As kids grow their bodies change. So do their thoughts, feelings and desires. When young adolescents (10-14 year olds) start experiencing crushes, it can be exciting, awkward and very confusing. Tweens need education designed for them so they can make healthy choices when they are ready to become sexually active. Enter AMAZE, an innovative and yes, friendly, animated online video sex education resource for young adolescents. AMAZE takes the awkward out of sex education, or as they put it: "More info. Less weird." AMAZE is a partnership of three non-profit organizations: Answer, Advocates for Youth. and Youth Tech Health. Nicole Cushman, Executive Director of Answer, says, "The research shows that teens actually want to hear more from their parents about their values and expectations when it comes to sex, dating, and relationships." Encouraging, right? Annie talks to Nicole about how parents can comfortably talk to teens about sex. About Nicole Cushman (@SexHonestly) and AMAZE (@AmazeOrg) Nicole Cushman, MPH, Executive Director of Answer, an award-winning, national organization, providing invaluable sexuality education resources to millions of young people and adults every year. And one of the partners of Amaze.org. Nicole is passionate about empowering young people through honest, relevant and effective sexuality education. She has nearly 15 years of experience as an educator and trainer in sexual and reproductive health and has worked to strengthen sexuality education policies and programs across the U.S. Nicole oversees Answer’s sexuality education programs, finances and fundraising. She also manages Answer’s relationship with Rutgers University and represents Answer in the media. Learn more about http://Answer.rutgers.edu and http://AMAZE.org. Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

When computer games are a problem for parents, it's usually because a child/teen has become obsessed and no longer shows interest in "family time." Even when family time isn't impacted, parents may have other questions like: • "Is my child addicted to computer games?" • "Are violent games encouraging my child to be violent and/or desensitizing him to violence?" • "Is all this screen time hurting my child's social development?" Dr. Rachel Kowert, psychologist, online gamer, and author of "A Parent's Guide to Video Games: The essential guide to understanding how video games impact your child's physical, social, and psychological well-being", makes a strong case for the positive impact of computer games and why parents may not need to worry about their kids' love of gaming. About Dr. Rachel Kowert (@DrRachelKowert) Dr. Kowert's research is primarily focused on the social impact of online games. This includes addressing the anecdotal claim that online game players are socially different/deficient as compared to offline or non-players, examining the impact of online video game play on offline friendship networks, and evaluating the tangible social benefits of online game play. Learn more at http://RKowert.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

At times, every child feels worried, confused, or scared. In those moments, kids need safe adults to talk to. When your child comes to you, out of the blue, with a burning question, or when your family is faced with a sensitive situation that requires your bringing kids into the loop, how do you do it effectively? Psychologist Dr. Robyn Silverman, author of "Good Girls Don't Get Fat" and "Bully: An Action Plan for Teachers, Parents and Communities to Combat the Bullying Crisis" reminds parents that conversations are "not soliloquies." Listening (without distractions) to what your child has to say is at least as important as what you have to say. Annie and Robyn discuss how to talk to kids about anything. About Robyn Silverman (@DrRobyn) Dr. Robyn Silverman, AKA Dr. Robyn, is a leading Child and Adolescent Development Specialist with a focus on character education and body/self esteem development during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. As a strong believer that children are assets to be developed, not deficits to be managed, her work reflects a positive approach that shows that with the right tools, all young people have the ability to thrive and succeed. Her popular podcast "How to Talk To Kids About Anything" is a compassionate resource for parents. As a body image expert, Dr. Robyn’s groundbreaking research at Tufts University demonstrates that those girls who deviate from the Western ideal of thinness can find a way to thrive. Learn more at: http://DrRobynSilverman.com About Annie Fox, M.Ed. Annie is a parenting expert with 30+ years experience. She's been an online adviser to tweens, teens and parents since 1997. Her award-winning books include: "Teaching Kids to Be Good People", "The Girls Q&A Book on Friendship", and the groundbreaking Middle School Confidential™ book and app series. More information about Annie at: http://AnnieFox.com About Family Confidential Family Confidential: Secrets of Successful Parenting is a biweekly podcast about 21st century parenting joys and challenges. Hosted by Annie Fox and produced by Electric Eggplant, Family Confidential provides practical parenting advice through down-to-earth interviews with parenting experts, educators, therapists, and entrepreneurs. These recorded discussions help parents strengthen family connections by providing tips, child-rearing insight and practical tools for guiding your kids through the tween years and beyond. http://FamilyConfidential.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

In the minds of kids as well as adults "failure" is something to be avoided at all costs. But Jessica Lahey, educator and author of "The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Kids Can Succeed" says we may be missing something important in our mistake-averse approach to life. "I don't want kids to fail. I want kids to have this adapt-positive response to making mistakes. Unfortunately, when I talk to parents these days a B- is 'failure' to them." Annie talks with Jessica about how our current hyper fixation on success hurts kids and what we can do to help them succeed while acknowledging the value of making mistakes along the way. About Jessica Lahey (@JessLahey) Jessica Lahey is an educator, writer, and speaker. She is an English and writing teacher, correspondent for the Atlantic, commentator for Vermont Public Radio, and writes the "Parent-Teacher Conference" column for the New York Times. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, "The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed". Learn more at http://JessicaLahey.com About Annie Fox, M.Ed. Annie is a parenting expert with 30+ years experience. She's been an online adviser to tweens, teens and parents since 1997. Her award-winning books include: "Teaching Kids to Be Good People", "The Girls Q&A Book on Friendship", and the groundbreaking Middle School Confidential™ book and app series. More information about Annie at: http://AnnieFox.com About Family Confidential Family Confidential: Secrets of Successful Parenting is a biweekly podcast about 21st century parenting joys and challenges. Hosted by Annie Fox and produced by Electric Eggplant, Family Confidential provides practical parenting advice through down-to-earth interviews with parenting experts, educators, therapists, and entrepreneurs. These recorded discussions help parents strengthen family connections by providing tips, child-rearing insight and practical tools for guiding your kids through the tween years and beyond. http://FamilyConfidential.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Many caring moms and dads today have turned away from the authoritarian parent model they may have grown up with. The new approach is often influenced by the belief that a parent should be a child's friend. In that role, it's hard to say "no." When kids only hear "Yes, of course you can, sweetheart." how can they learn how to deal with life's inevitable frustrations, obstacles, and set-backs and become responsible and resilient? And how can parents live under the stress of having to be the "perfect" parent all the time? "Perfect parents don't raise perfect children," says Karen Deerwester, parent coach and author of The Entitlement-free Child. "They raise children feel not good enough." Annie talks with Karen about we got here and how parents can give kids a "voice and a choice" without giving them the power to call all the shots. About Karen Deerwester (@FamilyTimeInc) Karen Deerwester is a highly respected parenting coach and educator. She is the founder of Family Time Coaching & Consulting and has been inspiring and supporting parents and professionals in all aspects of "living with children" for 30+ years. Karen's books include The Entitlement-Free Child: Raising Responsible and Confident Kids in a "Me, Mine, Now!" Culture, The Playskool Guide to Potty Training and The Potty Training Answer Book, winner of the 2008 NAPPA Gold Award for parenting resources. Learn more about Karen and her work at http://FamilyTimeInc.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Losing her father can impede a girl's emotional and relational development – that's tough to overcome. At this moment, tens of millions of fatherless daughters of all ages are struggling to step out of the stigma of being fatherless and start moving toward self-survival and success. "Fatherlessness is a journey," says Deena Babul, RN, and co-founder of the Fatherless Daughter Project. "It's not something you're supposed to get over. The pain of losing one's father tends to go underground, and it really doesn't resurface until the fear of abandonment (gets triggered)." Annie, a fatherless daughter herself, talks with Deena about how the loss of a father can affect a girl (physically, emotionally, spiritually) and how to journey through it. About Deena Babul (@FDPrjct‏) Denna D. Babul, RN, life coach, motivational speaker, author, medical expert, and co-founder (with Karin Luise) of the Fatherless Daughter Project. After becoming a fatherless daughter at the age of 13, Denna felt called to be the voice for fatherless daughters. She has created a community and support system for fellow fatherless women of all ages as their voice, coach, and mentor. She helps fatherless daughters reconcile their pasts in order to find their life's purpose. Along with Karin Luise, PhD, Denna is the award-winning author of The Fatherless Daughter Project: Understanding Our Losses and Reclaiming Our Lives. Learn more about Denna and the Fatherless Daughter Project at http://fatherlessdaughterproject.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Three months after Heather Von St. James gave birth to her first child, she was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer caused by asbestos. She was told she had fifteen months to live. Fast-forward eleven years and Heather is very much alive and has dedicated her life to helping parents who are cancer patients. "My job, as an advocate, is not to tell patients the 'right way' to do things." Heather says. "Those parents know their kids far better than I do. (The question is) how much do you think (your child) can handle? I know what works for my daughter. (That's all.) It's more important for me to support them in their decision and maybe suggest things that might work better." Annie talks to Heather about helpful ways for parents to respond to children's questions, concerns and worries about a parent's health challenges and how help your child get the community support he or she needs at this time. About Heather Von St. James (@HeatherVSJ) Heather Von St. James is an 11-year cancer survivor, cancer research advocate, and blogger. She is a contributor to Huffington Post and offers a message of courage, inspiration and hope. Heather also serves as a mesothelioma research funding advocate and conference speaker for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. As a survivor of this often fatal asbestos disease, she considers herself to be a "poster child for hope after mesothelioma." Learn more at http://Mesothelioma.com Camp Kesem Heather strongly recommends that kids whose parents are undergoing cancer treatment spend time around other kids who are going through the same thing. Camp Kesem, a nation-wide community driven by passionate college student leaders, supports children during and beyond their parent's cancer. Camp Kesem is free of charge for every child who attends and is open to children who have lost a parent to cancer, have a parent who is undergoing cancer treatment, or whose parent is a cancer survivor. With 100+ college chapters from coast to coast, you can find a camp near you. Learn more at http://CampKesem.org While Camp Kesem is only open to children of cancer patients, there are other camps that provide wonderful support for children who are, themselves, cancer patients or who have a sibling who is a cancer patient. Find those camp options at http://www.ped-onc.org/cfissues/camps.html. Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Parenting tweens and teens is challenging. They're testing boundaries, just as they should at this age. And whether we like it or not, they're frequently pushing back and trying to establish their own independent identity (interests/values/opinions) apart from Mom and Dad. That level of conflict is reality in most intact, stable, both-parents-married-to-each-other families. When a separation or divorce occurs and either parent is beginning to date, that's likely to create extra challenges for teens and their parents. "Divorce or separation is a huge change," says Karen Bonnell, family coach and author of "The Co-Parents' Handbook: Raising Well-adjusted, Resilient, and Resourceful Kids in a Two-Home Family from Little Ones to Young Adults"."This is a huge change and there's often grief involved. So kids are recalibrating, trying to make sense out of something their parents have done that they have no control over." Annie talks with Karen about how to parent your teen once you start dating again after divorce. About Karen Bonnell (@karenbonnellcmc) Karen Bonnell has over 30 years of experience working with couples and families facing transition, loss, growth, and change. Her work as a Collaborative Divorce Coach spurred her determination to write "The Co-Parents' Handbook". In this straight-forward, practical guide, parents learn the best ways to support their children, strengthen their co-parenting, and discover the necessary tools to skillfully create a two-home family. Karen's other books include "The Parenting Plan Handbook". Learn more at http://CoachMediateConsult.com. Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Has parenting really changed all that much since we're now raising our children in the Digital Age? Not according to G. Cory Warren, Corporate Communications Director at LifeLock. LifeLock partnered with the National Parent Teacher Association (P.T.A) to develop a free online tool for parents called The Smart Talk. According to Cory, "The role of parents today is not any different than the role of parents who came before. It's to be involved, to have conversations, and to show an interest in what your kids are interested in so you can help guide them along that path." If your child's interest includes sending and receiving content via digital devices, then parents might need updated guidance tools. Annie talks with Cory about The Smart Talk tool and how it works to get parents and kids together for a conversation about being responsible about the new technology. About G. Cory Warren (@LifeLock) G. Cory Warren is the Director of Digital communications and Content Development for LifeLock, an identity theft protection company based in Tempe, Arizona. Learn more at LifeLock.com and TheSmartTalk.org http://FamilyConfidential.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

When we're worried, we are not feeling empowered (or safe or happy). That's part of the reason parents often tell our kids "Don't worry." Easier said than done. "Worrying is on one end of a continuum with fear on the other and anxiety in between," says Psychologist Dr. Dan Peters. "Fear," he says, "is a response we all need biologically to survive. It's a response to a real threat in the environment. Anxiety is an irrational fear. The thing we're anxious about (and stress and obsess over). That thing is possible, but it's highly unlikely. Worry, with a small 'w' is a feeling of nervousness where we're thinking something bad is going to happen. But when it starts moving toward anxiety, the small 'w' becomes a big 'W' and becomes a lot more problematic." And gets in the way of our kids enjoying life and reaching their potential. Annie talks with Dr. Dan about children who worry and how parents can help them master those worries. About Dan Peters (@DrDanPeters) Daniel B. Peters, Ph.D. is a psychologist, author, and Co-founder of Parent Footprint, an interactive parenting education community offering Parent Footprint Awareness Training with the mission to make the world a more compassionate and loving place—one parent and one child at a time. He is host of the "Parent Footprint Podcast with Dr. Dan" and a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Dr. Dan is the author of "Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child's Fears" and its companion children's book "From Worrier to Warrior", and co-author (with Dr. Susan Daniels) of "Raising Creative Kids" as well as many articles on topics related to parenting, family, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, dyslexia, and anxiety. Learn more at http://DrDanPeters.com Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

In high achieving schools, the expectations of parents and teachers can be intense. Getting top grades puts kids under unhealthy levels of stress. And is it even necessary? According to school counselor and therapist, Phyllis Fagel, "It's not clear what grades even mean any more. In today's Digital Age, with this many variables [contributing to our kids' chances for success in the workplace] I think people are just trying to control whatever they can. And grades is one of them." Many colleges are beginning to broaden their perspective to include more than just a student's GPA when considering applicants. That's an important step in the right direction. Anxious parents may also be recognizing that grades, per se, don't define a child, but they're not sure what does. Annie talks with Phyllis about the myth of the Straight A student and how character development fits into success in the workplace and in life. About Phyllis Fagell (@Pfagell) Phyllis L. Fagell is the school counselor at the Sheridan School in Washington, D.C. and a licensed clinical professional counselor at Chrysalis Group Inc. in Bethesda. She is a regular contributor to the Washington Post where she writes about education, social emotional learning, counseling, and parenting. Read Phyllis' Washington Post columns under Phyllis L. Fagell. Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.