KCUR Up to Date Archive

Up to Date with Steve Kraske Podcast Archive

Dr. Wes appears around the 15th of each month on Up to Date with Steve Kraske, one of Kansas City's most popular radio talk shows. The show airs live at 11:00 am on Kansas City Public Media KCUR FM. He never fails to light up the switchboard with thoughtful calls from interesting listeners and panels of teen and young adult guests sharing their wisdom for parents. Join the conversation by emailing your question to uptodate@kcur.org. Here's an archive of shows on a variety of topics relating to teens, parenting and family psychology.

Having A Genuine Conversation With Your Teen
It can be hard for parents to have a genuine talk with their teen-aged children without it ending up as awkward, emotional, or even worse, unproductive. Today. Dr. Wes discusses with Steve Kraske, what is, and isn't, valid in a conversation with your teen.

Evolving Perceptions of Gender Identity Among Teens.
Life can be difficult for people who don't fit into societal constructs of "male" and "female," but changing approaches, especially among young people, to gender identity and sexual preference are having an effect. Dr. Wes and a local transgender middle schooler discuss growing up outside traditional conventions, and provide some strategies for coping.

Helping Children Process This Year's Election
The 2016 election is affecting millions, even those not old enough to vote. Dr. Wes explains why this event may be difficult for young people to process and how to help them move forward

Exploring Sexual Identity In High School
The culture for gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender, and queer teens appears to be changing so rapidly that it’s hard to keep up. We explore this swiftly changing environment and how it affects teens as they explore sexual identity during high school.

The 'Selfie Culture'
The "selfie culture" is changing how young people see themselves, express themselves, and communicate. But sometimes, that expression can lead to trouble. We explore the darker side of the "selfie culture" and what parents need to know about it.

Eating Disorders
Dr. Wes and co-columnist Katie Guyot discuss difficult disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

Dr. Wes Dating Rules
Dr. Wes discusses his rules for dating. Although honed over 20 years of experience with teens and young adults, they work pretty well for the over 25-crowd, too, including recently divorced adults who are re-entering the dating pool.

Dr. Wes Break-up Rules
It's never any fun, but there's a way to break up a romantic relationship, and a way not to. How teens, young adults, and everyone else can improve their relationship endings.

Failing Out of College
What happens when your child's college dream turns into a nightmare of collapsing grades, lost scholarships, academic probation or even dismissal?

Introversion and Extroversion
Dr. Wes joins Stephen Steigman on Up to Date to discuss introversion and extroversion in teens and young adults and why one is no better than the other. Katie Guyot, coauthor of Double Take and Sarah, a local college student discuss how they coped with both introversion and shyness, and how those two concepts are different. You can also take the intro/extroversion quiz from the book Quiet: The Power of Introversion.

Young Adults Leaving Home?
Whether they're getting ready to leave for college or the workforce, back for break, moving home after failing out, or recent graduates out of work, young adults are moving home, and parents are often ill-prepared for the complexities of having them around. Full of freedom but lacking independence, all sorts of issues ensue.

Teen Technology
When it comes to technology, teens, and young adults always seem to lead the way, while even tech-saavy parents feel left behind. Dr. Wes Crenshaw brings a panel of college bound teens to discuss how technology is shaping the landscape for today's young people and takes listener calls.

Real Teen Love in a Sea of Random Hook-ups
Parents may be a little behind on how teens really couple or don't couple these days. I join Steve with a panel of real experts--high school seniors who know a lot about the rare art of teenage monogamy, and how your teen can find real romance instead of another disposable love

Keeping Divorce as Positive as Possible
It's complicated enough being a teenager today. It's ten times harder when your family is coming apart at the very moment you're trying to find yourself in the context of emerging relationships and sexuality. A panel of teens joins Dr. Wes to share their candid opinions about what works and what doesn't and field listener calls.

Organizing For Teens
In today's hectic world, teaching kids to organize their schedules can be a parent's biggest challenge.

Crunching Those College Decisions
Dr. Wes discusses choosing a college based on more forethought than emotion. Joining him, former co-columnist Kenyon College sophomore Katie Guyot and current co-columnist high school senior Kyra Haas.

Teen Dating and Sexuality
Dr. Wes and a Panel of Young Adults discuss what's happening today in teen sexuality.

Kid-Proofing Your Divorce
Dr. Wes and Ron Nelson, Attorney at Law, discuss how to keep your divorce from going high conflict.

Back to School
For kids transitioning from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school, it's an especially stressful time of year.

Let's Talk about Sex (please!)
Helping forge healthy conversations with today's teens--some of the most intelligent, and tech-savvy in history.

New Graduates
Welcome to Adult Life! Here's what to expect and how to adapt.

Bullying
Teaching empathy, ethics, and excellence, and examining how bullying has changed through the years.

Teens' Technology
The missing ethics manual in modern day teen interaction with technology.

ADHD in Teens and Adults

Busting the Myths of Diagnosis and Treatment, featuring my Fourteen Principles for ADHD People (cited on KCUR Up to Date ADHD show)

Home For the Holidays
Tips for avoiding conflict when heading home for the holidays.

Marijuana Use Among Young People
Dr. Wes joins us to talk about the shift in pot culture among college students, especially when it comes to our western neighbors.

Valentine's Day 2013
Teens and young adults in the modern dating world.

Keeping Divorce as Positive as Possible for Teens
It's complicated enough being a teenager today. It's ten times harder when your family is coming apart at the very moment you're trying to find yourself in the context of emerging relationships and sexuality. A panel of teens joins Dr. Wes to share their candid opinions about what works and what doesn't and field listener calls.

Date Rape and Sexual Assault
Tammara Webber, author of "Easy," joins Dr. Wes to discuss this important topic and take listeners' calls about how teens and young adults can reduce the risk of sexual assault and how to cope when it happens.

Plan B and Other Topics
Dr. Wes discusses several teen topics, including the new guidelines on emergency contraception; how to handle young adults over the holidays; and end the semester stress over finals.