The Parenting Revolution Around Puberty: How to Talk to Your Kids About Puberty Without Shame

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Kids & Family, Health & Fitness, Parenting

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2026

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Parents often want to talk to their kids about puberty and periods, but many don’t know where to start. In this episode, I’m joined by pediatric and adolescent gynecologist Dr. Charis Chambers to talk about how we can change the way families approach these conversations. From stigma and misinformation to the fear of saying the wrong thing, we break down why avoiding these discussions can leave kids confused, scared, or learning from the wrong sources. We discuss how to introduce puberty and body changes in age-appropriate ways, why boys should be included in these conversations, and how parents can shift from one awkward “talk” to an ongoing dialog that builds trust. Dr. Chambers also explains the science behind periods, addresses common misconceptions about hormonal therapy, and shares powerful stories from her clinical experience that highlight why this education matters for a child’s long-term relationship with their body and health. In this episode we discuss: ✔️ Why many kids feel scared when their first period starts ✔️ How to start puberty conversations earlier and more naturally ✔️ Why boys should learn about periods too ✔️ The difference between privacy and secrecy when talking about bodies ✔️ How stigma around periods gets passed down through generations ✔️ Why hormonal therapy is often misunderstood ✔️ How open conversations build trust between parents and kids To connect with Dr. Charis Chambers follow her on Instagram @theperioddoctor, check out all her resources at https://theperioddoctor.com and buy her new book: https://www.amazon.com/Period-Puberty-Parenting-Revolution-Conversation/dp/1464233802?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn1W3WTCmZ7O5OBTdANGfFNf3Qt3tBhR3ysalxz3dPwNe50CLKDpwfK9vbRiY_aem_POnDC67y5COyXEaA3xsKVQ 00:00 Why Puberty and Period Talks Matter 02:16 Meet Dr. Charis Chambers and Her New Book 04:01 Why She Wrote The Puberty and Period Parenting Revolution 06:17 Why Kids Need to Learn About Bodies From Parents First 08:42 Is There Such a Thing as Talking Too Early About Puberty? 10:54 Why Boys Need to Be Part of Period Conversations Too 12:35 Privacy vs Secrecy, How Parents Can Normalize Periods 14:00 How Media and Shame Shape Period Stigma 18:40 Why This Needs to Be an Ongoing Conversation, Not One Talk 22:31 How to Explain Anatomy Without Making It Awkward 28:15 What Happens When Kids Are Left in the Dark About Periods 33:54 Hormonal Therapy vs Birth Control, What Parents Should Know 41:29 How to Build Trust When Parents Feel Nervous or Behind 45:05 What Dr. Charis Hopes This Book Changes for Families Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Cultural conversations and the way periods and puberty are portrayed in the media play a huge role in how we navigate life and what our comfort levels look like.
0:12.6	You have to deeply interrogate the beliefs you carry, whether you form them to survive or to fit in or whatever,
0:21.1	to make sure that those beliefs do not have some unintentional harm.
0:25.8	Is that when I want my child to think?
0:28.9	What does that tell someone like me?
0:30.7	What did that tell me at the age of 11?
0:33.1	Those are the questions we seriously have to ask.
0:41.7	Okay. are the questions we seriously have to ask. Welcome back to the Pete's Talk podcast, Dr. Mona here, your online pediatrician mom friend
0:46.7	and trusted confident in all things parenting. And we have honest conversations here,
0:52.1	you know, that help you feel more informed and confident in the everyday
0:55.3	decisions you're making for your children. And today's conversation is one that is incredibly needed
1:00.8	and I have not actually done before and I'm excited. Have you ever wondered when you're actually
1:05.5	supposed to start talking to your kids about puberty or periods? Have you worried about saying
1:09.6	too much too soon or waiting too long?
1:12.0	Or maybe you grew up in a home where these topics were barely discussed and now you're trying to
1:17.2	figure out how to do things differently for your own child? Because the reality is when kids don't
1:22.7	learn about their bodies from the adults who love them, they learn from somewhere else, friends, the internet,
1:28.3	social media, and often from sources that leave them confused, scared, or shamed. And that's why I'm so
1:34.7	excited for today's guest. Today's guest is someone that I followed on social media for so long.
1:39.8	We both started our social media platforms around the same time and to see her grow and excel and just
1:45.1	be able to disseminate her information just like me is such an honor to watch. I'm joined by Dr.
1:50.0	Sharis Chambers, a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist and author of the new book, The Puberty and
	...

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