8-3 & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 14, 2021

We sit down with the original author of The Cara and Keeping of You, Valorie Schaefer, who describes in technicolor how the first volume of The Care and Keeping of You came to be and her personal journey writing a cult classic book about puberty. Show Notes: The Care and Keeping of You The Care and Keeping of You 2 Dynamo Puberty Workshops & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 7, 2021

One of the most common questions - and worries - about puberty: zits. Why do we get them? Where? When? And what can be done? Get everything you need to know about acne, backne, buttne, and more… Show Notes: Dynamo Puberty Workshops & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 30, 2021

Does eating oily food give you acne? Is breakfast the most important meal? Do we really need to drink eight glasses of water a day? Dr. Nina Shapiro, pediatric otolaryngologist, joins us to bust some adolescent myths and discuss her new book Ultimate Kids' Guide to Being Super Healthy , a terrific guide for helping kids understand the science behind why adults make the rules they do. Show Notes: Ultimate Kids Guide to Being Super Healthy Dynamo Puberty Workshops & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 23, 2021

How do you talk to your kids about complicated things when you didn’t grow up in a home that did? Our guest this week is Mary Pat Draddy, LMSW and Dynamo Director of Workshops, with her journey as someone who didn’t grow up talking about puberty and now makes her profession as someone who does. Mary Pat shares how she filled her information gap as an adult and how she’s chosen to raise her own kids. Show Notes: Dynamo Puberty Workshops The Care and Keeping of You Series It’s Not the Stork Girls & Sex The New Puberty Beyond Birds and Bees & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16, 2021

We want to raise our kids to be good people, but easier said than done, right? Science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer and author of “How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes” joins us on this episode to tackle big topics like lying, sexism and consent. Show Notes: Dynamo Girl Puberty Workshops & Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9, 2021

There’s a timeline for puberty - when it starts and how fast it proceeds - which means that there’s also “early” and “late.” Layered on top is the relativity of puberty: when everyone else is going through it (or not), the person who’s not (or is!) feels out of sync. This episode explores the science behind the timing of puberty and how adults - both parents and doctors - might approach a late bloomer. Show Notes: Decoding Boys by Cara Natterson Dynamo Workshop on Female Puberty Dynamo Workshop on Male Puberty Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2, 2021

Over the past two decades, puberty has crept up earlier and earlier, redefining what it means to be “early” or “late.” But why? Is it the food we’re eating? The water we’re drinking? The cosmetics we use? The medications we take? Is it caused by stress? Or screens? If we just had a culprit, we could fix this. Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Louise Greenspan, author of the lauded book The New Puberty , has the answers. NOTE: This is one of our longer episodes, but it’s so packed with information and insights, we didn’t want to cut it down. So listen in one sitting or break it up into smaller bits – you won’t regret listening all the way through! Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Show Notes: http://thenewpuberty.com/ Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2021

For so many adults, addressing kids’ hygiene -- keeping their bodies clean, smells at bay, zits minimal, and all the rest -- feels really tricky. We never want to shame kids, but we all want them to learn how to take care of themselves. So what topics need covering? And what’s the best way to say what we think they need to hear? This week’s episode is all about hygiene…or lack thereof. Show Notes: Link to image of hydrophobic and hydrophobic images of soap: http://www.planet-science.com/categories/under-11s/chemistry-chaos/2011/06/soap---how-does-it-get-things-clean.asp Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19, 2021

How we talk to our kids about complex topics like puberty and sex depends both on our kids’ personalities are ours, too. There is no one-size-fits-all on how to have these tricky conversations. In this episode, Vanessa and Cara break down the cast of characters in both the kid roles and the adult roles, offering up guidance for having these talks in our families while making room for the different temperaments involved. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 12, 2021

Wendy Mogel, clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, discusses raising kids through adolescence, a time of the “greatest anguish and the greatest ecstasy.” With humor and honesty, Wendy advises us to be “emotional archaeologists” with the kids we love and learning to “keep quiet, keep captivated and keep respectful” when navigating this tricky time as caregivers. Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 5, 2021

Andrew Goldberg, co-creator of Big Mouth, the hit Netflix animated series about puberty, and world famous early bloomer, joins us in conversation about what it felt like to be the first of his friends to hit puberty. Andrew shares his experiences from those fraught years, what was talked about and what wasn’t, and he discusses how he and his wife are choosing to raise their own children based on what their adolescent experiences were. This is a heartfelt episode that we think teens in the same boat would appreciate, but there is some language that may not be welcome in all homes so please listen first before sharing with your teen. Show Notes: Shafia Zaloom website Big Mouth on Netflix Barry Michaels on gratitude Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 28, 2021

There isn’t ONE time to start puberty or end puberty and someone has to go first. In this episode, Cara explains the science behind early puberty and we explore the social and emotional impact of being an early bloomer. Plus you get to learn what an orchidometer is! This is a great episode to listen to with your kids. Shownotes: Dynamo Girl Guy Stuff by Dr. Cara Natterson Care and Keeping of You Series by Dr. Cara Natterson OOMLA Ruling Our Experiences Girls’ Index Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 21, 2021

Dr. Hina Talib, adolescent medicine specialist and host of the popular @teenhealthdoc on Instagram, 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 teens and periods! Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 14, 2021

Erections and nocturnal emissions – AKA boners and wet dreams – are big pieces of puberty that often go unmentioned unless they’re punchlines in a joke. Which is a big conversational miss, because these topics can cause unnecessary confusion, shame, worry, or awkwardness. In this episode, we break down the science behind boners and wet dreams (and yes, we use the language that kids use) and then bring in a special guest to offer practical ways to help males manage these unexpected and uncontrollable experiences in puberty. Note: Listen first on your own to make sure you’re comfy with our language, but we think this is a great episode to listen to with your kids! Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7, 2021

Dr. Lisa Damour, New York Times bestselling author, columnist and co-host of the Ask Lisa Podcast, joins us for a back-to-school episode on lessons learned from the previous two school years under Covid. This episode explores the adaptability, emotional honesty and family rituals we developed and how we can use them in constructive ways to create new models for parenting as we move forward. Show Notes: Lisa Damour’s New York Times column Ask Lisa Podcast Untangled by Lisa Damour Under Pressure by Lisa Damour Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 31, 2021

Dr. Molly Colvin helps us understand the upsides and the downsides of the adolescent brain, in and out of pandemic. Her adage that tween and teen brains are “consistently inconsistent” provides critical insights for adults navigating the ways to communicate with and support the adolescents for whom we are caring. Dr. Colvin’s offers guidance for when we should push their “growth edge” and when we should accept that this is how things are going to be for a while... Show Notes: That ‘Brain Fog’ You’re Feeling Is Perfectly Normal https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2020/04/22/cognitive-change-stress-coronavirus-molly-colvin Why You Can't Shake Pandemic Anxiety https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2021/03/09/covid-19-pandemic-psychological-recovery-molly-colvin Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24, 2021

The word “puberty” means the process of sexual maturation - by the end of puberty, a person has the ability to reproduce. But the path through puberty is not a stepwise ladder where one part of the body changes, then another, then another. Rather, it’s a winding path, a checklist of physiological shifts that happen in no particular order. This episode walks through the details of what happens to the body during puberty, with an emphasis on the fact that while the list of changes is fairly universal, their sequence is not at all. The body’s going to do what the body’s going to do when it feels like doing it. Visit OOMLA to shop thoughtfully designed (OOM)Bras! Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 17, 2021

Roger Bennett, author of #1 the New York Times bestseller (Re)Born in the USA and co-host of the popular Men in Blazers podcast, shares the hilarious and painful experiences of his English adolescence of the 1970’s & 1980’s. He discusses what passed as sex-ed at that time, what it felt like to be a (very) late bloomer and when was the moment everything changed. This episode is intended for people above the age of 14. Show Notes: Men in Blazers Reborn in the USA Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 10, 2021

One of the hardest things about raising kids through puberty is leaving our own baggage at the door. Our past experiences are seared into our brains and we’re so tempted to talk about them, but so often, our kids don’t want to hear about them. We need to let their puberty be their puberty. This episode is about why it is critical that we leave our puberty baggage at the door and how we can do that (most of the time…) Show Notes: Dynamo Workshops for Families Raising Good Humans Podcast Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 3, 2021

Dr. Aliza Pressman, host of the Raising Good Humans Podcast, joins us to discuss the ways we can respond to the emotional ups and downs of parenting kids in puberty. 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? This episode looks at a few common scenarios we face when raising adolescents and walks us through different options for handling those tricky moments. Show Notes: Raising Good Humans Podcast Eve Rodsky’s book Fair Play Uncertain Parenting: The Unspoken Language of Teens Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 27, 2021

The number one puberty question we get asked is: when is my daughter going to get her period?!!! And while no one can say for certain, this episode will cover what are red herrings and what are true signs that her period is coming. Listen in for some practical information as well as Cara and Vanessa’s own first period stories. Show Notes: Dynamo Workshops for Families Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 20, 2021

In the very first episode of The Puberty Podcast, Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett make the case for why talking to kids about puberty matters. It boils down to this: if we want to keep kids healthy and safe, we need to talk to them about puberty (but you should still listen to the episode!) Show Notes: Cara Natterson’s Bio Care and Keeping of You Series Dynamo Girl Website Decoding Boys by Cara Natterson Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 20, 2021

Nick Kroll, comedian, actor and Big Mouth creator, sits down with Vanessa Kroll Bennett (his sister) and Dr. Cara Natterson for an honest conversation about what life was like as someone late to the puberty party. The episode is not quite as hilarious (or dirty) as Big Mouth but just as authentic. Nick offers a window into how being a late bloomer affected him in good and hard ways throughout the course of his life. Show Notes: Nick Kroll Bio Uncertain Parenting interview with Dr. Molly Colvin Big Mouth on Netflix More information on late bloomers: Decoding Boys by Cara Natterson , Chapter 4 Produced by Dear Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 13, 2021

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