Our goals are:
• to promote communication by preteens and teens and within families
• to model how to initiate and improve the conversations
• to present these topics in a humorous and informal way while being both factual and sensitive to families’ cultures and beliefs

We believe that parents should be their children’s prime sexuality resource and that traditions, lack of role models, and general societal sensitivity on these subjects have kept many families from being able to effectively talk about these subjects. We also encourage preteens and teens to be able to go to additional resources, such as other trusted adults and reliable printed and electronic sources, with questions about growing up. The first class started with an idea, that there needs to be a simple way for parents and preteens to learn together about growing up in a fun and informal milieu. So, Julie Giesy Metzger began the first For Girls Only class for pre-teens girls and their moms in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1988. Its success led her to re-create them when she returned to Seattle Children's in Seattle, Washington. When some of the mothers suggested that their sons (and husbands!) might enjoy a similar class, Julie invited Rob Lehman to establish the equivalent series, For Boys Only, in 1992. Despite minimal advertising, the success of these classes has been amazing, with most families hearing of us through word-of-mouth or having had previous children already experience the class. Along with our colleagues, we continue to work with thousands of families at our primary sponsor, Seattle Children's, and have established ongoing programs in Mukilteo, WA, Bainbridge Island, WA, and Tacoma, WA. We’ve also partnered with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, CA, to replicate the classes since 2004. In addition, we have conducted classes for teens and presented numerous talks to parents and professionals on the subjects of puberty and adolescence, communication, and resources on growing up to various communities and groups throughout the region and west coast. And we’re still “growing up” ourselves…with many ideas on future classes, retreats, and presentations to come.

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