Let’s talk about the science of puberty!
It’s time to address the elephant in the tweenage room.
As soon as we’re born our bodies are growing and changing. And the biggest changes, growths — and confusions — seem to come when we’re young, vulnerable, and easily embarrassed. Yes, we’re talking about puberty.
Puberty is awkward and deeply personal, which is why it can be uncomfortable to talk about. And to make matters worse, we often talk about puberty in situations that have a lot of strings attached, like in a classroom full of peers or with parents. By contrast, a podcast that you can listen to in private is kind of perfect.
“That’s Totally Normal!” is that podcast. In fact, it is the podcast about the science of puberty. Hosted by a board certified pediatrician and produced by Seeker, a leader in publishing about science, “That’s Totally Normal!” breaks down the biology, chemistry, and health topics of growing, changing and going up.
Below, producer Emily Feld answers questions about explaining puberty through audio, and how everyone can benefit form this show.
What kind of listener is “That’s Totally Normal!” made for?
“That’s Totally Normal!” is made for anyone curious about puberty! Whether it’s someone who is about to go through puberty, someone currently going through puberty, or even someone who just ended puberty!
This show is also great for those close to individuals currently going through it. This is a great resource for parents to learn more about the science of puberty so they have a better understanding of what their tween is going through. Listeners can also listen in confidence knowing the science is accurate because Seeker is the #1 science and tech brand for Gen-Z.
How is learning about puberty through audio different compared to via video or in a classroom?
Puberty is awkward. These topics are awkward and even embarrassing. What’s so awesome about this show is you can listen to it alone, in the privacy of your room or wherever you feel comfortable, without any of the awkward tension that comes with health class in school. Puberty is a personal thing, and tweens should be able to learn about it in a personal, private way.
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♬ original sound - Moonpie
Who is Dr. T? What makes her the perfect host for this show?
Dr. T is a board-certified pediatrician and knows how to connect directly with young people. She doesn’t talk down to them, and knows how to get important information across in a fun, non-school-like way.
Dr. T is quite popular on TikTok. How did her TikTok inspire the podcast?
What is so great about Dr. T’s TikTok is that she isn’t afraid of any topic! She covers everything!
She answers questions and topics straight on instead of beating around the bush. Dr. T is normalizing puberty, and all the conversations that come from puberty. Our hope with the podcast is to normalize these topics and make everyone more comfortable with asking some awkward questions!
Why was it so important to you to speak plainly and directly about what’s happening to the body during puberty?
Because it’s totally normal! Every human goes through puberty but yet it’s still an awkward and uncomfortable topic for both adults and kids. It’s important to talk plainly about it to help normalize these changes and to take away any shame or embarrassment from this huge change in our life.
Our hope is that by explaining the science behind every aspect of puberty, will help tweens understand that these things are supposed to happen, and this is why they are happening. There’s a reason for these major changes, and you aren’t alone!
Which topic was the most fun story to tell through audio?
For me, the most fun story to tell through audio was explaining the science behind crushes! We had some really fun conversations with our tweens for this, and it reminded me of when I was their age and having all these new emotions and feelings. It’s so fascinating to learn that there are scientific reasons for why we feel the way we do.
How would your adolescence be different if you had something like That’s Totally Normal?
Whenever I talk about this show to anyone the response I ALWAYS get is “Man, I wish I had this show when I was going through puberty!”.
Personally, if I had this show when I was young, it would have helped me feel more comfortable talking about these awkward topics. It also would have introduced me to science and biology at a younger age. I have come to love science and have become so interested in the body and how it works, and learning about science from Seeker, in a non-school environment would have been an awesome experience. I would have loved to be introduced to a brand like Seeker at a young age.
What do you hope your listeners will take away or gain from this show?
I hope our listeners take away some new knowledge on their bodies, but most importantly confidence! The tween years are confusing, and hard, and I hope this show can help give our listeners a sense of confidence knowing that they are totally normal!
What makes TRAX the network for “That’s Totally Normal!”?
TRAX puts tweens’ interest first! They know exactly what tweens are interested in and know exactly how to reach them.