Educate and Empower Kids

10/14/2026

This past weekend, comedian Shane Gillis joked on *SNL* that women at the gym “dress like” wh**es. The audience laughed and laughed…

Jokes don’t hurt people? But they can teach boys what to laugh at, what to ignore, and whose dignity counts.

Dan Levy (the Emmy-winning actor, writer, and co-creator of *Schitt’s Creek*) called out the joke, saying:

“Men need to be defending women more. This is not a women’s issue, this is an everybody issue.”

So we have to ask: How did none of the 57 young men in a Cornell group chat recognize the seriousness of a message saying a woman was “free” upstairs? Why did no one step in to help her?

Bystanders aren’t born. They’re trained, one laugh at a time.

**Practice these lines with your boys tonight:**

💬 “Dude, not funny.”

💬 “Would you say that if she were here?”

💬 “Come on, that’s somebody’s sister.”

Read the full article (and grab our free consent lesson) at the link in bio. 🔗

Or just save this for your next dinner-table talk.

10/12/2026

10/12/2026

Up to 1 in 5 U.S. teens report using an AI chatbot for mental health advice.🤖💬

But a chatbot can’t replace a caring adult who knows your child, notices when something feels off, and steps in when they need support. ❤️

Our teens don’t need parents who have every answer.

They need parents who:
🤍 Listen without overreacting
🤍 Ask without interrogating
🤍 Create a safe space for honest conversations
🤍 Make it okay to keep talking—even when things are hard

**Connection matters more than having all the answers.**

Let’s make sure our teens know they can come to us—not just a screen. ❤️

10/08/2026

As moms, our jaws hit the floor when we hear something like this.

A high school counselor and soccer coach in Bountiful, Utah, was arrested yesterday after police say he enticed a minor to send a n**e photo.

And it leaves parents asking:

**How do we protect our kids when someone they trust crosses a line?**

Sometimes, there are no obvious warning signs.

And while there is no indication this counselor harmed any of his students, stories like this are a reminder that we can’t rely on appearances alone.

This is one reason I’ve been advocating for children for more than 12 years and why I wrote books like *30 Days of S*x Talks.*

**We have to prepare our kids for what can happen online.**

Do they know what to do if…

• A conversation becomes uncomfortable?
• Someone asks for a private photo?
• Someone turns a conversation s*xual?

Do they know they can:

➡️ Stop responding
➡️ Leave the conversation
➡️ Save the evidence
➡️ Come to you without fear of getting in trouble

Many parents don’t even know these conversations are happening.

**That’s why we have to talk about it before there’s a problem.**

A few calm, age-appropriate conversations about online boundaries, private images, and what to do when something feels wrong can make all the difference.

**We can’t always control who our children encounter. But we can make sure they know what to do—and that they know they can always come to us.**

Start the conversation before they need it. ❤️

10/06/2026

It’s a hard reality that many young women will experience unwanted s*xual attention, harassment, or assault. Sometimes it happens in situations that are confusing—because the person may be a friend, mentor, someone they trust, or someone they never expected.

Make sure she knows:

• **Unwanted touching is not okay.**
• **Coercion is not consent.**
• **She never owes anyone physical or s*xual interaction.**
• **Being confused, uncomfortable, or unable to respond does not make it her fault.**
• **Being intoxicated or impaired never gives someone permission to take advantage of her.**
• **She can speak up or leave at any time—even if she initially said yes.**

Teach her to pay attention when something **doesn’t feel right**.

Safety should never require her to convince someone to stop. Someone who respects her boundaries will stop when she says no, pulls away, becomes uncomfortable, or otherwise communicates that she doesn’t want to continue.

And most importantly, tell her:

**You are not responsible for someone else’s decision to cross your boundaries. You did not cause it. There is nothing wrong with you. You deserve to be believed, supported, and safe.**

For more resources and discussion, check out my Substack about the Cornell 7 case.

10/01/2026

More than 50 young men were in that group chat. Not one of them called for help.
A Cornell student says she was drugged and r***d at a fraternity house for hours. According to the lawsuit, one of the men sent a message to the fraternity’s Snapchat group announcing a woman was available upstairs. Someone asked, “Shop still open?” Someone answered, “Yea.” More men came to the room.
Nobody called 911. Nobody went upstairs to get her out. Nobody reported it.
These were someone’s sons. Someone taught them to do their homework, drive a car, and get into an Ivy League school. Nobody taught them this: when you see someone being hurt, you act.
We spend years teaching our daughters to watch their drinks. It’s time to spend just as much effort teaching our sons not to r**e, and teaching ALL our kids not to stand by.
Start tonight:
✅ Teach consent plainly. Drunk, high, asleep, or pressured is NOT a yes.
✅ Say it out loud: “If you ever see someone being hurt, I expect you to stop it or get help. Even if it’s your friend. Even if it’s awkward.”
✅ Talk about group chats. Seeing it and saying nothing is choosing a side. Screenshot it, report it, and call for help.
✅ Practice the words: “Hey, she’s coming with us.” “Stop.” “I’m calling someone.”
✅ Promise them: “If you call me from a bad situation, I will come. No lecture that night.”
✅ Tell them you’d rather they lose a friend than lose their integrity.
Our free consent lesson is at educateandempowerkids.org (link in bio). Use it this week.
Silence is a choice. Let’s raise kids who choose differently.

09/30/2026

✨ **The Many Faces of Dina Alexander: 1 → 10** ✨

1️⃣ **Founder** — Started Educate Empower Kids 12 years ago.

2️⃣ **Author** — Has written 16 books and sold 80,000 copies (with 2 more on the way!). 📚

3️⃣ **Connector** — Reaches up to 100,000 people each month across her social platforms and has presented to dozens of parent groups.

4️⃣ **Policy nerd & change-maker** — Once spent an entire month practically living at the state capitol, waiting for her chance to speak for just **3 minutes**. 🏛️

5️⃣ **Mom** — Mother to 3 grown kids (plus 2 in-law kids she loves like her own). ❤️

6️⃣ **Half Argentine** — And speaks Spanish like a toddler. 😂🇦🇷

7️⃣ **Traveler** — Cannot go more than 1–2 months without getting on a plane. ✈️

8️⃣ **Permanently over-caffeinated energy** — 😂

9️⃣ **Ridiculously driven** — Once she sets her mind to something, good luck stopping her.

🔟 **100% Dina** — Goofy, spastic, passionate, and completely herself. ❤️

Wouldn’t have her any other way. 🥰

09/29/2026

Puberty can start as early as 8 for girls and 9 for boys, and as late as 13 or 14. Early or late within that range can be medically normal — it’s not automatically a red flag.

THE TALK ISN’T ONE TALK

Kids do better with small, ongoing conversations than one big, scary sit-down. Answer what they ask, when they ask it, in language they can actually use.

BODY CHANGES COME BEFORE EMOTIONAL ONES CATCH UP

Growth spurts, body odor, skin changes, and mood swings can hit before a kid feels ready for any of it. Naming what’s coming ahead of time can take away a lot of the shock.

KIDS NEED TO HEAR THAT IT’S NOT EMBARRASSING

One of the most helpful things you can do is talk about these changes like they’re normal — because they are.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS

“I’m not sure. Let’s find out together.” is a completely valid response. Curiosity beats perfection every time. 💛

Want some free resources to help get the conversation started? Check out our website — link in bio.

09/24/2026

**When your kid asks THAT question. 👀**

You know the one. No warning, no privacy, terrible timing. Your brain goes blank and your face does something you can’t control.

Here’s what actually helps in that moment:

**Don’t shush, don’t shame**

The reaction matters more than the answer. A flinch or a “not now” teaches your kid this topic (and their curiosity) is off limits. That’s the opposite of what you want.

**Buy time without shutting down**

“Great question. Let’s talk about that when we get home” works, as long as you actually circle back. A broken promise here teaches them not to ask again.

**Answer what they asked, not more**

Kids usually want less information than we think. Give a short, honest, age-appropriate answer, then let them ask a follow-up if they want one.

**Name your home as the safe zone**

Tell your kids directly: “You can always ask me anything, about your body, about s*x, about anything confusing you hear. I will never make you feel ashamed for asking.”

Say it before the awkward question comes, not just after.

**Curiosity is a sign things are going right**

If your child is coming to you with these questions, that’s success, not a problem to manage. Kids who feel safe asking parents are far less likely to go looking for answers somewhere worse. 💛

09/22/2026