EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 16 MIN
Ch. 2: The Changes That Are Coming
from Let's Start Talking · host Central Coast Tri-County Collaborative
Middle school can seem like a whirlwind. This chapter guides you on understanding why your child may seem different overnight. Learn why puberty can hit as early as 10 for some and why those early starters face greater emotional and behavioral risks. Discover how physical changes can be deeply confusing for trans and nonbinary youth and when to seek medical or mental‑health support.You’ll get practical, no-nonsense advice for staying connected: how to respond without jokes or dismissal, validate feelings without enabling hurtful behavior, and teach real coping tools you can model. Understand the brain behind the drama — why teens feel more than they think, why risk can be both dangerous and a learning opportunity, and how your steady presence still matters even as peers take center stage.Narrated by Natalia DominguezAudiobook recording and production by Andy Zenczak (gadgetbox.net) This video was produced by GadgetBox, created by the Tri-County Collaborative and funded by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), supported by Grant Number 23-10947. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the California Health and Human Services Agency, the CDPH, or the Tri-County Collaborative.
What this episode covers
Middle school can seem like a whirlwind. This chapter guides you on understanding why your child may seem different overnight. Learn why puberty can hit as early as 10 for some and why those early starters face greater emotional and behavioral risks. Discover how physical changes can be deeply confusing for trans and nonbinary youth and when to seek medical or mental‑health support.You’ll get practical, no-nonsense advice for staying connected: how to respond without jokes or dismissal, validate feelings without enabling hurtful behavior, and teach real coping tools you can model. Understand the brain behind the drama — why teens feel more than they think, why risk can be both dangerous and a learning opportunity, and how your steady presence still matters even as peers take center stage.Narrated by Natalia DominguezAudiobook recording and production by Andy Zenczak (gadgetbox.net) This video was produced by GadgetBox, created by the Tri-County Collaborative and funded by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), supported by Grant Number 23-10947. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the California Health and Human Services Agency, the CDPH, or the Tri-County Collaborative.
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Ch. 2: The Changes That Are Coming
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