<![CDATA[Teen Health Today]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gp1g!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd7970455-e3a7-4d44-86f8-302bedcb90a2_256x256.pngTeen Health Todayhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.comSubstackSat, 12 Sep 2026 16:42:33 GMT<![CDATA[34 Remarkable Things That Happened After We Launched “Talk To Your Boys” ]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/34-remarkable-things-that-happenedhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/34-remarkable-things-that-happenedFri, 11 Sep 2026 12:30:30 GMT

Hi readers!

Today I am just filled with gratitude. “Talk To Your Boys: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow into Confident, Caring Young Men” is one year old this week!

and I continue to be blown away by its success, and we are so grateful to all of you who have purchased copies of the book, recommended it to your libraries, invited us to speak at your schools, conferences, and parent meetings, discussed it in your book groups, interviewed us on your podcasts and in your parenting articles and - especially - reached out to let us know that the book was genuinely useful in their lives.

The book hit the bestseller list thanks to you, and it continues to have strong “word-of-mouth” sales as people recommend to their friends. We’ve pulled together a few highlights from the journey here. Thank you so much for your support!

Big Love,
Christopher

A Wonderful Launch

  • We had a standing-room-only crowd at our book launch at Book Passage in San Francisco, where we were in conversation with the legendary Ashanti Branch.

The book was …

We’ve Had So Many Great Talks

In many ways, the best part of writing this book is that it has given us the opportunity to talk to parents and educators all across the country. Thank you to everyone who have invited us to join your book groups, speak on your panels, and deliver keynote talks to your staffs, parent organizations, and conference attendees. We love to do these and always learn so much!

Join the 6.800+ people who subscribe to Teen Health Today to read great stories like this every week!

Some Terrific Interviews and Media Coverage

Read A Book Excerpt

Sample Our Audiobook

We love the way the Talk To Your Boys audiobook turned out, with excellent narration from Samantha Desz. Check out this chapter and let us know what you think!

Let’s Keep The Momentum Going:

  • We would love to see more reviews of the book online, especially on Amazon and Goodreads. They don’t have to be long - many reviews are only 1-2 sentences!

  • If you’d like us to speak to your school or organization about Talk To Your Boys, please email us at ttybbook@gmail.com. We’re open to discussions, panels, presentations, and keynotes!

  • If you are a journalist, writer, or podcaster who would like to interview us, please email us at ttybbook@gmail.com. We’d love to talk to you.

  • Please continue recommending the book to people - the strongest endorsements come from word-of-mouth suggestions from actual people!

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]]><![CDATA[How To Love And Support Neurodivergent Learners]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-love-and-support-neurodivergenthttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-love-and-support-neurodivergentWed, 02 Sep 2026 13:03:38 GMTHi readers! I’m so glad to be able to share this interview with about her FANTASTIC new book The Neurodivergent Learner. The book is a caring, practical guide for parents and educators of neurodivergent children, packed with science-backed strategies and real-life stories

King is a child psychologist, speaker, and parent educator who specializes in providing therapy and consultation services for children living with autism, anxiety, ADHD, and learning difficulties. She writes the excellent newsletter , and is the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom, a professional development curriculum for K-12 educators.

I hope you are enjoying the back-to-school transition and finding time for laughter and connection.

Big Love,
Christopher

The Interview: Emily W. King, Ph.D.

Let’s start with the basics: What do you mean when you say “neurodivergent learner”? Why do you like that term, and how do you decide when to use it?

While we are neurodiverse as a population, some of us are neurodivergent. For this book, I define neurodivergence as differences that impact learning and development. Diagnoses that fall under this umbrella and often lead to uneven academic achievement include autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, giftedness, and twice-exceptionality. I love the term "neurodivergent" because it allows someone to share that they learn differently without needing to disclose their diagnosis until they are ready. I always follow a parent's or child's lead on how they identify themselves. In my opinion, we use diagnostic labels in three ways:

  1. to gain access to services

  2. to help others understand our needs and

  3. to help kids and teens identify with others who share their same pattern of neurodivergence.

You've spent more than two decades working with neurodivergent children, and you're also raising two neurodivergent sons. How did those experiences shape this book?

I often say that I learned more from my sons and the clients I have worked with than I learned in graduate school. I think this is true for many of us in the fields of education and healthcare. We learn so much by listening to others, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and truly understanding the limitations that reality can place on clinical recommendations. For instance, we know that smaller student/teacher ratios will help educational outcomes, but the reality is that public schools are severely under-funded. We know that more mental health professionals in schools will help reduce negative behavior outcomes, but we don’t have the staff to meet the needs. While this book shares stories, research, and strategies related to educating neurodivergent learners, I also want to bring awareness that we can do so much to help not only these kids, but all kids thrive.

You explain that children’s nervous systems have to feel safe before learning can happen. How can schools and families create that sense of safety?

In the book, I start by explaining that we have to feel safe first within the physical structure of the building. Sometimes young children do well in a small preschool environment but then struggle in a larger elementary school. Or, a child may do well in an elementary school building and then struggle with the size and transitions of a middle or high school building. We can support kids with routines, visual systems, and safe places to go when overwhelmed to help them feel safe at school.

Next, we need to help them feel safe with the people around them. Most neurotypical students can adapt to or tolerate relationships that aren’t the best fit. For instance, having a teacher they don’t mesh with or sitting next to a peer they find annoying. But, neurodivergent learners may not be able to focus or feel safe in a social dynamic that overwhelms them, which will shut down learning. So, we have to consider the sensory demands of the physical space as well as the relationship safety between educators and peers to help students feel safe.

You write that many behaviors adults label as defiance or laziness are actually signs of overwhelm. How can parents begin to tell the difference?

I often refer to this as telling the difference between a “can’t” and a “won’t”. If a child can’t do something, they likely have not developed the skill yet and they aren’t doing the task in any setting. A “won’t” is often an emerging skill that happens only when a child is rested, fed, connected, and engaged. It’s these “won’t” behaviors that tend to get labeled as a “choice” or “lazy” when they’re really just a variable skill.

Get curious about the patterns of when a child is or isn’t doing something. If they struggle with chores after school but can do them on Saturday morning, this is likely a stamina issue. If they struggle with homework but can do the work at school, they may be benefiting from the structure at school. If something is so overwhelming and no one has ever seen the child do it successfully, we need to pull back expectations and make the task more doable by making it shorter, simpler, or with support until the child can feel successful without becoming emotionally overwhelmed.

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Many parents struggle with homework battles, emotional outbursts, or school avoidance. What do these challenges often have in common? How could families respond differently?

Speaking of looking for patterns, homework battles, emotional outbursts, and school avoidance are most often related to experiences of exhaustion or anxiety. See if you can find a pattern of SUCCESS for your child. When do they successfully complete the work they struggle with elsewhere, when are they emotionally regulated, and when do they engage with activities? This will get you and your child’s educational team started with figuring out what IS working and expanding success from there. They may need to only work at certain times of day, they may need more visual structure, or they may need to work with someone outside the family (this can be very true to teens!). Once we figure out what is getting in the way, we can problem-solve the support needed to move the student forward.

One of the most hopeful parts of the book is your emphasis on helping children understand their own brains. How should parents think about talking with children about diagnoses like autism, ADHD, or learning disabilities? At what age do you recommend starting these conversations?

There is no magical age for talking about a diagnosis; however, if a child is engaging in negative self-talk or noticing their differences and believing they have a character flaw, it’s time to talk to them about their brain. I often recommend beginning by helping children understand what they love to do, what their strengths are, and what they need support with. Over time, you can add to these categories and then at some point explain that their pattern of inattention, creativity, and impulsivity, for instance, has a name: ADHD. Then, quickly help them find other people, either in your family or famous people, who share their ADHD profile. When we realize we learn differently, the first thing that helps is not feeling alone.

You regularly lead workshops around neurodiversity. Are there particular topics where you see people really needing support?

My most popular parent workshops often focus on helping parents collaborate with teachers to support their child, while my most popular professional development workshops for educators focus on preventing negative behavior. In general, parents and teachers are both hungry for information to better understand the anxiety and learning of neurodivergent students who are growing up in a world not designed for them.

If you could leave parents with one mindset shift from The Neurodivergent Learner, what would you hope changes in the way they see their child tomorrow morning?

Your child is not giving you a hard time, they are having a hard time. When things are hard, slow down, observe what’s working and what’s not, and make the next best decisions that will lead back to your child feeling safe and supported. Only then can progress begin.

How can people find out more about your work?

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]]><![CDATA[How Amaze.org Can Help You Talk To Teens About AI Nudes, Looksmaxing, And Loneliness]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-amazeorg-can-help-you-talk-tohttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-amazeorg-can-help-you-talk-toThu, 27 Aug 2026 23:51:08 GMTHi readers! I hope August is treating you well. It’s a transition time for a lot of us who work in schools. I’m fully started in my new job, teaching high school full time for the first time in over a decade.

It’s often exhausting, but I am absolutely LOVING it. I’ll be writing more about that soon, but today I wanted to shine a light on one of most useful and creative sites on the Internet, Amaze.org.

Big love,
Christopher

AMAZE - The Shorty Awards

Amaze.org Is Doing Amazing Things

For nearly 10 years, Amaze has produced fun, animated videos to provide young people the information they actually want to know about puberty, sex, their bodies, and healthy relationships. Amaze has produced more than 300 videos across the globe, with nearly 2,000 global adaptations in 70+ languages and dialects.

I was inspired to post about them today because they are hosting a fantastic free online conference in September, and it seemed like a good time to highlight some of the great work they are doing.

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SexEdCon 2026

SexEdCon2026: Decoding The Manosphere

This virtual event for educators, youth-serving adults, parents, healthcare professionals, and advocates is part of the ongoing “Combatting the Manosphere” series. The videos and corresponding collateral material are produced by AMAZE in collaboration with the LinkUp Lab, a project of and Futures Without Violence.

REGISTER HERE

The conference will be highlighting these resources:

Teen Health Today is an independent, ad-free publication supported by readers like you. Subscribe today to make sure you never miss an issue.

What Amaze Offers

Amaze leverages the expertise of master sexuality educators, the creativity of animation professionals, the input of young people, and the power of the internet to provide adolescents around the globe with medically accurate, age-appropriate, affirming, and honest sex education they can access directly online—regardless of where they live or what school they attend. It also offers an array of high-quality resources for parents and educators. Take a look…

For young people

  • Sex education videos that are engaging, educational, age-appropriate, and often humorous.

For parents and guardians:

  • Amaze strives to assist adults—parents, guardians, educators and health care providers around the globe—to communicate effectively and honestly about sex and sexuality with the children and adolescents in their lives.

For educators and healthcare providers:

  • Toolkits, lesson plans, promotional materials and other resources to help refer students and young patients to AMAZE as an available, free and fun resource to learn about sex and sexuality.

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My Own Amaze Connection

In the summer of 2023, Futures Without Violence invited me to talk to a group of teenagers. These young people were part of a leadership program focused on healthy relationships, which started with a week-long training institute. The teens met with adults who shared wisdom about relationships and sexuality as they prepared to initiate their own projects. I was one of the week’s first presenters, and I decided to go big with my message.

I told these teens they should all become sex ed experts. Here’s why.

Those teens made the most of the information they learned that week, and ended up creating a whole website and campaign dedicated to ending “Teen Economic Abuse.” It’s great - you should check it out.

Later, those same teens have partnered with Amaze.org to make animated videos obout ending teen economic abuse.

Here’s the focus of the first video:

  • Are wondering if you should give your partner money?

  • Does your partner pressure you to spend money in ways you don’t want?

  • Discover the hidden signs of teen economic abuse and learn how to protect yourself and your friends! Take control of your financial future.

Here’s the focus of the second video:

  • Are you wondering if you should compromise on your dreams because they can cause tension between you and your partner?

  • Does your partner pressure you to make decisions that don’t align with your passion?

  • Discover the power of managing conflict in relationships and learn how to communicate what you truly want!

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Image

A Favorite Throwback

P.S. Fun fact - I’ve been a superfan of Amaze for a long time! Back in 2019 they invited me to takeover their social media for a day, and they made a cartoon version of me. Here’s what I look like AMAZE-ified!

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]]><![CDATA[Let’s Rethink What Success in Sex Education Means]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/lets-rethink-what-success-in-sexhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/lets-rethink-what-success-in-sexThu, 13 Aug 2026 15:20:49 GMTHi readers! I’m excited to be able to share this opinion piece by epidemiologist April J. Bell, where she reflects on one of my favorite subjects - sexuality education in schools. I’d love to know what you think of her ideas - please share your thoughts in the comments!

Big love,
Christopher

green and white braille typewriter
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

As Students Head Back To School, Let’s Rethink What’s Success in Sex Education

By April J. Bell, The 74.

As millions of young people head back to school this fall, parents are buying backpacks, teachers are preparing lesson plans, and policymakers are once again debating what belongs in the classroom.

One topic will predictably return to the center of those debates: sex education.

Too often, the conversation begins and ends with one question: How do we prevent teenagers from becoming pregnant or acquiring sexually transmitted infections?

Young people are asking something different.

They want to know how to build healthy relationships, communicate boundaries, recognize misinformation, make decisions they feel good about, and imagine futures where their sexuality is a source of confidence rather than fear.

That disconnect matters.

While adults continue designing policies and programs around what we hope adolescents avoid, many young people are focused on who they hope to become.

For decades, our public conversation about adolescent sexual health has been dominated by prevention. Success is typically measured by declining pregnancy rates or lower rates of sexually transmitted infections. Those outcomes matter. They always will.

But they tell only part of the story.

Teen Health Today is an independent, ad-free publication supported by readers like you. Subscribe today to make sure you never miss an issue.

What are the real aims of sex ed?

If preventing harm is our only goal, we overlook the very capacities that help young people make healthy decisions in the first place: confidence, communication, agency, access to trustworthy information, supportive relationships and the ability to envision futures they value.

Research consistently shows that adolescents define sexual well-being far more broadly than adults often assume. They talk about respect, trust, communication, emotional readiness and feeling informed.

My own research with Black adolescents supports this. Young people are eager for conversations about sexual health that extend beyond avoiding pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. They want space to talk about relationships, pleasure, communication, consent, identity and how to navigate conflicting messages from peers, social media, families, and schools.

For Black adolescents, this narrow focus is especially consequential. Their sexuality is too often approached through risk, control and surveillance rather than possibility, agency and support.

They are not simply asking for more information. They are asking for guidance that helps them make sense of that information, align decisions with their values and build healthy relationships. Those insights suggest that preparing young people for sexual well-being requires more than delivering facts. It requires equipping them with the skills, confidence and support to navigate the complexities of adolescence.

Yet these priorities rarely shape how we design programs, evaluate success or decide what belongs in the classroom.

What approaches really work?

Research examining three decades of school-based sex education shows that comprehensive programs can help young people develop healthy relationship skills, recognize misinformation, respect sexual diversity and strengthen their ability to recognize and respond to dating violence and sexual abuse. The most promising approaches are not one-time lessons focused only on risk. They are age-appropriate, inclusive and designed to build knowledge and skills over time.

But access to that kind of education still depends heavily on where a young person lives. In its 2025 state report cards, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change gave only seven states grades an A, while more than one-quarter received an F. Oregon and Washington earned A grades. The scores reflect whether state policies support medically accurate information, contraception, healthy relationships and LGBTQIA+-inclusive instruction, among other measures.

State policies do not tell us exactly what happens in every classroom. Still, some school districts are showing what a broader approach can look like. Seattle Public Schools uses a curriculum and supplemental lessons that address consent, communication and healthy relationships alongside pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection prevention. Families can preview the lessons and access resources to support conversations at home.

To be clear, preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections remains critically important. No one is arguing otherwise.

But prevention should not be mistaken for the ultimate goal.

Keeping our desired outcomes in focus

Back-to-school season reminds us what we expect education to accomplish. We don’t judge schools solely by whether students avoid dropping out. We also ask whether they are learning, growing, thinking critically and developing the skills they need to thrive.

Adolescent sexual health deserves the same standard.

Yet we continue to evaluate success largely by what young people don’t do. Did they avoid pregnancy? Did they avoid infection?

Those are important outcomes, but they are not the only ones that matter.

What if we also asked whether young people left school feeling more prepared? More confident communicating with a partner? Better able to recognize misinformation online? More equipped to make decisions that reflect their own values? More capable of building relationships grounded in mutual respect?

Schools and districts should evaluate whether students leave sex education better able to communicate, assess information, establish boundaries and make decisions consistent with their values, not only whether pregnancy and infection rates decline.

These are not “soft” outcomes. They are foundational skills that support lifelong sexual health and well-being.

Ironically, they are also some of the strongest tools for preventing the very outcomes our policies are designed to reduce.

This all works together

The choice is not between prevention and well-being.

Well-being is one pathway to prevention.

Expanding what schools teach and measure will require meaningful engagement with families. Parents should receive clear information about what will be taught, how lessons differ by grade level and how they can review the materials. Schools should make space for questions, communicate in the languages families use and be clear that sex education is not intended to replace conversations at home.

Schools and families have different but complementary roles. Schools can provide medically sound information and practical skills. Families can help young people understand that information in the context of their beliefs and values.

Schools should take parental concerns seriously without treating the loudest opposition as representative of all families. In a 2021 survey of Minnesota parents, approximately 90% said comprehensive sexuality education should be taught in schools. Where families have a legal right to opt their children out, schools can respect that right without allowing individual objections to narrow what is available to every student.

If we truly want healthier futures for young people, especially Black adolescents who too often encounter systems built around surveillance instead of support, then we have to stop asking only how to prevent harm.

We also need to ask how to prepare young people to flourish.

As students return to school this year, we should expect more from sex education than the absence of negative outcomes. Like every other part of education, it should give young people with the knowledge, skills, confidence, and agency they need to navigate the world they live in.

April J. Bell is an epidemiologist, founder and director of Girlx Lab, and assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. She is a Public Voices Fellow on Public Health with The OpEd Project and Blue Shield of California Foundation

This story was produced by The 74, a non-profit, independent news organization focused on education in America.

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]]><![CDATA[How To Connect With Teen Boys ]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-connect-with-teen-boyshttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-connect-with-teen-boysThu, 06 Aug 2026 14:37:49 GMTHi readers! I am busy with back-to-school trainings this week (I’m going to be teaching high school health education in a new school district), and I’ve been thinking deeply about how we connect with teenagers.

I learned a lot while researching and writing Talk To Your Boys with , and I’m always grateful to share some of that knowledge with new audiences. Recently, ParentData asked me to update an article I wrote for them that’s proven popular on the site, and I’m glad to be able to share an except with you here. I hope you find some peace and joy this week!

Big love,

Christopher

a man with short hair
Photo by gaspar zaldo on Unsplash

Why Adolescent Boys Are Struggling

I served as an advisor to Common Sense Media on its “Boys In The Digital Wild” research, which surveyed over 1,000 adolescent boys across the country. Nearly half of these boys said they “believe they must follow unwritten rules. like not crying or showing fear. to avoid being teased or picked on.”

That survey also found that three in four boys age 11 to 17 regularly encounter masculinity-related posts about building muscle, making money, fighting, dating and relationships, or weapons (even when they don’t go searching for this content), and that boys who encounter more of these posts are lonelier and less open about their feelings.

What can parents do?

If you have a young son, it may be useful to spend a few minutes thinking about his future. Imagine him at 25. At 30. At 40. At 50. What kind of relationships do you want him to have? How do you want him to treat people? How would you like to see him deal with conflict? How do you imagine him contributing to his community?

When I do this exercise, I get a pretty strong image in my head. I want my boys to become men who are connected to their feelings and are comfortable expressing a full range of emotions. I want them to be able to maintain supportive, caring relationships. I want them to have a sense of purpose in life, and to actively look for ways to help others.

Making that future a reality requires teaching some specific skills, and doing a lot of listening. Throughout the tween and teen years, parents need to do everything they can to stay engaged with their boys and keep the lines of communication open. When your son is talking, put your phone down, nod and ask clarifying questions, and don’t rush to fill awkward silences.

Learn about their world and their interests. Let them tell you about the songs, memes, games, and videos that have their attention. Try to stay curious rather than giving advice or passing judgment.

Establishing this rapport will make it easier to talk about more challenging topics, like sexual harassment, consent, or drug use. If you are having trouble introducing more substantive topics, try these conversation starters from the Global Boyhood Initiative or pick up a deck of “Cards For Masculinity” from Next Gen Men.

Continue Reading (there’s a lot more!) in ParentData.

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Talking About Boys On Wisconsin Public Radio

For parents, raising boys to be good men has always been a daunting task, and the internet and other cultural factors have made it more challenging than ever. Jennifer L.W. Fink the author of the book “Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males,” and I joined the Wisconsin Public Radio show Central Time to talk about how to raise boys in today’s climate. LISTEN NOW

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I was grateful to be included as one the experts providing advice in this KQED Mindshift article by Phyllis L. Fagell — Christopher

6 Ways Educators Can Bolster Boys’ Social Skills

At a time when rates of loneliness are rising among young adults and researchers report that 15- to 24-year-olds spend nearly 70% less time socializing in-person with friends than they did two decades ago, boys face some distinct challenges.

For instance, in their 2021 report, “The State of America’s Boys: An Urgent Case for a More Connected Boyhood,” researchers Michael Reichert and Joseph Derrick Nelson note that boys feel pressure to conform to societal expectations about masculinity, such as being stoic, dominant and competitive. That may help explain why boys are more likely to experience physical and verbal bullying and why they’re less academically engaged than girls.

Here are six ways educators can help boys acquire the skills and traits they need to strengthen their relationships and thrive at school. READ MORE

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A silhouette of a young boy and girl behind a group of people.

Boys Are Suffering Too. Here’s How We Miss That.

Dr. Lisa Damour, whose work we featured recently in Teen Health Today, recently wrote this very smart essay for the American Institute for Boys and Men. I found this section especially compelling:

Parents and educators now routinely ask me how they should respond to the growing interest of many boys in the broadly offensive ideology of internet influencer and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate. I always find myself navigating a double reaction in these conversations. Personally, I am appalled to think that some boys are letting themselves be taken in by this material. Professionally, I know from nearly thirty years of clinical practice that no kid who feels good about himself becomes drawn to hateful worldviews.

For most of us, it’s easier to feel compassion for those who suffer from anxiety or depression than to summon sympathy for those who hole up in dark corners of the internet, compulsively gamble or play video games, act out, or spout hate. Further, the externalizing symptoms which boys are more likely to exhibit are often addressed with nothing beyond a disciplinary response, especially for boys of color.

But if we are going to do right by our boys, we need to see past the negativity on the surface to recognize underlying distress that deserves our compassion and help. People who feel whole and worthy don’t build themselves up by degrading or hurting others, and those who have healthy strategies for managing life’s inevitable challenges don’t need to soothe themselves by getting lost in pornography, video games, or gambling.

Read the whole essay here.

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Thank you for reading! A special thank you to those of you supporting Teen Health Today with a paid subscription on Substack. Your generosity is the sole reason I’m able to devote so much time to this project. Remember that teachers get a 50% discount - Christopher

P.S.: Another way to support Teen Health Today is by purchasing books through our page on Bookshop.org, where we feature many of the books discussed in this newsletter.More stories about teen boys in the news

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]]><![CDATA[How Did Cigarettes Come Back Like This?]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-did-cigarettes-come-back-likehttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-did-cigarettes-come-back-likeThu, 23 Jul 2026 19:06:48 GMTHi Readers!

  • I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys.

  • Almost every week, I send out Teen Health Today articles that are free for all to read - the most recent is “What Teens Say About Phones In Schools”

  • In addition, I regularly curate collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.

  • To read this whole post you’ll need to become a paid subscriber. It’s a bargain (only $5 a month), and even less if you use this 30% off coupon.

Get 30% off forever

In this edition:

  • I’ve Studied Hundreds of Mass Shooters. Parents, I Hope You Know The Story Of Colin Gray.

  • Cigarettes Are Back In Vogue. How Did This Happen?

  • RFK Jr.’s Flawed Claims About Sperm Count and Fertility

  • New Study Links ADHD Symptoms In Boys And Addictive Social Media Use

  • How Do Young People Feel About AI? 7 Teens Weigh In

  • They Watched TikToks About ADHD, Anxiety And Cancer. Then They Worried They Had Them

  • The Phenomenon of Jimothy And What It Means About How We Treat “Wayward” Bodies

I’ve Studied Hundreds of Mass Shooters. Parents, I Hope You Know The Story Of Colin Gray. (Slate)

By Nina E. Cerfolio: On July 28 and 29, Colin Gray will be sentenced at the Barrow County Courthouse in Georgia. This March, he became the first parent in American history to be convicted of murder for a school shooting carried out by his child. A jury took less than two hours to convict him on 27 counts for his role in the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School, where his 14-year-old son Colt killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine others with an AR-15-style rifle given to him by his father. Colin Gray didn’t carry out the shooting but was found guilty of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, cruelty to children, and knowingly allowing his son to have a weapon. He faces up to 180 years in prison.

It isn’t the first time a parent has been charged in a shooting carried out by their child. But it is the first second-degree murder conviction for a parent, establishing a new legal standard. It also raises a question the rest of us now have to answer: What are we going to do about the children we can still save? READ MORE

Cigarettes Are Back In Vogue. How Did This Happen? (Washington Post)

Read more

]]><![CDATA[What Teens Say About Phones In Schools]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/what-teens-say-about-phones-in-schoolshttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/what-teens-say-about-phones-in-schoolsFri, 17 Jul 2026 00:51:19 GMTSince the first iPhone was introduced in 2007, smartphones have become ubiquitous and have changed adolescence dramatically.

One of the places this change has shown up most clearly is in schools, where phone use has become a major area of contention. Teachers complain about how distracting phones are and how much they interfere with learning, and news reports say that phones are making fights both more common and more vicious.

In 2024, I shared what I learned from teaching in a middle school while it was implementing a new phone policy in “California Wants To Ban Cell Phones In Schools. I Have Strong Feelings.”

The proposal I discussed in that post, the Phone-Free Schools Act (AB 3216), was eventually signed into law, and it required public and charter schools in California to adopt policies limiting or prohibiting student smartphone use by July 1, 2026.

The newsletter explains the changes here:

“The Phone-Free Schools Act asked communities to decide what works locally and to involve students, educators, and families in shaping those decisions.

In other words, the policies students will experience this fall weren’t written by legislators. They were shaped in school board meetings, PTA conversations, principal offices, and student councils.

That shift may become one of California’s most important contributions to the broader movement distraction-free learning. The question is no longer whether or not schools should restrict phone usage on campus.

The question now is: How should communities design phone-free learning environments, and who should be involved in those decisions?

The California Partners Project also created this guide with specific suggestions for parents who want to make sure their school district has a clear plan and is going to actively implement it.

Teen Health Today is an independent, ad-free publication supported by readers like you. Subscribe today to make sure you never miss an issue.

How To Get Youth Involved

Although this whole issue is about them, we often don’t hear that much about what young people think should be done. That’s why I was so intrigued to learn about the “Call Me Maybe” project from .

Here’s how its Executive Director, , explains the initiative:

In early 2025, as schools rushed to implement new policies before the start of the upcoming school year, we realized there was a small window to do something different. We accelerated our grantmaking process and launched a rapid response challenge, quickly funding organizations and school districts that weren’t just asking, “Should students have phones?” They were asking, “How do we build policies with young people instead of for them?”

Over the past school year, we’ve watched our grantees, four nonprofits and two school districts, take approaches that went far beyond simply restricting phones. They invited students into the policymaking process from the very beginning, helping them understand the “why” behind new rules and empowering them to become ambassadors for the changes. They paired phone policies with restorative justice circles to resolve conflicts before they escalated, and reimagined what students could do instead of scrolling by introducing music during lunch, opening outdoor spaces, and creating more opportunities for connection. In every case, the goal wasn’t just to reduce screen time. It was to build school cultures where young people felt ownership, trust, and belonging.

To tell this story as fully as possible, Young Futures partnered with documentary filmmaker Yoelle Gulko to capture these stories firsthand.

The first video in the “Call Me Maybe Storytelling Series” is out now. In it, Daniel Merrin from the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Climate and Culture takes viewers inside two Philadelphia high schools. Students and educators talk about what changed when young people were invited to shape phone policy instead of simply following it.

Hancock encourages you to watch this 10-minute documentary with a young person in your life, or share it with educators and policy makers thinking about the future of phones in schools. Future videos will focus on schools in New York and California.

“My hope is that it helps expand the conversation beyond whether schools should have phone policies and toward how schools engage young people in shaping their communities. Phone policies are one opportunity, but the larger lesson is that when students are trusted with meaningful responsibility, schools see stronger buy-in, and young people develop the kinds of skills that help them thrive now and long after they leave school.”

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]]><![CDATA[How To Talk About Immigration And America]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/fireworks-watermelon-and-immigrationhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/fireworks-watermelon-and-immigrationThu, 02 Jul 2026 11:55:09 GMTHi Friends,

The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this week. American readers, in addition to joining joyous “Take Me Home, Country Roads” sing-a-longs (which you should definitely do!), I would love to encourage you to think about the kind of country you want to live in, the values that are important to you, and how you’d like us to treat immigrants and refugees.

Seeing the wonderful mix of people visiting North America as part of the World Cup actually provides a great opening for this kind of talk. I’ve written up some questions for reflection in this post - feel free to bring these up with your friends and family, or just think about them for yourself.

Big love,
Christopher

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Reclaiming The ‘Best Thing About America’

Recently, New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg made the case that America should proud to be a land of immigrants:

“I just think it’s the best thing about America, quite simply. It’s the thing that we have historically done better than others. We absorb immigrants. We integrate immigrants. I still am very sentimental about the Emma Lazarus poem on the Statue of Liberty. Historically, we’ve gone through these periods of racial nationalism like we’re in right now, where people want to define America as an ethnic community, and periods of civic nationalism where America is about ideas and values that are open to anyone who is willing to do the work of embracing them.”

I think we all should be having big, broad conversations about immigration, and as a high school teacher of course I’d love to see teenagers participating in those discussions. Here are some prompts to get you started:

Big Questions To Consider

  • How hard do you think it should be for people to come to the U.S. to work?

  • How hard do you think it should be for people to become U.S. citizens?

  • How welcoming do you think we should be to people who are fleeing war or violence?

  • How welcoming do you think we should be to people who say they want better economic opportunities for themselves and their families?

  • How big of a priority do you think border and immigration enforcement should be in the federal budget? 　　

  • Do you think we should give amnesty to undocumented people who are already living in the United States, like Ronald Reagan did in 1986, or lay out some other pathway to citizenship?

  • Do you think we should provide specific protections for people who were brought to the U.S. as children, like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)?

  • Canada welcomes three times more immigrants on a per capita basis than then the U.S. Do you see anything in Canada’s immigration policies and goals that you think the U.S. should adopt?

Want More To Think About?

Listen to this special epiode of KALW’s “Notes From The Edge” about America at 250. Here’s how host describes it:

“We speak to the New York Times columnist (and Charlottesville resident) Jamelle Bouie, one of our leading voices on how history finds its way into our present-day politics and culture. We also speak to Paul Farber, the co-founder of Monument Lab, someone who has thought a lot about monuments, memory, and public space.

And in a segment we’re calling Music Notes, we pose the question — what is your ideal national anthem? — to three of our favorite artists: the musicians Leyla McCalla and La Doña and the film director, author, and multihyphenate artist Julian Brave NoiseCat.”

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What I Learned From Visiting Ellis Island

History teacher Jenna Vandenberg recently wrote about the hope she found in a visit to Ellis Island:

Once upon a not-so-long-ago time, the USA quickly and efficiently processed millions of immigrants. Ellis Island processed 12 million immigrants between 1892 and 1954. Over a million entered the United States in 1907 alone. Most immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were processed in a few hours. No passports, visas, or papers were needed to enter the United States through Ellis Island.2 For most people, getting through Ellis Island took only about 3 - 5 hours. And then they were off to their new lives in America.

When I tell this to my students, many of whom have helped their families sort through piles of immigration paperwork, their mouths drop open in flabbergastment.3

Those who say things like “immigrants today need to follow the rules, just like my ancestors did,” generally have no idea what they are talking about.

I’ve been to Ellis Island myself, and paid particular attention the exhibit on Norway, where I took this photo:

My family roots are in Norway. In the 1800s, things were pretty rough there, and like a lot of Norwegians, they came to the U.S. to escape poverty and famine, with hopes for a better life.

Even back then, immigration didn’t sit well with everyone in the U.S., according to this Washington Post story:

“For the vast majority of their shared history, including the period in the mid- to late 1800s and early 1900s that comprised the biggest wave of immigration to the United States, Norway might have been on the president’s so-called manure pile.

European immigrants of that time fueled many of the same fears about immigration we see today, and politicians fought to close the nation’s borders back then as successive waves of migrants from different European countries faced hostility upon arrival in the United States.

Today, those immigrants are idealized as a fast-assimilating group that came over with nothing but the shirts on their backs, and handed their children the American Dream. Some place them in sharp contrast to what they see as the insular communities of present-day immigrants such as those called out by the president. But it only appears that those migrants assimilated quickly because past economists only looked at a moment in time, instead of following individuals throughout their lives.”Despite the challenges, I am so grateful that the United States made room for my ancestors, and made it possible for us to build a life here.

I appreciate the many immigrants who help make my community vibrant and wonderful, and I want our country to keep making space for newcomers and refugees. Warmly welcoming people who want to come here seems a lot more likely to produce a positive, bright future for our country than walls, bans, or raids.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Recent Teen Health Today Highlights

]]><![CDATA[The Cast Of "This Is Us" Shares Our Parenting Advice]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/the-cast-of-this-is-us-shares-ourhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/the-cast-of-this-is-us-shares-ourSat, 27 Jun 2026 14:37:24 GMT

Hi Readers,

and I had a thrill this week when we heard actor Sterling K. Brown spreading the word about our book Talk To Your Boys on the “That Was Us” podcast with Mandy Moore and Chris Sullivan. There’s a clip avove, and here’s the full episode if you want to check it out.

Like many people, Brown first learned about the book when Priya Parker recommended it on The Ezra Klein show. For us, both first-time authors, having people share Talk To Your Boys with the world is just amazing. Thank you to all of you who have been spreading the word!

Big love,

Christopher

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Fresh Advice For Parents Of Boys

In today’s newsletter, I’m sharing some highlights from a recent interview and I did on the The MOOBment Podcast. “MOOB” stands for “Moms Of Only Boys,” but most of the advice we shared applies to all parents. It’s always fun when Joanna and I get to talk together about all the things we learned while reasearching and writing Talk To Your Boys.

Some of the concepts we discuss here:

  • Boys are often not getting enough emotional guidance at home, leading them to seek advice online, where they may encounter harmful influences.

  • There is a generational shift: boys today are caught between old stereotypes and new expectations, often feeling left out of empowerment conversations.

  • Boys benefit from having a wide range of options for self-expression, interests, and careers.

  • In-person social connections and friendships are crucial for boys’ development; online interactions do not fully replace real-life experiences.

  • Effective communication with boys involves curiosity, not assumption—ask open-ended questions and look for cues rather than imposing feelings.

  • Conversations with boys often happen during shared activities or at unexpected times - our advice is to stay present and be ready to engage when opportunities arise.

  • Respect boys’ interests and use them as entry points for connection and teaching empathy and responsibility. Yes, that might mean listening to them recount their latest video game victories in granular detail!

  • Model your own emotional regulation and self-care out loud so boys learn healthy coping strategies.

  • Community support (e.g., parent groups, book clubs) helps parents share experiences and strategies for raising boys.

  • Men, pay attention to the advice Terry Real shares in our book - do your own emotional work to avoid passing on unprocessed issues to you children.

  • Maintain open communication with boys from early childhood through young adulthood; don’t withdraw as they become teens.

  • Cherish the teenage years as a time of growth and connection, not just challenge.

  • Provide a safe space for boys to share, but also teach about privacy and boundaries as they mature.

The full interview is available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.

Recent Teen Health Today Highlights

]]><![CDATA[Should Parents Be Tracking Their 18- to 25-Year-Old Kids On Their Smartphones?]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/should-parents-be-tracking-theirhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/should-parents-be-tracking-theirWed, 17 Jun 2026 13:52:43 GMTHi Readers!

  • I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys.

  • Almost every week, I send out Teen Health Today articles that are free for all to read - the most recent is “I’ve Worked At The Same Place For 24 Years. Today Is My Last Day.”

  • In addition, I regularly curate collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.

  • To read this whole post you’ll need to become a paid subscriber. It’s a bargain (only $5 a month), and even less if you use this 30% off coupon.

Get 30% off forever

P.S. Don’t Forget About Dads: Father’s Day is coming up soon, and I would love to encourage you to consider giving “Talk To Your Boys” to dads you know. Joanna Schroeder and I thought a lot about fathers as we were writing it, and it’s packed with tools that help adults connect better with tween and teen boys. I would LOVE to have more men reading it! Pick it up at your local bookstore or order it now:
Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Books-A-Million | Walmart |

In this edition:

  • Behind Every Dad Bod Is a Healthy Dad Brain

  • Can Smartphones Help Explain The Drop In Birth Rates?

  • Men Are in an Epidemic, Just Not the One You Think

  • How an Addictive Gas Station Drug Found Allies in Trump’s Cabinet

  • Andrew Tate’s Empire of Abuse

  • Most Parents Track Their 18- to 25-Year-Old Kids On Their Smartphones. Is It Healthy?

  • They Explain Autism — And Come Under Attack, Even From Within The Autism Community

man carrying baby boy and kissing on cheek
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Behind Every Dad Bod Is a Healthy Dad Brain (New York Times)

By : We already know that the children of engaged fathers show advantages across a variety of domains, from their self-regulation abilities to their social skills and educational attainment. We also know that hands-on dads relieve stress on mothers, improve their partners’ relationship satisfaction and can even buffer the risk of postpartum depression in mothers.

But as I discovered when researching my new book, becoming a committed father also directly benefits men. Men who prioritize fatherhood may lose some sleep, gain some extra weight and enjoy less free time, but they can also discover a richer life with greater meaning, purpose and connection. And when it comes to brain health and mental fitness, becoming a father is one of the best things you can do. READ MORE

space gray iPhone X

Can Smartphones Help Explain The Drop In Birth Rates? (NPR)

By Scott Horsley: In a provocative new working paper titled “Is the iPhone Birth Control?” Economist Caitlin Myers argues that the spread of smartphones could explain between a third and a half of the decline in birth rates during that period.

To test that theory, she makes clever use of an accident of history that creates a kind of natural experiment. When iPhones first came out, they worked only with AT&T.

“In some areas of the country, AT&T had broadband coverage and you could get an iPhone, and in other areas, including where I live in Vermont, that coverage was much more limited,” Myers recalls. “And what you can see in this simplest of comparisons, births start to fall in the places where you can get one, and they’re not falling nearly as much in the places where you can’t.” READ MORE

Read more

]]><![CDATA[I’ve Worked At The Same Place For 24 Years. Today Is My Last Day. ]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/ive-worked-at-the-same-place-forhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/ive-worked-at-the-same-place-forFri, 12 Jun 2026 14:27:16 GMT

Join the 6,600+ people who get Teen Health Today delivered directly to their inboxes every week. The basic subscription is free, and the “all access” membership is only $5 a month!

Empty classroom with desks and chairs by windows
Photo by Allen Y on Unsplash

Doors Closing, Doors Opening

Here’s my big news: I’m moving on from San Francisco Unified School District, where I’ve been working in since 2002. Starting in August, I’ll be teaching high school Health Education at Los Altos High School in the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District.

I know that may not seem like a big deal, but it is going to be a major shift in my day-to-day life, in large part because I’m returning to a full-time classroom teaching role. For the last 12 years I’ve been a “Teacher On Special Assignment,” supporting and coordinating the health programs in San Francisco schools. I loved this job, but it is really different than teaching high school every day.

How I Got Started As A Teacher

In 1997, I graduated from The University of Missouri-Columbia with a journalism degree, and promptly landed a job as an assistant editor at a magazine in Berkeley, California. After a couple years, I moved to online journalism during San Francisco’s dot com boom, helping ThriveOnline win a Webby Award for “Best Health Site.”

By the end of 2001, boom times had gone bust, I’d been laid off, and I was scrambling to find work. I was about to become a father for the first time, which put some extra pressure on the job hunt.

The unemployment office mentioned that they had a job retraining program called “Tech To Teaching” and asked if I had ever thought about becoming a teacher. I really had - I’d been doing volunteer work answering the phone at a hotline called San Francisco Sex Information, and we got a lot of calls from teenagers who needed basic information about their bodies, healthy relationships, and handling their emotions. It reminded me of the years I spent in college volunteering at my unversity’s Rape Education Office, where I’d often be sent out to deliver sexual assaualt prevention talks in classrooms, fraternity houses, and community spaces.

I got in touch with the health office at San Francisco Unified School District to find out if they had health teachers (they did!), and set up appointments to shadow some classes. I loved what I saw and quickly got enrolled in a credential program. My first teacher training classes started in January, and by August I was officially a health teacher with my own classroom.

Note: This was not a traditional route to teaching - I started on “emergency credential” and had to take teacher training courses at night and on weekends until I was fully certified. Instead of a year of unpaid student teaching, a professor came into my classroom and evaluated my teaching and lesson plans, consulting with me and giving tips for improvement after class was over. Supporting programs like this is often recommended by advocates like , , and as one way to help bring more men into teaching.

I Love Teaching

I was almost 28 when I started teaching high school, and I absolutely loved it. In high school health classes, we cover six big areas, all of which I found interesting:

  • Nutrition and Physical Activity

  • Growth, Development, and Sexual Health

  • Injury Prevention and Safety

  • Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

  • Mental, Emotional, and Social Health

  • Personal and Community Health

I found that planning a high school class used a lot of the same skills I’d used as a journalist - taking scientific information and making it understandable and actionable, tailoring messages for specific audiences, and finding the right “hook” to pull people into a topic. It was a lot of work, but it suited me well.

What’s Changed Over Time

The world is different than when I started teaching - things like vaping, iPhones, and TikTok didn’t exist - and I’ve changed positions within my school district several times in the years since 2002. Job titles I’ve had:

  • Health Education teacher - Lincoln High School

  • Peer Resource teacher - Lincoln High School

  • Health Education teacher - Balboa High School

  • Health Education Teacher on Special Assignment - School Health Programs Department

That last one is the job I’ve had for the past 12 years, and I’ve primarily been focused on implementing the CDC’s “What Works In Schools” plan. This research-backed approach asks districts to use these three specific strategies in their schools:

  1. Providing quality health education, including sexual health education.

  2. Implementing systems to increase student access to health care.

  3. Promoting activities to decrease bullying, increase parent engagement, and help students feel more connected to school.

One Big Frustration

In January 2026, I wrote about my worries regarding cuts to middle school health education:

In my school district, a semester of health education has long been a high school graduation requirement, and our program is seen as a model of innovation and excellence.

However, many students, families, and educators recognized that young people needed to get the information we cover before high school. That’s why, in 2015, SFUSD started its first middle school health education classes.

Since then, the program has grown steadily, with more middle schools adding health classes each year. Now most SFUSD middle schools had health classes on their rosters, and we have a terrific cadre of enthusiastic, well-trained middle school health teachers in place.

Unfortunately, we recently learned that this middle school health education program is at risk of being eliminated, and we’ve been kicking into action to save it.

I firmly believe that defunding, eliminating, or turning these classes into “electives” will harm young people. Today, I want to tell you about what we’ve been doing and why I think its important, both because we could use your support and because I think there are many lessons here that could be applied in other communities.

Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, the outcome I feared came to pass, and SFUSD’s middle school health education program was dismantled at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

It’s an outcome that has left me frustrated, sad, and angry, and served as a signal that maybe it was time to move on.

green leaf plant sprout
Photo by Sushobhan Badhai on Unsplash

What I’m Excited About

I’m now 51, and I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to make a fresh start.

I’ve haven’t had my own classroom in over a decade, and I’m really looking forward to stretching my “teacher muscles.” I’ll be teaching 10 sections of health ed next year - 5 classes in the fall semester, and 5 in the spring - which means I’ll be reaching hundreds of students. I’ll be working with a team of strong health educators and I’m hoping we can collaborate and share resources.

I’ve done a ton of teacher coaching over the last decade, and have learned a LOT about what works (and what doesn’t). I’m looking forward to bringing that knowledge back into the classroom and working directly with students.

It’s also important to me to keep advocating for high-quality health education in schools. Being able to speak directly about some recent experiences teaching health in schools will be really useful in that regard.

I’m already looking forward to being able to say “Welcome to health class!” to a fresh group of students in the fall.

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]]><![CDATA[Pimples, Boobs, And Body Hair: On This Podcast, Teens Help Younger Kids Understand Puberty]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/pimples-boobs-and-body-hair-on-thishttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/pimples-boobs-and-body-hair-on-thisThu, 04 Jun 2026 23:51:58 GMT
woman in white long sleeve shirt kissing girl in white long sleeve shirt
Photo by saeed karimi on Unsplash

Hi Friends,

I’m excited to share a new podcast series with you today. It’s called Puberty! (The Podcast), and it’s produced by the team behind the wonderful show Brains On.

I did a little behind-the-scenes work on the scripts, and I appear in “guest expert” mode giving some advice in Episode 4. The real stars, though, are the teen hosts who talk about their recent experiences with puberty. Their honest reflections and smart insights really make the show. Check out the trailer to get a sense of what it’s all about.

Big love,
Christopher

Teen Health Today keeps running because readers like you pitch in a small amount (only $5 a month!) to keep it running. If you find this newsletter valuable, the best way to show your support is by signing up for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!

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It’s Here! Brains On Universe Presents…Puberty! (The Podcast)

Puberty! It’s a lot. There are the awkward conversations and the questions we’re too nervous to ask and the sometimes uncomfortable experience of living in a body that’s changing fast (and publicly!).

This podcast is here to help. Hosted by Molly Bloom, of the award-winning science podcast Brains On, and co-hosted by high schoolers who’ve just been through it, Puberty! (The podcast) is for everybody — and every body.

Designed for kids 7-12, the show covers everything from brain chemicals to consent, in a straight-forward and digestible package. This is a safe space for young people to understand their bodies and their brains, and it’s a resource for parents to tackle otherwise difficult topics.

Experts, including Dr. Cara Natterson (Less Awkward), (Talk to Your Boys), Nora Gelperin (Advocates for Youth), and Erin Walsh (Spark & Stitch Institute), provide science-filled explanations and answer listener questions.

Find it wherever you listen to podcasts or at brainson.org/puberty.

Subscribe now

Episode 1: What Is Puberty Anyway?

Kids grow a lot during puberty, and they also go through changes that make it possible for them to eventually have kids of their own. But it’s not just your body that changes during puberty. Your brain goes through changes, too, as it rewires to become more like an adult brain!

It’s like your whole body is under construction. So it’s no wonder that our listeners have lots of questions about this period in life.

In this episode we’re covering the basics. What is puberty? What’s kicking off these changes? And when can you expect them to happen? Dr. Cara Natterson from Less Awkward is here to help us answer.

And remember: No two people go through puberty exactly the same way. It’s different for everyone!

Episode 2: Skin, Sweat and Hair

In this episode, we’re talking about some of the first body changes you might notice when you go through puberty. We’re answering a lot of listener questions in this episode including: Why do grownups have hair where kids don’t? Why do armpits get stinkier during puberty? Why do zits happen? Why do you get oilier when you’re a teen?

Dr. Cara Natterson, author of The Care and Keeping of You and host of the podcast This is So Awkward, joins us again to help us navigate tricky issues dealing with your skin, sweat and hair.

Episode 3: Growth Spurts

In this episode we’re getting into how hormones kickstart all types of growth, during puberty. We answer kids’ questions like: what’s the deal with growing pains, why and how do our voices change and why do we get breasts. Short answer... it’s hormones. Listen to hear how human growth hormone, and estrogen, progesterone and testosterone activate and change our bodies.

This episode’s word of the day will both put you to sleep AND wake you up! Tune in to find out.

Subscribe now

Episode 4: Reproduction

Ovaries and testicles are like hormone factories — and they also make the cells needed to create new humans! But what exactly do these body parts do? And how do they work?

In this episode, we’re getting to know the reproductive organs: ovaries and testicles (because understanding your body gives you the confidence to take care of it!). Pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson and health educator Christopher Pepper are here to help us break it all down.

More Episodes On The Way!

Find them wherever you listen to podcasts or at brainson.org/puberty

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]]><![CDATA[Caffeine Pouches And Teens: What You Need To Know]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/caffeine-pouches-and-teens-what-youhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/caffeine-pouches-and-teens-what-youSun, 31 May 2026 19:17:53 GMTHi Readers!

  • I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys.

  • During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent is Kratom? Synthetics? How To Talk To Teens About Drugs Today.

  • I regularly send out curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.

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In this edition:

  • America Has a Masculinity Crisis

  • They’re Small, Discreet And Everywhere. Young People Are Obsessed With Caffeine Pouches

  • A Flood of New, Deadlier Drugs

  • For Far-Right Extremists, The Rise Of A New Enemy: Women

  • Why Is TikTok in This Book From 2006?

  • Looksmaxxing Isn’t Just A TikTok Trend – It Often Reflects Severe Body Image Issues In Teen Boys And Young Men

  • Texas School Police Pepper-Sprayed, Tackled and Tasered Students

America Has a Masculinity Crisis (New York Times)

By Nadja Spiegelman, Frederick Joseph, and Ruth Whippman Young men are in crisis. While the left tells men to stay in their lane, members of the manosphere and the far right are welcoming them with open arms. In a conversation about masculinity in a post-#MeToo world, the Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman talks to the authors and about what a healthier version of manhood could look like — and how we can get there. WATCH

From Christopher - WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS STORY? Ruth Whippman’s book “Boy Mom,” and “Talk To Your Boys” are often paired up as reading suggestions, and I love that she and Frederick Joseph are helping more people have reflective, provocative conversations what’s going on with boys and men right now and what we can do about it.

They’re Small, Discreet And Everywhere. Young People Are Obsessed With Caffeine Pouches (USA Today)

By Rachel Hale: On an April evening, nearly a hundred bikini-clad saunagoers descend on Othership Flatiron, the sauna-and-ice-bath spa that has become an Instagrammable landmark of New York City’s wellness scene.

Inside, a DJ blasts house music as people rotate between 32-degree cold plunges and a cedar sauna, slipping small white pouches between their gums and lips. Palm-sized plastic canisters of the product are lined up in neat rows on the counter.The pouches – flavored Blue Raspberry and Fruit Punch – weren’t nicotine.

The event is hosted by Wip, a start-up behind flavored “energy pouches.” The products are part of a fast-growing category of caffeine pouches marketed as a trendier, cheaper and more discreet alternative to coffee, energy drinks and pre-workout powders. In recent months the pouches, which have circulated in social media mentions for some time, have been popping up more frequently in the wellness sphere and in social settings. READ MORE

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS STORY? There’s been a lot of focus recently on nicotine pouches, but I haven’t seen much coverage of this new pouch trend, and it seems like something we should keep an eye on.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Kratom? Synthetics? How To Talk To Teens About Drugs Today]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/kratom-synthetics-how-to-talk-tohttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/kratom-synthetics-how-to-talk-toFri, 22 May 2026 14:07:41 GMTHi Friends,

I hope you’re having a good week! One of the most rewarding projects I’ve been involved with over the last few years is helping create TheNewDrugTalk.org, a site that provides “free, evidence-based resources to help families understand today’s drug risks—and have the conversations that matter.”

Today, I’m sharing some brand new videos from The New Drug Talk that focus on some of the biggest emerging topics in teen substance use.

As a health teacher, I understand how much drugs have changed in recent years, and know that adults need all the help they can get in keeping up with those changes and understanding how to to effectively talk with teens about them. I hope these resources help!

Big love,
Christopher

Teen Health Today keeps running because readers like you pitch in a small amount (only $5 a month!) to keep it running. If you find this newsletter valuable, the best way to show your support is by signing up for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!

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Is Kratom Safe For Your Teen?

Right now, a middle schooler—12, 13 or 14 years old—can walk into a convenience store in many states and buy a product that acts on the brain like an opioid, without anyone asking a single question. It sits on the same shelf as energy drinks and protein bars. It’s called kratom—and the most concentrated forms, like 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH), are highly addictive, sold without warning labels and legal in most states.

In this New Drug Talk conversation experts explain what parents should know about the growing market of unregulated substances being sold to young people.

What you’ll learn:

  • Where kratom originated and how it’s being deceptively marketed for health and well being

  • What forms kratom is sold in: teas, gummies, shots

  • How concentrated kratom extracts like 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH) affect the brain

  • Why adolescent brains are more vulnerable to addiction and substance dependence

  • The gas station products teens may already recognize, including Feel Free and other brands

  • Why “natural” and “legal” do not always mean safe

  • How to start calm, informed conversations with your teen about kratom

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What Are Today's Synthetic Drugs?

Xylazine (the “zombie drug”). Nitazenes. Fentanyl. Fake prescription pills. Today’s drug supply is changing faster than most parents—and even many professionals—can keep up with. A new wave of synthetic substances are appearing in communities across the country and reshaping overdose risk for young people.

Many counterfeit pills are designed to look exactly like real prescription medications, including Adderall, Xanax and Percocet. In many cases, the pill a teen thinks they’re taking is not the substance they’re actually taking.

In this New Drug Talk conversation experts explain what’s happening in the current drug supply, why today’s risks are different from previous generations, and how parents can have informed, practical conversations with their teens.

What you’ll learn:

  • Why today’s drug supply is fundamentally different from the past

  • What’s causing more overdose deaths in our country that any drug previous to it

  • Why fentanyl has dramatically changed overdose risk for young people

  • What xylazine—known as the zombie drug or 'tranq'—does to the body

  • Why naloxone (Narcan) may not reverse all substances involved in an overdose

  • What nitazenes are and why experts are concerned about their potency

  • How counterfeit prescription pills are made to look identical to prescription medications teens are familiar with

  • How to start calm, direct conversations with your teen about fake prescription pills

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Your Teen Needs Your To Talk About Drugs

The drug talk has changed. It’s not one big conversation—it’s dozens of small ones, built on trust, curiosity and the right techniques. In this video, experts walk parents through the conversations that actually work—moving beyond fear-based warnings to real, lasting connections with your teen that support their mental health and well-being.

What you’ll learn:

  • Why talking to your kids about drugs won’t put the idea in their head

  • How to talk to your teen about substances without pushing them away

  • What to say when you think your child is not doing well

  • How to model healthy behaviors, especially outlets to stress

  • Why your teen needs to hear your expectations out loud

  • Tools to help your kid safely exit a peer pressure situation

  • How everyday family habits build the resilience that keeps kids safe

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]]><![CDATA[“I Spent Two Years Inside The Manosphere. Here’s What Most People Still Get Wrong.”]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/i-spent-two-years-inside-the-manospherehttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/i-spent-two-years-inside-the-manosphereSun, 17 May 2026 15:35:09 GMTHi Readers!

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P.S. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at my life and work, and some of my tips for making it work financially, check out the latest edition of :

In this edition:

  • More Than Half A Million American Teens Are Using Inhalants. A Doctor Explains The Dangers

  • “I Spent Two Years Inside The Manosphere. Here’s What Most People Still Get Wrong.”

  • Young People Are Crowding Underground Phone-free Parties. I Went To One.

  • Britain Just Issued A Cigarette Ban That Would Shock Americans. The Reaction Here Has Been Something Else.

  • A Promising New Depression Therapy Focuses On Finding Paths To Joy

  • Gen Z Pout, ‘Influencer Voice’ And The Horror Of ‘Looking Cringe’

  • Opinion: There Is a Better Way to Get Kids Off Screens

More Than Half A Million American Teens Are Using Inhalants. A Doctor Explains The Dangers (CNN)

By Katia Hetter: Social media trends are fueling a dangerous form of substance use among teenagers in the United States involving common household and commercial products, including inhaling nitrous oxide, or laughing gas.

More than 500,000 American adolescents reported inhalant use in the past year, according to an estimate based on findings in a new study published in the journal Preventive Medicine.

I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen to learn more about inhalants and why they appeal to so many teens. Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University. READ MORE

From Christopher - WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS STORY? As a health educator and a parent, I have to keep up with trends around substance use and be able to explain the risks to teens. This article pulls that information together well.

man in white crew neck t-shirt sitting on brown wooden bench
Photo by Gus Tu Njana on Unsplash

“I Spent Two Years Inside The Manosphere. Here’s What Most People Still Get Wrong.” (Women’s Agenda)

By Dr. Krista Fisher: I’ve spent time in corners of the internet most women have never heard of: 4chan, Discord, Odyssey, Rumble. Not as a regulator or a judge, but as a researcher at the Movember Institute, trying to answer one of the most important questions of our time: What do young men’s digital worlds actually look like, what are they doing to the boys and men who inhabit them, and what spills out to the world around them?

To answer those I walked in the shoes of a young man online – to see what he sees, scroll what he scrolls: So for the last two years I’ve had two TikTok accounts.

Mine: Krista, early thirties, Australian, female.

And “Liam”: seventeen, American, male. Built for my research.

The contrast between these feeds was disorienting. READ MORE

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS STORY? I appreciate the depth of perspective that Fisher provides here, especially her views on what young men need and what effective Manosphere alternatives might look like.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[How To Get Teen Boys To Practice Kindness, Empathy, and Support ]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-get-teenage-boys-to-practicehttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-get-teenage-boys-to-practiceWed, 13 May 2026 16:35:32 GMT

Hi Readers,

I hope you’re doing well! I know people have big worries about what boys are seeing and doing online. That’s why I’m glad to be able to highlight an online community that’s doing things right. It’s called the NGM Alliance, and it is curated by the the incredible Canadian nonprofit organization Next Gen Men.

NGM Alliance is an online Discord-based community created in 2020 to support boys and nonbinary youth through connection, mentorship, and positive peer relationships. NGM Alliance offers a safe, supportive, and engaging online space where youth can develop healthy identities while building belonging and connection. My own teenage son has been part of this community, and I’ve been able to see the good they are doing up close.

A new evaluation, which draws on interviews, photovoice activities, server analytics, and engagement data, helps prove that it’s working. The report finds that NGM Alliance builds belonging, supports mental health, and contributes to more positive attitudes and behaviors among its members.

In this interview, Next Gen Men’s Stephanie Wright tells us all about the server, the support it provides, and what they’ve learned about effectively engaging boys.

Big love,
Christopher

P.S. If you get inspired to set something like this up in your community, don’t miss the link to Next Gen Men’s free course at the bottom of this post!

Join the 6.500+ people who get Teen Health Today delivered direct to their inboxes each week by signing up for a free subscription today. If you can swing it, upgrading to a paid subscription (only $5 a month!) helps keep this independent publication running and allows you to access to all of our content. Thanks!

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TEEN HEALTH TODAY: When you are talking with parents, how do you explain what this project is all about?

  • STEPHANIE WRIGHT: If you’re raising a boy, you already know how much time he spends online, gaming, hanging out on Discord, watching YouTube. The question isn’t whether boys will be online. It’s whether the spaces they’re in are setting them up to thrive. NGM Alliance is a free, safe online community hosted on Discord for boys and nonbinary youth in middle school and high school, built around gaming (think Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite) and run by trained Next Gen Men facilitators.

  • Often it’s the gaming that draws teenagers in initially, but underneath that, something else is happening: boys are building deep friendships, talking honestly about how they’re doing, and encountering perspectives and experiences that are genuinely different from their own. One parent told us: “Thank you for providing this experience for boys to connect in an emotionally nourishing environment. He’s told me how good it feels to have someone to talk to.” That’s exactly what we’re going for.

How long has it been running, and how has it changed during that time?

  • We launched in summer 2020 because the pandemic forced us to pivot away from in-person programming. We asked our youth what they wanted, and they were pretty clear: “We’re not getting on a Zoom, but we are on Discord.” From there, we started a small experimental server, originally called NGM Summer Camp, and honestly, everything has changed since then.

  • Five years and nearly a million messages later (still blows my mind saying this), NGM Alliance has become so much more than we ever imagined. And the reason it’s grown into what it is comes down to one thing: our youth have led the way the entire time. We really do see it as their community. Every significant change we’ve made has been spearheaded by the young people in the server.

  • Those changes have looked like a lot of things. Youth asked for a dedicated #support-channel because they wanted a space to talk about “what was really going on in their lives without it becoming a joke.” They told us that advertising the server as being about “positive masculinity” was not something they wanted to share with their friends (it was “not cool”), especially those who lean more conservative, so we shifted to gaming-forward language and watched our membership grow. They’ve voted on the server name more than once, because as the community evolved they wanted the name to actually reflect the space they’d built together. Our moderation practices have evolved continuously based on their feedback, all while we’ve kept building out our safety systems from scratch, because as far as we know no other youth-serving organization has built a Discord server quite like this.

  • This year we’re focused on expanding our reach and welcoming more American youth into the community, and we’re genuinely excited to keep building out whatever our youth tell us they want to see next.

What are the advantages of having this community grow online?

  • Honestly, for teenage boys and nonbinary youth, being online isn’t a compromise at all. It’s actually where the work needs to happen. Boys who would never in a million years walk into an after-school program will happily jump on a Discord server to play Valorant with their friends. 97% of teenage boys play video games, and yet there are so few programs for youth within those spaces. That’s just the reality of where boys are socializing, and we’ve learned that if we want to engage them, we have to go where they are and build spaces they actually want to be in.

  • The reach is also something we simply couldn’t replicate in person. Our members come from across Canada and the U.S., from really different backgrounds and belief systems, people who would never end up in the same room any other way. I don’t know of any other youth program that could connect a rural kid from South Dakota with a kid living in downtown Toronto, but on our server those two kids know each other and hang out together every week. Our evaluation found that boys regularly described having their perspectives genuinely shifted, not because a facilitator told them what to think, but because they became actual friends with someone whose life looked nothing like theirs.

  • There’s also something we didn’t fully anticipate about the online context when it comes to how deeply youth share with each other. Many members have told us they’ve shared things on the server that they haven’t told anyone else in their lives. When we ask why, they often say they just feel more comfortable sharing online and that the server feels like a safe place to do that. All of our youth use their first names, but there’s still this layer of anonymity. They don’t see each other in person, they don’t know what the other kids at school think of them, and in a way that seems to give them permission to just be themselves. To share honestly about what’s going on with school, friendships, dating, their identity. It’s something I genuinely never anticipated, and I still find it a little magical every time I see it happen.

When the server first started, new members had to get approval from parents. Now that that is no longer required, how do you keep it safe?

  • This is one we get asked a lot, and we want to be honest with parents about the thinking behind it.

  • For the first few years, we required a parent or guardian to register their child before joining. But over time, youth kept telling us that requirement was keeping some of their peers out, particularly boys from homes without supportive caregivers, or where a kid couldn’t explain why he wanted to join a server, or what a Discord server even was. We realized we were accidentally building a gate that blocked the young people who needed us most. So in 2023, after consulting with a law firm and developing a youth-friendly privacy policy, we made it possible for youth ages 13 to 17 to join on their own or through parent/guardian registration. Participation increased substantially.

  • Online safety, and our system of safety, within NGM Alliance is our number one priority. Every new member goes through a screening process before getting access to the community, providing demographic information and an emergency contact from a trusted adult in their life. All of our facilitators hold police check screenings specific to working with minors. We also have volunteer alumni moderators, youth who grew up in the community and are now 18+ who came back because they wanted to give the next generation the same experience they had. Every single one of them has gone through police checks and formal training before stepping into that role. We run a confidential youth reporting system, a staff communication hierarchy, and a Get Help Now button that triggers an immediate facilitator response. Active moderation, both staff and bot-assisted, runs all the time. Since 2020, there have been zero incidents of raids or online exploitation, and we have never had anyone join who wasn’t who they said they were.

  • At the end of the day, boys are going to be online whether we’re there or not. We’d rather they find us than somewhere we can’t protect them.

Is the server still focused mostly on boys? Do girls or nonbinary kids ever want to join?

  • The server is designed specifically for boys and nonbinary youth, and that focus is actually a big part of why it works. Boys, especially the ones who might otherwise end up in more toxic corners of the internet, often check out of spaces that feel like they weren’t made with them in mind.

  • That said, nonbinary youth are explicitly part of the community, and we have a 2SLGBTQ+ subcommunity within the server. What our evaluation kept showing us is that when you take the judgment away from the front door, young people with all kinds of identities find their way in and find each other. Some of our most meaningful outcomes came from members who joined with pretty fixed ideas about the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and then just got to know people through chatting and gaming together. They became friends and changed their minds about preconceived notions they had about certain groups. It wasn’t something we programmed or planned. It just happened organically through a shared sense of belonging in the space.

What has most surprised you about this project?

  • Honestly, the depth of sharing and how many close friendships have been formed. Coming from an in-person youth programming background, I was a bit apprehensive at first. I really thought that in-person relationship building would always trump online connections. The youth we work with have proven me wrong.

  • The candour and openness on that server genuinely moves me. Boys talking about how to know if a girl likes them, how to get closer to their siblings, what kind of person they want to grow up to be, their worries about AI and climate change, how to navigate rejection and heartbreak. And right alongside all of that, the willingness to show up for each other, to uplift one another, to actually say “I see you and you’re going to be okay.” I did not expect that from a Discord server. I really didn’t.

  • Another thing that genuinely shocked me was how our anonymous confession bot has been used. We built it into our #support-channel so that members can share something completely anonymously. It has been used nearly 350 times. Not once has it been misused. What that tells us is that boys are genuinely hungry to talk about what’s going on in their lives. They just need to know that the people on the other end actually care about them and know how to help.

What are the most common issues that members ask for help with? What kind of support do they get?

  • A lot more than people might expect. Mental health comes up most consistently, things like anxiety, low self-esteem, hard family situations, grief, and the particular weight that comes from growing up with really rigid ideas about what boys are supposed to be and feel. But members are also bringing questions like “someone is trying to blackmail me for pictures, what do I do?” and “is it a problem that I’m gambling online?” These are real questions that boys are sitting with, often without an adult they feel they can turn to.

  • Support happens a few different ways. The #support-channel is a dedicated space with norms that the youth themselves designed. Facilitators are present and model what real, thoughtful support actually looks like, not just generic reassurance, but genuine engagement with what someone is going through. And for youth who need more than peer support can offer, we have an extensive mental health resource list and have also partnered with BetterHelp to give every member six months of free therapy.

If young people want to join, how do they sign up?

  • There are two ways. If you’re a parent and want to register your child, you can do that directly on our website at nextgenmen.ca/alliance. For youth wanting to sign themselves up, they can scan the QR code on our poster and get onto our screening list right away. If you’re an educator or someone who works with youth and wants to share the server, our poster (designed by our youth, of course) is available to download and print at the bottom of our website. You can find everything at nextgenmen.ca/alliance.

If readers are inspired to start similar projects in their own communities, what advice would you give them?

  • We built out an entire resource just for this! Our How to Build an Online Community course is a free video-based learning resource designed to share what we’ve learned from five years of doing this work. We’ve developed a full System of Care framework that explains how the server works and lays out the crucial elements of building an online community for young people. Our evaluation report, Creating Community Online, is also a great place to start and shares the how, why, and what of this work alongside real evidence from 18 of our youth on the impact the server has had on them.

  • If you want to learn more or just want to talk through what building your own online community might look like, we’re always happy to chat. Reach out at youth@nextgenmen.ca.

Has this project given you any ideas about how gaming or online spaces could be less toxic or more supportive for boys and young men?

  • In just about every way, yes. The thing we’ve come to believe pretty firmly is that the toxicity people associate with boys’ online spaces isn’t some inevitable feature of the internet. It’s what happens when no one builds anything better.

  • We keep having the wrong conversation. We’re focused on what platforms allow, when we should be asking what boys actually need. And what boys need, what every young person needs, is belonging, the chance to develop real skills and confidence, and a sense that they matter beyond themselves. The manosphere has figured out how to offer a counterfeit version of all of those things. It promises belonging, but through us-versus-them thinking. It offers a vision of strength, but through the domination of others. NGM Alliance is trying to offer the real thing. And five years of doing this work, backed now by a formal evaluation, suggests it’s possible.

  • Don’t get me wrong, policy matters. Platform safety systems matter. But no amount of content moderation solves the underlying problem, which is a generation of boys looking for connection, growth, and meaning in a culture that keeps handing them toxic shortcuts instead of real community. Every young man who finds belonging, learns that feeling deeply doesn’t make him less of a man, and builds genuine friendships represents real prevention of future harm, to himself and to the people around him.

  • The question we’d love more people to be asking isn’t just “how do we make these platforms safer?” it’s “why aren’t we investing in building healthy communities on them?”

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Want to Make Your Own Online Community?

In this free video-based course, Next Gen Men translates five years of practice into practical guidance for organizations looking to create their own safe and impactful online communities with the young people they serve.

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]]><![CDATA[My Favorite Mom On TV Is...]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/tv-moms-what-can-they-teach-ushttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/tv-moms-what-can-they-teach-usFri, 08 May 2026 13:59:03 GMT
silhouette of woman standing on beach during sunset
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

Hi Readers -

Happy Mother’s Day to those of you who celebrate! I hope you have a restful and connected weekend.

In honor of this special day, Greater Good Magazine asked me and a group of writers to reflect on their favorite current TV moms. My entry is below, but I encourage you to check out the full piece, which has entries on Bluey, Bridgerton, Hacks, The Pitt and more, including mini-essays from and .

Big love,
Christopher

P.S. If this is a challenging holiday for you, I encourage you to check out the Marking Complicated Mother’s Day workshop from the wonderful and .

The Large-in-Absence Award: Tia in Shrinking (Apple TV)

Will viewers care about a character they only see in brief flashbacks?

That’s the challenge Shrinking takes on with Tia (Lillian Bowden), a mother who is killed by a drunk driver before the show even starts. Her story is told through her absence, and we see the richness of her life and relationships through the huge hole her loss creates. Over time, we come to understand that the show’s mix of joy, pain, humor, and growth reflect Tia’s personality.

We see her husband Jimmy (Jason Segel) come completely unglued without her, and then slowly accept his new reality. He finally starts to find his footing by connecting with people who knew Tia and who can join him both in grief and forward motion.

Their daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) copes with her mom’s death as best she can, but as she tries to move on with her life and have typical teen experiences (dating, dress shopping, learning to drive, etc.), we feel the ache of the moments where her mother might have been there for her.

Over time, the show reveals that Jimmy and Tia did not always have an easy relationship. In an early episode, several friends shower him with praise for his marriage, emphasizing what a great couple he and Tia were. These words land uncomfortably, and flashback scenes show they actually had a lot of arguments and conflict. Despite this, Tia’s best friend Gaby (Jessica Williams) reassures Jimmy that Tia continued to adore him, even when they were clashing.

Although we only learn about Tia in her absence, we come to care deeply about her as the show rolls out and we see the way her love (and her imperfections) affected those around her. – Christopher Pepper

Read all the essays in this collection - What 11 TV Moms Can Teach All of Us - at Greater Good

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If you enjoyed this post, please forward it to someone else who might like it, and click the ❤️ or 🔁 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack. 🙏🏼

]]><![CDATA[How to Help Kids Navigate The Awkwardness Of Puberty]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-help-kids-navigate-the-awkwardnesshttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-to-help-kids-navigate-the-awkwardnessSun, 03 May 2026 15:40:20 GMTHi Readers!

  • I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys.

  • During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent is How - And Why - To Talk To Teens About Fake Pills.

  • On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.

  • These Sunday news roundups are paywalled to give you a gentle nudge to upgrade your Teen Health Today subscription. Lucky for you, here’s a button that will give you a 30% discount:

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  • I LOVE AND APPRECIATE the folks who pitch in a little bit to keep this newsletter going. Thank you!

P.S. I wanted to share two media pieces I was featured in this week:

In this edition:

  • How A Struggling School Tackled Misogyny And Became A Happier Place

  • How to Help Teens, Tweens Navigate Ups And Downs of Puberty

  • How American Dads Became the Parents Their Fathers Never Were

  • Scientists May Have Finally Created a Male Birth Control Pill—So Far, It Shows Very Few Side Effects

  • In Backlash Against Tech in Schools, Parents Are Winning Rollbacks

  • How Can Families Cope With Stress Together?

  • Opinion: ‘Just Say No’ Didn’t Work In 1986. In 2026, It’s Dangerous.

How A Struggling School Tackled Misogyny And Became A Happier Place (BBC)

By Peter Walker: When hard-hitting British drama Adolescence was first screened last year, it was lauded as a TV masterpiece. Netflix subsequently made it free to watch for classes in secondary schools, and the prime minister said it had “lit a touch paper” for discussions about social media, misogyny and the so-called manosphere.

For many schools, it opened up a Pandora’s box of challenges, but one school in Essex was ahead of the game. The school set up an anonymous “tell-us” system, in which pupils could write down concerning behaviour they had witnessed on a postcard and place it in a postbox. Boys most at risk of being exposed to domestic violence were introduced to focussed talking groups and local council-approved male mentors came to speak to these students.

For International Women’s Day, the school collected 600 daffodils, which pupils were encouraged to give to girls and women in their lives they wanted to celebrate. READ MORE

From Christopher - WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS STORY? I’ve been skeptical about the idea of showing “Adolescence” in schools, but I’m inspired by the real-life examples of culture change in this story. Love the cooking club idea!

How to Help Teens, Tweens Navigate Ups And Downs of Puberty (TODAY)

Today's teens and tweens are experiencing puberty earlier than ever before and in different ways. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett authors of "This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained," join TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones with tips for how parents can help kids navigate the changes, why it is important to keep conversations going despite the awkward subjects, and more. WATCH

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS STORY? Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett are incredible ambassadors for caring, realistic puberty education, and I love to see mainstream media picking up their messages. I hope it helps people find their book, podcast, and curriculum.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[How - And Why - To Talk To Teens About Fake Pills]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-and-why-to-talk-to-teens-abouthttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/how-and-why-to-talk-to-teens-aboutWed, 29 Apr 2026 00:01:15 GMT

Hi Readers -

I’m inviting you to join me at some free events as part of National Fentanyl Awareness Day. These events offer a powerful way to understand today's drug landscape and take action to protect your community from fentanyl and fake prescription pills.

I’ve also featured some excellent resources for families and teachers about this topic. Together, we can turn awareness into action.

Big love,
Christopher

Get 30% off for 1 year

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#1: Overdose Deaths are Down—the Risks Aren’t

Overdose deaths are down from record highs—and that’s real progress worth acknowledging. But a closer look at the data tells a more complicated story. The drug supply is still dangerous and still evolving, new substances are entering the picture, and there’s growing concern that signs of progress may be creating a false sense of security at exactly the wrong moment.

This session brings together leading researchers and prevention experts for a frank, data-driven conversation about where things actually stand—and what it means for families, educators and communities working to keep young people safe.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
9 am PT / Noon ET
Register Here

#2: The New Drug Landscape: A Conversation with Parents Who’ve Been There

The drug landscape has shifted—and the conversation around prevention needs to shift with it. Fentanyl remains a serious threat, but new substances are entering the supply, the relationship between mental health and drug use is coming into sharper focus, and the old “just say no” approach has never been less useful.

In this candid, unscripted conversation, three parents who have experienced the worst—and dedicated themselves to making sure other families don’t—talk openly about what’s changed, what’s coming, and where prevention goes from here.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Noon PT / 3 pm ET
Register Here

#3: How to Talk to Your Kids About Drugs Right Now

Most parents know they should talk to their kids about drugs. Few feel equipped to do it—especially now, when the drug landscape looks nothing like it did a generation ago. Fake prescription pills, high-potency cannabis, kratom—the risks are real, they’re evolving, and the conversation can’t wait.

This session brings together a parent and coach who has lived the stakes firsthand and a physician who works directly with teens and families for an honest, practical conversation about how to approach drug safety talks with your kids. No slides, no jargon—just the information and perspective parents need to feel prepared.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
3 pm PT / 6 pm ET
Register Here

How Do I Talk with My Teen About Fentanyl?

In this special episode of the “Ask Lisa” podcast, Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan are joined by Ed Ternan and Marcia Lee Taylor of Song for Charlie, a national non-profit dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl.

Ed, who tragically lost his 22 year-old son to a counterfeit prescription pill, and Marcia, former President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, cover the basics about fentanyl and offer concrete guidance on how to have effective conversations with teens about its dangers.

Teen Health Today is a reader-supported publication. The best way to keep us going (and get access to our whole kit and caboodle) is with a paid subscription. Thanks!

How To Teach About Fentanyl

Like some other states, California has a new law requiring schools to teach about fentanyl. Stanford’s REACH Lab is ready to help with “Aware & Prepare: A Comprehensive Curriculum for Fentanyl & Other Opioid Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction.”

These free lessons are designed to help students:

  • Describe what opioid drugs are, including fentanyl, and explain their general effects on the brain and body.

  • Identify the potential harms and both the real and perceived benefits of opioid (including fentanyl) use.

  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid/fentanyl overdose and demonstrate appropriate steps to respond in an emergency.

  • Apply naloxone and fentanyl test strips as harm reduction tools.

Recent Teen Health Today Highlights

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]]><![CDATA[Five Things Everyone Should Hear About]]>https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/five-things-everyone-should-hearhttps://www.teenhealthtoday.com/p/five-things-everyone-should-hearFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:49:59 GMTHi Friends,

I hope you’re having a good week. I have been hearing about so many cool/interesting/smart events lately, and I’m glad to be able to share some of them with you here. Please take a minute to check them out, and if they aren’t right for you, feel free to pass them along to others you know.

Big love,
Christopher

Subscribe now

I’m Talking Live At City College Of San Francisco

Wear jeans and join me for a live discussion about my book Talk To Your Boys. It’s part of the school’s Denim Day recognition.

  • Date: April 29, 2026

  • Time: 6-7:25 p.m

  • Location: Cloud Hall 260, City College of San Francisco

  • Cost: Free

Note: There’s no official booksigning at this event, but if you bring a copy of Talk To Your Boys we can make it happen!

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Hey Men - Sign Up For This Group

I’ve participated in two rounds of the “Ask Her” group from Brian Dean Williams twice now, and found it incredibly useful and supportive. There’s a new group starting soon, and I wanted to encourage men, especially men in relationships with women, to sign up. A note from Brian about it:

Here’s something I hear from women constantly in my couples therapy practice when they are in relationships with men:

“I wish he’d ask me more questions. Not about the schedule — about me.”

Most men genuinely want to connect. They just weren’t taught how. That’s not a character flaw — it’s a gap. And it’s one of the most fixable things I’ve seen in 15 years of working with couples.

Ask Her is a skills course for men.

What you’ll walk away with:

✓ A toolkit of powerful questions drawn from narrative therapy — questions that create real intimacy, not just conversation

✓ The ability to ask in ways that make her feel genuinely seen — not interrogated

✓ A small group of men moving in the same direction — no judgment, no ego

✓ Practice that actually sticks — because you’re doing it with other guys in real time

  • Starts Monday April 27th

  • Schedule 8 Mondays, 5:30–6:30pm PST

  • Format Online via Zoom — small group

  • Cost $400 total ($50/session × 8 weeks)

  • Coverage May be covered by extended health benefits

Reserve your spot — April 27th

Spots are limited to keep the group small and the conversations real. We currently have a few spots remaining for this cohort.

If you know a guy who’d benefit — forward this to him. The men who’ve done Ask Her consistently tell us they wish they’d found it sooner.

Email Brian Dean Williams at connect@briandeanwilliams.com for more information or to sign up.

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Raising Boys in a Digital World

Here’s an online offering from White Ribbon Canada, which is dedicated to “engaging men and boys as allies to promote gender equality,”

Boys and young men today are navigating complex online environments that can increase their risk of sexual exploitation, radicalization, misogyny, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Preventing these harms requires a collective effort from the adults in their lives.

This virtual event brings together educators, parents, and caregivers to explore how we can better support youth—especially boys and young men—through early prevention, open conversations, and the promotion of healthy masculinities.

Participants will learn to recognize warning signs, understand how these issues are interconnected, and explore the important roles both schools and families play within the broader youth ecosystem. The session will also introduce practical tools, resources, and strategies designed to help adults respond confidently and support young people in safer, healthier ways.

  • Date: April 29, 2026

  • Time: 12:30 PM in Pacific Time (US and Canada)

  • Cost: Free

  • RSVP Here

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Racial Justice in Sex Education

Did you know that Advocates for Youth has a free online training series called Racial Justice in Sex Education? It’s great, and they just added two new online modules.

Each module is 30-45 minutes long, free and can be taken on its own or as part of the larger learning series. These were both created by Advocates’ Assistant Director for Racial Justice in Sex Education, Dr. Nakisha Floyd, and her Youth Advisory Council. Feel free to share them!

Reviews from colleagues:

“These were SOOO GOOOOOOD!! The presentation of information was clear and I appreciated the images used as well - so many hues. The multimedia aspect worked well for a visual learner like me, and I’m sure it will land well with others.” - Marriotta Gary-Smith, Co-Foundress of the Women of Color Sexual Health Network

“Once again, BRILLIANT. Fascinating. INVALUABLE. SO much covered and I loved the visuals - super striking!!” - Dr. Elizabeth Schroeder, Sex Education Author, Trainer and International Speaker

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Sex Ed Training For Educators

For educators who are looking to enhance their sex educator skills, Advocates for Youth is also offering some cool live trainings (held online). Educator trainings consist of three, 90-minute training sessions that cover the following topics:

  • Creating a safe learning environment

  • Answering sensitive questions

  • Boundaries & self-disclosure

  • Sexual orientation and gender identity

  • Experiential Learning Cycle

  • Connecting home: Communicating with caregivers

The three 90-minute virtual sessions are offered at $175 per person.

Sign up here: https://3rs.org/training-for-educators/

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Recent Teen Health Today Highlights

If you enjoyed this post, please forward it to someone else who might like it, and click the ❤️ or 🔁 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack. 🙏🏼

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