This Is So Awkward

What you think you know about marijuana doesn’t entirely translate to today’s weed. Yes, they’ve got the same active ingredient — cannabis — but the dose is now far higher, making it essentially a new drug. Enter Linda Richter, a leading expert from the Partnership to End Addiction, to explain how the pot of generations past has changed. She breaks down the wide range of cannabis-containing produc...

Kids have ranked other kids according to attractiveness, popularity, and sexual appeal for decades. But today’s tech platforms –– from social media to group chats to AI –– can amplify this old-school cruelty. Ranking lists reach many more people, with implications that can be extremely hard for kids to escape. This episode is dedicated to the hidden culture behind these lists: why they fuel humili...

The story of the “Cornell 7” gang rape has sent shockwaves across the country. As details emerge, a parade of issues have follow, from disturbing legal loopholes to the impact of media on young people’s behavior to the responsibilities of bystanders. We are joined by Dr. Debby Herbenick, professor and researcher on young people’s sexual behavior, to discuss a way forward. The Cornell case is not s...

Our childhoods may be long ago, but they don’t always stay in the past. The hurts and patterns we experienced can shape relationships with adults and our kids, especially during the complicated adolescent years. In this episode, psychoanalyst and author Dr. Galit Atlas explores the conscious and unconscious ways childhood wounds can influence our parenting and pathways for understanding our past w...

AI makes it easy to create fake sexual content — changing what a person is wearing, the pose they are striking, or generating a video of them engaging in sexual acts. Teens regularly encounter these images on social media and in their group chats. The result: complex social, emotional, and legal ramifications. We’re joined by Dr. Supreet Mann, author of a new report about AI and deepfake nudes fro...

Just like the kids going through it, puberty data is constantly growing and changing. In this episode, we update listeners with the latest research about puberty: when it begins, what influences its timing, and how long it actually lasts (feels like forever sometimes!). ICYMI we fill you in on new findings about first periods and environmental impacts on hormone shifts, too. And we share at least...

AI impacts all of us at every age – down to the youngest kids. But how, exactly, does it change things like brain development, language acquisition, and interpersonal relationships? Pediatric surgeon and early childhood expert Dr. Dana Suskind explains. This episode is a must listen for anyone who wants to understand how to balance AI’s utility with the essential messiness of human interaction. Ki...

Senior year of high school looms large – not just in the minds of teens, but their parents, too – for all its stresses and tribulations. In this episode, we hear straight from Vanessa’s daughter about her experience navigating senior year of high school: what she did to prepare the summer leading up to it, her approach to the college application process, how she attempted to find balance during su...

The term optimism doesn’t just refer to blind positivity. It’s also the acknowledgement of challenges that lay ahead, plus the belief we have the skills and tools to face them. Dr. Deepika Chopra is a psychologist and optimism expert. She joins us to explain optimism, sharing science-based strategies that really work to cultivate resilience and hope, even in the darkest moments. Show Notes: Watch...

Rereleasing this gem pushing back on the tired trope that middle school is a phase to endure not enjoy. But according to educator, principal, and author Chris Balme, these years may be some of the most fascinating and important in a child's life. We talk about identity, belonging, growth, and the incredible transformation happening beneath the surface during these often-misunderstood years. Show N...

Rerelease of one of our all time most eye-opening episodes about the kids who act out, push boundaries, or seem impossible to reach. In this episode, Psychologist, educator, and author Doug Bolton helps us understand that these kids need more connection not more punishment. He shares a compassionate new framework for understanding struggling kids. Drawing on decades of experience and insights from...

Rerelease of an important episode on eating disorders. Eating disorders and disordered eating can show up in many different ways—and often aren't easy to recognize. In this episode, clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, Dr. Kelly Bhatnagar helps us break down the language, the warning signs, and the realities behind these increasingly common struggles. We explore everything from bi...

Rerelease!  When kids struggle with frequent headaches, are they stress-related? Hormonal? Something more serious? In this episode, pediatric neurologist and headache medicine specialist Daniel Noam Lax helps us make sense of one of the most common—and often misunderstood—health challenges. We explore what causes headaches and migraines, why adolescent girls are especially susceptible, and wh...

A rerelease on the eternal question: Is resilience a skill kids can develop over time? Psychologist and child development expert Tovah Klein unpacks what resilience really means and how trusted adults help kids build it. From managing frustration and failure to building confidence and coping skills, we explore how to support tweens + teens without overprotecting them. Show Notes: Raising Resilienc...

We’re rereleasing our incredibly popular episode that tackles how ADHD can shape tweens' and teens' friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual decision-making. In this candid conversation, psychologist and ADHD expert Ari Tuckman draws on 25 years of experience working with young people with ADHD to explain how attention, impulsivity, emotional intensity, and social dynamics can influence rel...

Rerelease! What happens when puberty’s changes intersect with autism? Neuropsychologist Donna Henderson shares expert insights on helping autistic youth navigate this unpredictable life stage with knowledge and dignity. The conversation focuses on how families can support autistic youth through this transition using clear communication, individualized strategies, and an understanding of neurodiver...

Parents have a lot to say about health and sex education in schools, which is fair. In fact, it’s the reason we named our own health + sex ed curriculum That Health Class (insert wink, wink) because of the baggage those words carry. If adults received this education at all, their memories of health + sex ed induce giggles, queasiness, a cold sweat or all three! So why is health + sex ed so importa...

Menopause is a moment in time. But perimenopause can last a decade or more – just like puberty! Dr. Mary Claire Haver returns to the podcast to talk about what’s happening inside the body and brain during perimenopause, why it’s so important to identify the start of the stage of life, and preventive steps you can take to optimize your bones, your muscles, your sex drive, and your sanity. Show Note...

When kids leave home it’s one of the biggest transitional moments of parenting. Feelings range from grief to excitement to loneliness to adventure, for many a mashup of all of these, and that’s just in the first week! This episode covers how we can prepare ourselves (and our kids) for this new era, by setting boundaries, expressing expectations, finding our people, and tons of communication with e...

As the obsession with expensive, make-me-look-younger skin care products rages on, the public deserves to know why some of these products are concerning. There are real medical reasons for young people to avoid these products. We explain which ingredients should be avoided in the tween and teen years, and which ingredients actually help (yep, there are some good ones out there!). This episode isn’...

In this hilarious and heartfelt episode, we’re joined by the dynamic duo Kim and Penn Holderness who share how they handled their daughter's college departure. We cover it all: from overpacking to the medical preparation needed before sending a kid off to the chaos on move-in day, and ultimately, to the pride of watching a kid grow into their own person. Show Notes: Talk to your teen’s doctor abou...

Seemingly everywhere we turn we encounter the class of drugs known as GLP 1’s and the debate over their impact on health and weight. It’s so difficult to separate fact from fiction on this clickbaity topic. So we turned to one of our trusted endocrinologists, Gillian Goddard, author of The Hormone Loop to: provide the history of these medications, untangle the relationship between weight, diabetes...

Friendship choices are a huge part of growing up and can shape kids in great (and challenging ways.) When parents are concerned about friends it’s hard to know if another kid is a “bad influence” or just part of a normal part of the trial and error of relationships. Figuring out how to handle our concerns can be the trickiest part so this episode focuses on how to constructively address kids’ frie...

In our achievement driven culture, creativity often gets billed as a talent bestowed on the chosen few. But in fact, creativity can be a habit part of anyone’s life, offering big picture benefits like better emotional and cognitive wellbeing. Joining us to explore how to incorporate daily creativity into family life are Blythe Harris and Mallory May, authors of the new book Daily Creative. Show No...

Pooping is one of the most important – and least discussed – part of the human experience which leads to shame, misinformation and silent suffering. Neurogastroenterologist and author of You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong Dr. Trisha Pasricha is changing the conversation by opening the lid on gut-brain health, constipation, period poops and so much more. Plus, she offers very specific guidance for healt...