As our teens get older, more mature, and gain more experience, life presents them—and us—with new challenges. We think that the start of the school year is a great time to try something new, so here are a few podcasts aimed specifically at parents of teenagers to help you navigate the teen years, bring a fresh perspective, and/or remind you that you’re not alone on this journey.

 

 

I Weigh Podcast: A broadly intersectional podcast hosted by Jameela Jamil, covering issues such as mental healthy, body image, trans issues, race, and more.

Code Switch: NPR journalists of color discuss how race affects pop culture, history, politics, food, and other aspects of society.

Thursday, Aug 18, 2022, 6:00 - 7:30 PM PDT  |  RSVP Today/Tell A Friend

Cinnamongirl is looking for girls of color who are passionate about learning, growing, and bonding with other girls like them. Our final virtual information session of the summer will take place on Sunday, August 18, 6:00 - 7:30 PM PST for girls and families interested in joining Passport Book Club (ages 9-13), Write Your Story (ages 12-18), and Travelgirl (ages 14-17). Click here to RSVP and feel free to pass the link on to families with a potential Cinnamongirl!

This once-in-a-lifetime trip included museum visits, learning about aboriginal culture, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, posing with adorable koalas, and shopping in Sydney. But the girls also had valuable experiences that weren’t on the itinerary that educated them about the world, about each other, and about themselves.

 

The helicopter ride was definitely the highlight of my day, and probably even the whole trip. We flew over the reef and because the water was so clear, you could see the whole thing. It was gorgeous and I’ll never forget it. 

 

A common theme we’ve noticed when in Australia was the amount of attention we attracted from others. It usually involved constant stares but one man on the train vocalized his surprise. “I’ve never seen so many of them in one place,” he explained as he was walking by. Regardless of those rare incidents, many have been extremely welcoming and even complimented our intricate braided hairstyles. Australians appear to be more hospitable than Americans as a whole and it encouraged many of us to consider acting the same once we return home and notice tourists visiting California.

 

We joked and laughed, tried new foods, faced our fears, and culturally and socially, we were exposed to so much . . . Throughout the trip, we were put in new situations where trust, reliability, supportiveness, and leadership skills were imminent.

. . . I am so grateful to have participated in this trip with these girls. I met girls from different backgrounds, ages, and interests but, most importantly, who looked like me.It only further developed our relationships based on shared experiences and being surrounded by those who can truly understand and relate. To think how close and comfortable we have become with each other is amazing.

Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can. At first, she's embarrassed. But when her mother shares a story of her family's time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress. Winner of the Caldecott medal and Newbery Honor. (picture book)

 

Cousins and local amateur sleuths Otto and Sheed Alston are looking for one last bit of fun before school starts when the mysterious Mr. Flux appears and, with a click of his camera, stops time and freezes everyone in the town. Otto and Sheed meet a cast of wild and wacky characters as they try to stop Mr. Flux from stopping time forever in this twisty, turny romp. (Ages 9-12)

 

Charlie Vega is a lot of things. Smart. Funny. Artistic. Ambitious. Fat. The world and everyone in it–even her mom–has ideas about what she should look like: thinner, lighter, slimmer-faced, straighter-haired. When Charlie starts a tentative relationship with cute classmate Brian, the first worthwhile guy to notice her, everything is perfect until she learns one thing--he asked her best friend (slim, white, athletic) Amelia out first.  A sensitive, funny, and painfully honest coming-of-age story with a wry voice and tons of chisme, Fat Chance, Charlie Vega tackles our relationships to our parents, our bodies, our cultures, and ourselves. (ages 12 and up)

Send us an email inspired@cinnamongirl.org for more information.