How to have the sex talk

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Hi friends! In preparation for the upcoming July 4th celebrations, we decided to try out a new game so you don’t have to. Let’s just say that the American Ninja Warrior casting director won’t be calling us anytime soon. 😬 But we had fun, and that’s what matters, right??

How to Have the Sex Talk…in 2024

Let’s be clear: It’s 2024, and we are no longer in the business of shaming anyone for exploring their sexuality. But that doesn’t mean we want our kids to rush into sexual relationships. So how can we encourage the right kinds of sex talk for our teens? Because this from Mean Girls…?

Yeah, not effective.

Turns out what is effective is the environment you create for your kids—even more so than your script for the “birds and bees” conversation. Get this →

• Teens who are part of close-knit communities and families (with more family time and less premature independence) are less likely to engage in sexual activity at a young age.

• Teens whose parents restricted their dating were 55% less likely to have sex by 10th grade. Kids who spend less time alone when home were 8% less likely and those with tight-knit families were 7% less likely to have sex by sophomore year.

• And? Teenagers from close-knit neighborhoods were 10% less likely to have sex by 10th grade. Makes quite the case for living next to your bestie. 👀

It’s not a cure-all, but if your child is part of a tight-knit community and raised in a loving, present, judgment-free household…they are much more likely to hold off on having sex before they’re ready.

Netflix’s Popular Kids Podcast Drops New Episodes

Looking for an activity that will engage and entertain the whole family? Check-out Popcorn Brainstorm! Jokes & Trivia for Kids, the chart-topping Kids & Family podcast from Netflix. Featuring trivia, games and jokes from your kids’ favorite Netflix films and series, Popcorn Brainstorm explores and quizzes listeners on Leo, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, The Dragon Prince, and many others!

Banning Cell Phones At School: In or Out?

Standing by for fainting teens. Truth is: Teens aren’t ER doctors—they don’t need to have their phones on call 24/7. And while we love having a constant and direct line to our kids, they probably don’t need their phones glued to their hands at school of all places.

The Los Angeles school board seems to agree. Last week, they proposed a motion to ban all cell phone use on school campuses in LA county starting next year.

The goal? Not just to get kids to pay more attention in class. The phone ban is also a bid to foster a sense of connection and community—after all, the loneliness epidemic is rampant amongst teens and their addiction to their phones and social media is a huge part of that problem.

The Lesser Known “Third Life Crisis”

While “mom” or “dad” might be our primary role now, we were someone’s child first. And although our relationships with parents who are still around can vary a ton—from Lorelai and Emily to Lorelai and Rory, if you will—most of us want to be there for our parents the way they were there for us.

But…that can often make you feel totally burned out. Caring for kids, parents, friends, and yourself? It’s a ton to have on your plate. And it’s becoming what this mom called the “Third Life Crisis.”

So how to navigate it? Don’t be too hard on yourself, talk about how you’re feeling, and uplift your fellow parents who are also struggling. Can we get that advice tattooed on our bodies, please?

How many times have you heard people say “marriage is hard work?” We crunched the numbers and it’s been…four zillion times, for us. While that old saying isn’t exactly wrong, it sometimes makes married couples take it all too seriously. 

So today? The perfect recs to keep things fun with your person.

• Stand up comedian Dustin Nickerson’s hilarious take on what makes a marriage work

• An expert gave us tips for reigniting the spark in your relationship

• Loved these ideas for new hobbies to stay connected as a couple