"The talk" doesn't have to be cringey.
Our mission is to empower families with early adolescents (ages 10-13) to engage in meaningful and informed conversations about sexual health and relationships by providing a research-backed, interactive digital tool that bridges communication barriers and offers age-appropriate, supportive guidance.
What is Let's Talk?
Parenting didn't come with a script, so we wrote one.
Let's Talk is an online program for parents and kids to walk through together — each on their own personalized path. Parents get expert-backed guidance, conversation starters, and practical tools. Kids get age-appropriate lessons, interactive activities, and a safe way to ask questions. Talking about puberty, bodies, and relationships with your 10–13-year-old can feel overwhelming. Let's Talk makes it easier for you — and better for your child. Backed by research and built for real life.
What topics does Let's Talk cover?
Puberty & Body Changes
What's happening and why it's normal
Sexual Health Basics
STIs, contraception, pregnancy—no scare tactics, just facts
Identity & Relationships
Supporting your kid as they explore who they are and how they relate to others
Smart Choices
Safety, boundaries, and building healthy relationships
How Does It Work?
Let's Talk is designed as a co-learning experience for you and your child. You'll find guided conversation starters, helpful tips, and vetted information you can trust.
Create separate accounts
Parents and kids each get their own account, creating a safe space for both to explore and learn at their own pace.
Start real conversations
Let's Talk will guide you and your child through content to get those tricky conversations started and keep them going,
Complete interactive activities
Engage with videos, quizzes, and conversation starters that make learning fun and natural.
Use the journal
When your child has questions, the journal creates a safe, simple way to start meaningful conversations—without pressure, awkwardness, or overwhelm—for either of you.
Who created Let's Talk?
The program was created by a team of psychologists, pediatricians, educators, and parents — led by Dr. Laura Widman, a licensed clinical psychologist with decades of experience in adolescent health, parenting, and communication.
As we've developed Let's Talk, we have worked with dozens of parents and kids who have served as expert advisors. They have shaped the look and feel of Let's Talk and tested all program content to make sure it is kid and parent approved!
We have an amazing team of advisors working behind the scenes. These include product designers, learning designers, sex educators, researchers, programmers, and more. This team helps us make the content of Let's Talk medically-accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive.
Learn more about the team on the Let's Talk website.
Partners & Funders
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University's Office of Research Commercialization has helped incubate Let's Talk and has a licensing partnership with us.
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I award that enabled Teen Health Research to construct and test our initial product. (Grant number: R41 HD112212)
The State of North Carolina
The State of North Carolina's One North Carolina SBIR/STTR Phase I Matching Funds Program provided financial support that matched the NIH STTR Phase I award, further enabling the early-stage development of Let's Talk.
The National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) provided funding through its I-Corps program, which offered valuable customer discovery insights and laid the groundwork for the product development of Let's Talk. (Grant number: NSF 2224291)
LAUNCH
The LAUNCH innovation accelerator, funded by the Office of Population Affairs and run by RTI International, competitively selected our team to accelerate the development and commercialization readiness of Let's Talk. (Grant number: 1TP2AH000087-01-00)
Lithios
Lithios is the custom software development company that brought our ideas to life. Lithios crafts intuitive, simple, and functional mobile and web experiences. Let's Talk would not have been possible without their incredible design and programming services.