Navigating through the wild, ever-changing world of TikTok with our kiddos can sometimes feel like we’re trekking through a jungle, right? Today, let’s chat about some of the trends that might have slipped into your child’s TikTok feed and how we can guide them safely through.

The Benadryl Challenge: A Risky Ride

Teenagers and challenges, they kinda go hand in hand, don’t they? But there’s this one challenge zooming through social media that’s more than just a harmless dare. First up, the “Benadryl Challenge”. This trend encourages participants to take excessive amounts of the allergy medication Benadryl to experience a high that could bring about hallucinations. It’s not only dangerous but has also been fatal. A 15-year-old girl in Oklahoma lost her life due to an overdose from participating in this challenge. The challenge generally calls for users to take at least a dozen pills, which is way beyond the recommended dose...

This is my birthday weekend!  

And I'm reminded of a story of one of my most memorable birthdays. My 13th.

Why?!?!

Well, if you've taken a puberty related program from me you have likely heard me share a personal piece of information about this specific birthday because it was when I got my very FIRST period! 

I've shared this story for years, but this past year a mother said something to me that I had never heard before.

She said, "You got your period the day you were born! See, you were born for this!"

Born for this? I blushed.

Yet it stuck with me enough that I'm telling you about it today.

Could I have been born to talk about this?

I'm going to share something very personal. There is history of sexual abuse in my family.

My mother was molested by her father and brother as a child.

My parents were surprisingly open about this with my sister and I growing up.

I have more than one memory of conversations my parents had in front of...

I know that discussing birth control with your teen might feel like navigating a minefield. But guess what? You're not alone, and I'm here to help. Watch the video above and the blog below and let's dive into this together, shall we?

Why and How to Approach Birth Control with your Teen

First off, why even talk about birth control? Well, it's as crucial as teaching them to brush their teeth or eat healthily. Reproductive health is a significant part of their overall well-being. And with so much information (and misinformation) available online, it's vital for them to hear from someone they trust -  you!

Birth control is a powerful tool that empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. It's not only about preventing pregnancy but also about taking control of your future. Timing parenthood can make all the difference in reaching our goals. 

When's the Right Time for the Birth Control Chat?

The answer is simple: before they begin...

Empowering Parents: The Benefits of Utilizing a Sex Educator to Discuss Sexuality with Kids

Yesterday I met with a friend that made a comment that triggered today's blog post. It is actually not the first time I have heard this belief. A belief that could stop someone from taking a program like "THE Talk" or utilizing an expert to help talk with their child about sex. 

She said something to the effect of, 

"I don't understand why someone would need to hire someone to talk to their kid about sex."

It came across as a sort of judgment of a parent that would "need" to take a course like that. 

Facing Judgment

It's unfortunate that some parents might judge others for seeking the assistance of a sex educator. However, it's essential to remember that every child is unique, and every parent's journey is different. Seeking help from experts is a testament to a parent's dedication to ensuring their children receive the best guidance and information possible....

Sexual extortion or “sextortion” can take many forms. Through various ruses and exploits, victims are lured to share compromising images or engage in compromising conversations. Girls and women are often extorted to produce more sexually explicit pictures, while boys and men are commonly extorted for money.

The rise of technology and the internet has brought about numerous benefits, from easy access to information to the ability to connect with people from all over the world. However, it has also opened up a darker side, with one of the most troubling being around online predators and issues like sextortion.

Sextortion is a cyber crime involving threatening or blackmailing someone into performing sexual acts or sharing explicit material often times for monetary gain.

Watch this video from Amaze.org that explains what extortion is and common tactics.

We are hearing more and more stories in the news like the tragic story of 15-year-old Kaitlyn Yozviak...

A beloved and best-selling classic comes to the big screen with Lionsgate’s adaptation of Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Starring Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, and Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret, this timeless, coming-of-age story has transcended decades and spoken to generations. The book is considered a classic, yet it has been frequently challenged due to its frank discussion of religious and sexual topics.

It came out in 1970, so some of the situations and references may seem dated to today's tweens who are grappling with social media, cyberbullying, and school shootings. But the underlying issues of peer pressure, social acceptance, and religion are still current struggles for many tweens.

At 11, Margaret is moving to a new town and beginning to contemplate everything about life, friendship, and adolescence. She relies on her mother (McAdams), who offers loving support but is herself finding her own footing in a new place, and...

Social media has become an incredibly important part of our daily lives, particularly among teenagers.

There are numerous social media platforms available for young people to connect and share their thoughts, photos, and videos with the world, ranging from Instagram to TikTok, Snapchat to Twitter.

However, as social media platforms continue to evolve and dominate our digital landscape, teenagers attitudes toward them are changing.

Teenagers are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact social media can have on their mental health, which is one of the most significant changes in recent years.

For example, Common Sense Media recently published research on teen girls' experiences on TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube highlights how platforms can better protect their mental health.

They found that no single platform stood out as being worse than another when it comes to teen girls' mental health. Instead, specific features stood out in both...

Love...One word for something with many degrees.

Did you know that some of the dialects of Eskimos have 40-50 words for snow?

Central Siberian Yupik has 40 such terms, while the Inuit dialect spoken in Canada’s Nunavik region has at least 53, including “matsaaruti,” for wet snow that can be used to ice a sleigh’s runners, and “pukak,” for the crystalline powder snow that looks like salt.

Yet in the English language we have one word for love.

I don't love pizza the same way I love my son. And I don't love my son the same way I love my spouse. 

Often times the word love is used so often that it's meaning can sometimes get lost. 

This is such an important topic to talk to young people about especially as crushes increase during puberty. 

The desire to be close to someone is essential to our livelihood and as we approach child bearing age that need evolves and romanticizes. 

Nature comes in and creates urges to be close to...

Puberty can be a tough time for all young people but for kids with intellectual disability it can be even harder, for both them and their parents and care givers. Children with differing abilities may develop earlier or later.  Although no two children will develop the same way, they will still progress through the different stages. Each child also has their own learning needs. Learning about the development that happens at different ages will help you to understand where your child is physically in their development.

But while a child’s cognitive understanding of puberty and sexuality may be delayed for his or her age, the process of body maturation, hormonal changes, and sexual feelings usually is not — creating a mismatch that can be dangerous if ignored.

How do you know your teen is ready for certain sexual health topics? 

Here’s the good news – you can’t introduce things too early! Discussing topics earlier than you think is often...

So what's the deal with the egg baby activity? Does it work?

Well that depends what it is being used for.  Is it effective at making young people hold off on sex? That would be tough to prove, but what I do think it is great teachable moment to talk about delaying parenthood. It is a great way to get kids to critically think about and consider how much time it takes to care for something. A pet can do this much better than an egg of course but it proves a point.  There are also some great follow up questions you can ask to get kids thinking. Questions like:

• What sort of things do you think someone might miss out on if they were a parent before they were ready?
• What would you like your life to look like before you become a parent someday (if that is something you'd like to do)? 
• What challenges do you think a new parent feels? 
• What is different about a real baby versus an egg?

How can parents make this activity more effective? 

If you are asked to...