This Is So Awkward

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 Ins...

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 F...

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 boo...

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...

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. Lea...

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...

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...

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@l...

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.lessawk...

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 t...

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...

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 AW...

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 Ch...

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...

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...

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 Che...

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 sha...

A new bestselling bookThe 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 (speci...

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...

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...

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 e...

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...

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...

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 mistake...

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...