A masterclass for preteens aged 9-12ish who are navigating changing bodies, new friendships, social media and more *drama* at home…
“I want a Twitch account. My acne is out of control. I hate my clothes. And you are SO. EMBARRASSING!”
Preteens are a tough crowd. And teaching them the “life” skills we know they need (like choosing their friends wisely, standing up to bullies and navigating the social media comparison game) can leave parents feeling the pressure to not mess it up.
What if you had a starting point to make important conversations easy-peasy?
Finally, there’s a one-of-a-kind playbook designed to help your preteen feel more prepared, more confident and less stressed as they navigate their teen years.
Get access to a fun, engaging AND educational empowerment program for your preteen now— so they can cope with everything coming their way!
Phew. Parenting preteens is no joke, am I right?
One minute things are ticking along smoothly… And then all of a sudden you're in the middle of a crap storm!
You used to know exactly who they were hanging out with, what they did all day and you low-key couldn’t wait till they got more independent…
… Until they did.
Now they’re hanging out with friends you don’t know, chatting with god-knows-who online, begging for a Snapchat account, and just now at the food court your daughter asked, “Dad, can I invite a few guys to my birthday sleepover?". And you’re faced with a whole new dilemma:
How do you strike the balance between letting go and *still* holding them close?
Not to mention the nitty gritty:
- How much should you be monitoring what they're doing online?
- How do you build their self-esteem when their acne makes YOU want to cry?
- How do you tell them, “your friends are jerks”?
The real truth? You can’t do it all.
At this age, your kids are *way* more likely to take in the messages you want to convey when they ALSO hear it from another source — without the attitude and refrains of, “Geez, I KNOW, Mom!!”
Wouldn’t it be SO much easier to have back-up to support important conversations?
(Because we all know that even with the best intentions, we don’t always have all the answers!)
That’s exactly why my team and I created GROWING UP GAME PLAN in partnership with preteens who told us what THEY really wanted and needed to know about.
This 6-week masterclass provides preteens with the information and skills they need to make smart decisions — and it supports parents to have meaningful (not dreaded) conversations about all things growing up.
(Whether you watch it together or apart, the *whole* family will finally be on the same page!)
"Parents, just BUY IT. Every pre-teen in our neighborhood should be watching this!"
- GUGP Parent
Before I get ahead of myself: in case we haven’t met at a workshop at your kid’s school (or while I’m out walking my dog Jagger)...
Hi! I’m Saleema Noon — your new partner in helping your preteen feel more prepared, more confident and less stressed as they navigate life.
Can I tell you about the personal reason why I created Growing Up Game Plan?
You may know that in 2007 I became stepmom to two beautiful girls, aged 8 and 10 (now 23 and 26). I figured I’d nail that role because of my work, but I became increasingly deflated as they inched towards teenage hood.
(You bet I got my fair share of eye rolls and “Here she goes again…” looks on their faces!)
It didn’t take long for me to realize that I couldn’t be everything to my girls in this way. They needed to hear the same messages but worded in a slightly different way — from someone *other than me*.
For all my game plan was worth, it wasn’t going to work if I tried to do it on my own — I needed a B-Team!
That’s when I called in back-up… My sister Alisha, the “cool aunt”, as the girls still call her as adults.
Admittedly, they don’t think I’m as cool as my sister — but Growing Up Game Plan can be your B-Team so that everyone is set up for success.
With the help of our GUGP educators and preteen "Influencers", I can support you in teaching your kids all the things they need to know about becoming a teenager in a way that they’ll actually listen to.
Parents like *you* are likely still feeling the impact of the pandemic at home — from closed schools to missed activities, there are SO many things our kids have missed out on, and that includes their social and emotional learning. And with all that teachers have on their plate, they’re struggling to bring their students up to speed in this area.
When you buy Growing Up Game Plan, you can finally tap out of survival mode and make space for these proactive and engaging conversations.
Pass the ball to me, and I’ll make sure your preteen feels prepared for everything coming their way!
I’d love for you to join me inside:
Designed for preteens, by preteens and empowerment experts, the program includes:
- A skills-based masterclass for preteens created by experts. Over 20 years experience teaching + collaboration with young people = off the charts quality and fun factor.
- 6 educational modules focused on key aspects of preteen life, preventative and proactive in focus.
- 6 comprehensive, concrete Game Plans for each of these 6 aspects to put in their back pocket and refer to as life comes their way.
- A workbook full of activities built to help them solidify their learning during the course, get to know themselves better and reflect on long after it’s over.
- Additional engaging and current resources curated by Saleema Noon and her team specifically for GUGP participants: A YouTube playlist, books, podcasts, and websites so youth-friendly and cool that they’ll actually explore them.
- An extensive parent package featuring Game Plans created just for you, and equally as engaging resources to support you supporting your preteen moving forward.
- One-year access: Participants will receive one module per week in the first six weeks of access, but can go at their own pace because they’ll have an entire year to complete the course. And there’s no limit to how many kids from one family can benefit from it! Buy it once and use it for as many kids as you like in a year.
“Having someone who is NOT the parent to convey this information was so helpful. My kid would not have been receptive to me introducing this stuff directly!”
- GUGP Parent
Module 1:
SMASHING THE BOXES: Breaking Free from Gender Stereotypes
Your preteen will:
- “Having someone who is NOT the parent to convey this information was so helpful. My kid would not have been receptive to me introducing this stuff directly!”
- Identify the social and cultural aspects of gender roles, challenge sexism and inequality, and reflect on their own experience.
- Take a look at traditionally masculine and feminine gender roles, the societal expectations placed on them, and how it affects their life.
- Gain a better understanding of the gender spectrum and how it shapes their gender identity.
Module 2:
MONSTERS AND SUPERHEROES: Using your Inner Super Power to Honour, Manage and Express Your Emotions
Your preteen will:
- Identify the wide range of human emotions and learn how to honor, manage, and express them in a healthy way.
- Learn strategies that help them feel good about themselves.
- Describe and identify factors that contribute to self-esteem and healthy body image.
Module 3
STANDING UP: Being Assertive in even the Toughest Situations
Your preteen will:
- Learn assertiveness skills to use in response to bullying, discrimination, and peer pressure
- Identify different types of power and learn how to hold on to theirs.
- Be equipped with strategies for responding to unsafe, uncomfortable, and abusive situations.
Module 4
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS: Making Sure Yours are HERI
Your preteen will:
- Learn what consent looks and sounds like, and the laws surrounding it.
- Practice how to express boundaries in a healthy relationship.
- Identify the characteristics of both healthy and unhealthy relationships, and those most in line with their personal values (ones that have Honesty Equality, Respect and Integrity).
- Recognize the warning signs of unhealthy or abusive situations.
- Learn strategies for communicating effectively and for making informed decisions in their personal relationships.
Module 5
PUBERTY: Understanding It, Rolling with it, and Celebrating your Body
Your preteen will:
- Review the physical and emotional changes that happen, and hear answers to the most common questions asked by their peers.
- Explore strategies for coming to terms with physical, emotional, and social changes.
- Consider how puberty affects their emotions and relationships.
- Examine the possible negative effects of puberty on body image and learn coping strategies to lessen the impact.
Module 6
INTERNET LIFE: Having Fun and Staying Safe Online
Your preteen will:
- Identify strategies for staying safe and anonymous online.
- Identify strategies for avoiding and/or responding to potentially unsafe, abusive, or exploitative situations.
- Determine how to respond to cyberbullying and discrimination by being a responsible bystander and reaching out to a trusted adult for help when needed.
- Consider social media content around body image, sexualization, and gender stereotypes; and its impact, both positive and negative, on their self image, their relationships, and their mental health.
- Learn to think critically about what they see and watch online, including pornography and sexualized images.
- Explore what smart decision-making looks like. They will identify healthy online habits, how what they post can have long-term impacts and the importance of maintaining balance in their online vs. offline lives.
The starting point you need.
"There are so many things kids need to know about, and it’s not always easy to find ways to start those conversations. GUGP gives you that starting point and makes it so much easier to discuss difficult topics."
- GUGP Parent
Clear and concise!
“The parent guides are very helpful in giving you answers to some tricky questions. The topics were explained and discussed in such a clear and concise manner — those topics would have been hard for me, as a parent, to cover without that introduction to them through the GUGP. I honestly wouldn't have thought to bring them up!! I certainly didn't learn about those growing up!”
- GUGP Parent
In the words of an actual GUGP parent:
“You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
Get Growing Up Game Plan and you’ll finally get to talk about the important stuff — without losing them two minutes in.
It's a win.
"You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Even if you found nothing helpful in the program and your child rolled their eyes the entire way through; just by showing them that you are interested in them and their development is a win. Offering them answers to questions they didn’t know they had makes them feel curious and excited for what’s to come. The open dialogue that is facilitated through Saleema’s videos is brilliant!”
- GUGP Parent
P.S. In case you’re thinking: “Nah, it’s too early to cover this stuff!” — think again.
When it comes to gathering the skills your preteen needs to thrive, this approach is designed to be preventative.
So that...
- They know how to stand up to their bullies in the moment.
- They can confidently express consent in social situations.
- They know when to stop scrolling if the comparison game starts kicking in.
Can you imagine how much better you’d feel knowing they’re already equipped to handle the biggest fears YOU have for them?
Because I’ll be honest… More than ever before, preteens are struggling with higher levels of:
- Depression and loneliness
- Anxiety around being their unique self *and* wanting to blend in
- Self-esteem struggles around likes, shares and comments
- Body shame and disordered eating
- Bullying, online and offline
- Exposure to and making sense of porn
- Fake news (that leaves them wondering what’s real and what’s not)
- Pressure to perform better and do more at school to get into university
That means that the earlier we start giving them these tools to overcome all of the above, the better we can protect and support them.
EVEN if you might be thinking…
- “We’re such an open family! I know my kid will come to me when they need to talk.”
- “Ehh, we’re not quite there yet…”
- “This stuff doesn’t apply to my kid!”
- “Aren’t they learning about this stuff at school?”
- “Honestly, my kid is a ‘young’ 12…”
The truth is...
They’re starting to become more private, trust their peers more than you (sorry, it’s true!), and as much as it’s a tough pill to swallow — the best YOU can do is ensure they’re prepared, educated and actively building resilience.
We can’t rely on classrooms to do the heavy lifting; because the quality of the empowerment education delivered (and the depth) *completely* varies from school to school and teacher to teacher.
With Growing Up Game Plan in your back pocket, you’ll set your preteen up so they can:
- Be prompted to have open conversations with (that might not have happened otherwise)
- Be more confident, more prepared, and less stressed about being a teenager
- Have the information and skills you wish you had when you were their age
- Celebrate who they really are and feel better about themselves
- Cultivate the skills they need to deal with difficult situations that come their way
- Stand up for themselves assertively
- Have fun and make smart decisions online
- Engage in healthy relationships
- Be more appreciative and less critical of their body
And, as a result, you’ll feel:
- Less overwhelmed
- More empowered in your parenting
- Relieved that your preteen has heard the messages you want them to hear
- Grateful for less drama, more harmony, and more fun in your relationship
Sounds pretty awesome, right??
ABSOLUTELY! LET'S DO THIS."The facilitators were great, engaging, funny, sincere, smart, and in-tune."
- GUGP Parent
GUGP is one-of-a-kind because it prioritizes:
- A perfect balance between light-hearted and serious. Thanks to our years of experience working with preteens, we just get them.
- Input from *actual* preteens. Yup! We collaborated with a group of preteens to tell us exactly what THEY needed more support around.
- Empowerment in critical areas of their life. We want your kid to walk away feeling like they can handle anything!
- Canada’s guidelines and best practices for inclusivity. The language used is up-to-date and current in the world your kids are living in!
- The SEL framework: Social Emotional Learning. We designed this program to be consistent with the learning outcomes of SEL in British Columbia, and dive into *all* the important things teachers may not be able to.
- Bite-sized, digestible videos. We know all about short attention spans. That's why we've broken the workshops into little chunks!
- Valuable content for kids AND parents. We've got you covered with your own Rockstar Parent Resource List!
PLUS:
- If you’ve purchased my sexual health education program Body Science Online, it’ll complement that content perfectly!
My daughter helped her friend stand up to a bully!
“Lots of good conversations. After Module 4, my daughter said ‘I’m glad I’m doing the course. I helped a friend at school who is being bullied, and I taught them to stand up to the bully!’ She felt more empowered and confident in the relationships she previously found challenging.”
- GUGP Parent
Ready to call in for back-up to survive the preteen years? Get Growing Up Game Plan today!
I know how to stand up for myself now!
"I liked it. It was fun. Saleema Smellypits was so funny and I feel better about my body changing. I also know how to stand up for myself now."
- GUGP Participant
Got questions? I’ve got answers!
What if my child is 8 or 13? Can they participate?
When will the first module be delivered?
Can I walk through the content with my preteen?
Can this program be used in schools?
Do I need to buy any technology to participate?
Can I get my money back if my preteen doesn’t like it?
Should I talk to my preteen before purchasing the course? How can I show them what it’s about?
What if I buy the course and my preteen refuses to do it?
Can you remind me of everything I’m getting when I sign up today?
How long will my preteen have access to the program?
Do I need to download an app/software?
How many devices can I log in from?
My daughters enjoy it!
“The program has great information about being inclusive, understanding stereotypes of gender, celebrating uniqueness and so much more. My daughters are enjoying everything it has to offer."
- GUGP Parent
I liked your strategies.
"I like this video because it connects me when I have trouble with my friends. I liked your strategies as it can help me when those things happen to me."
- GUGP Parent
My GUGP t-shirt says “I got you” — and I mean it.
(You’ll find out pretty quickly once your kid starts the program!)
I know from my own struggles — being bullied and the resulting shaky self-confidence despite parents who tried their best to support me— how difficult growing up can be. I’m sure you’ve had your fair share, too!
Our experiences as preteens and teens can have a ripple effect throughout our adult years, and WE can make it easier for your kid.
Let’s make sure that your relationship with them is open, understanding, and gives them *all* the information they need to know.
You’ve got enough on your plate as it is (hello school pickups, soccer practice, homework, endless appointments, and figuring out dinner every single day) — and you don’t have to do this part alone.
If you’re willing to call in some backup, it would be an honor to be on your B-team to help you have these meaningful conversations with more ease and less stress.
And if you’re doubting whether your kid will be receptive?
Even if they could win the Guinness Book World Record for Most Eyerolls In A Day… I can guarantee that they’ll take away something valuable from Growing Up Game Plan!
I know you’re here because you truly want the best for them — and trust me, so do I.
Whether you’ve got this masterclass on hand or not, know that your kids are incredibly smart, capable and so lucky to have you as their guide in life.
It would be an honor to be your partner in their preteen journey… I know you got the rest!
All my best,
- Saleema 💗
Less conflict. More connection. Finally, the answers they *really* need!
Buy Growing Up Game Plan for your preteen today and set them up to make smarter decisions about life, their body, and relationships.
“I just wanted to send you a big thank you for the GUGP as my 10-year-old daughter absolutely loved it! The highlight for her was being able to express her emotions and learn how to handle them.
[She] also learned so much about gender, puberty (as she's going through it now), positive self esteem and so much more.
I was really proud of her, plus I thanked her for teaching me some new things as we were not taught this in school.
Saleema, you’ve done so much all these years to teach our children what they need to know about their bodies, building their self-esteem and so much more. Thank you!”
- GUGP Parent
