Puberty Unpacked: What Every Parent Needs to Know | The Truth About Modern Adolescence
September 30, 2025
What if everything you think you know about puberty is wrong? And what if understanding the real timeline could transform how you parent your teen?
In this eye-opening episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein sits down with Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Bennett, co-founders of Less Awkward and co-authors of the national bestselling book This is So Awkward, to reveal the shocking truth about modern puberty.
Here's what will blow your mind: puberty used to last 3-4 years. Today, it stretches close to a decade. Kids are starting earlier but taking much longer to reach maturity—and the world treats them based on how they look, not their actual developmental stage.
From the neuroscience behind why your teen says all the right things at dinner then makes terrible decisions at parties, to navigating the porn conversation that 88% of parents avoid, this episode gives you the roadmap for supporting kids through the longest developmental stage of their lives.
What if everything you think you know about puberty is wrong? And what if understanding the real timeline could transform how you parent your teen?
In this eye-opening episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein sits down with Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Bennett, co-founders of Less Awkward and co-authors of the national bestselling book This is So Awkward, to reveal the shocking truth about modern puberty.
Here's what will blow your mind: puberty used to last 3-4 years. Today, it stretches close to a decade. Kids are starting earlier but taking much longer to reach maturity—and the world treats them based on how they look, not their actual developmental stage.
From the neuroscience behind why your teen says all the right things at dinner then makes terrible decisions at parties, to navigating the porn conversation that 88% of parents avoid, this episode gives you the roadmap for supporting kids through the longest developmental stage of their lives.
🎧 In this episode, we explore:
✅ Why puberty now starts 2-3 years earlier and lasts almost a decade
✅ The mismatch between physical development and emotional maturity
✅ How to avoid unfair expectations based on how "old" kids look
✅ Why your teen's brain chooses emotion over logic (every single time)
✅ The porn conversation: why 12 is the average age of first exposure
✅ Connection strategies that work when teens push you away
✅ How to repair when you mess up as a parent (and why it makes relationships stronger)
⏱ Chapters:
00:00 — The decade-long puberty reality
04:48 — Why early bloomers face unfair expectations
10:09 — How the world sexualizes kids who look older
15:45 — The neuroscience of teen decision-making
22:03 — Why teens stop responding to parental voices
25:29 — The holding pattern strategy for connection
31:07 — Taking teen rejection personally (and how to stop)
42:08 — Brain development: why emotions win over logic
50:27 — The porn problem parents can't ignore
56:45 — For parents who feel like they're failing
🌟 Learn more about the guests:
Website: https://lessawkward.com
Podcast: https://lessawkward.com/podcast-this-is-so-awkward-2/
Website: https://lessawkward.com
Podcast: https://lessawkward.com/podcast-this-is-so-awkward-2/
Book: This is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained - https://amzn.to/3VBxfMt
School Curriculum: That Health Class - https://lessawkward.com/that-health-class/
School Curriculum: That Health Class - https://lessawkward.com/that-health-class/
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Connect with Dr. Elisha Goldstein