Todd and Cathy share the upcoming changes to their podcast, Zen Parenting Radio, which will be renamed Zen POP Parenting starting June 1st! They also discuss the normal shifts in kids’ friendships, highlighting the importance of loyalty, boundaries, and the reality that friendships evolve. As parents, we can feel more overwhelmed than our kids when these changes happen, but it’s important to normalize the ups and downs of friendships and offer support without letting our own fear or discomfort take over.Cathy and Todd discuss what 80s nerd movies like Weird Science and Revenge of the Nerds taught Gen X and what those messages look like in hindsight. They break down how these films centered male fantasies, ignored consent, and portrayed women as tools for male transformation, all while positioning the “nerd” as a misunderstood hero. They discuss the cultural backdrop: Reagan-era ideals, latchkey independence, and a tech world just beginning to take shape. Then they look at how these stories shaped a generation’s view of power, relationships, and identity and how that’s showing up in parenting today. This isn’t about canceling the past. It’s about being honest about what we learned, what we missed, and how to do better now.
