The Sassy Squad Pod

Hey Squad, it's Riona! Welcome to the very first episode of the Sassy Squad Pod — the show that's basically like having a big sister in your headphones. Five-ish minutes, once a week, just for girls like us.

So… who am I? I'm Riona, I'm a real kid — not a grown-up pretending to be one — and here's the honest part, because we're always honest on this show: my family runs Sassy Squad. We make stuff for girls — nails, a journal, things like that. Sometimes I'll mention them, and when I do, I'll always tell you it's ours. Deal? Deal.

But this pod isn't really about stuff. It's about the things we actually talk about at sleepovers when the lights are off. Friend drama. Weird feelings. Confidence. How to survive being the new kid. The stuff nobody hands you a manual for.

Here's what big-sister energy means to me. A big sister doesn't laugh AT you — she laughs WITH you, usually about something embarrassing she did first. She tells you the truth, even when it's awkward. And she never makes you feel little for not knowing something yet.

That's the whole vibe here. I'm not going to pretend I have everything figured out — I one hundred percent do not. Last week I waved at someone who was waving at the person behind me. I'm still recovering. But figuring things out together? That's the fun part.

Squad Challenge #1: Tell one person one true, nice thing about them. Not "cute shirt." Something real, like "you always make me laugh when I'm having a bad day." Watch their face. That feeling? That's Squad energy.

Stay sparkly. Bye, Squad! ✦

Hey Squad, it's Riona! Today: sleepovers. The best invention in human history, and also — let's be real — sometimes slightly terrifying. Especially your first one at someone else's house. So here's my complete survival guide.

Rule one: pack like a genius. Pajamas, toothbrush, obviously. But the pro moves are: a hoodie, because other people's houses are always freezing. Fuzzy socks. Your pillow if you're picky, because pillow disappointment at midnight is real. And a little flashlight, because finding the bathroom in a strange dark hallway is a horror movie.

Rule two: the awkward beginning is normal. The first thirty minutes of any sleepover are weird. Everyone's a little shy, someone's mom is still talking, nobody knows when the fun officially starts. That's normal! It's not you. The fun always starts — usually the second there are snacks.

Rule three: have a question game ready. The best sleepover moments aren't the movie — they're the talking-in-the-dark part. If the talk gets stuck, ask something like: "What's the weirdest dream you've ever had?" or "If you could swap lives with anyone for one day, who?" Instant deep conversation.

Rule four: if you feel homesick, that's not babyish. Even older kids get that wave of "I kind of want my own bed." Get cozy and distracted — usually it passes when the giggling starts. But if it doesn't, telling the grown-up "I'd like to call home" is completely allowed. A real friend will never make fun of you for it.

Rule five: be the guest who gets invited back. Say thank you to the parents. Help pick up the blanket explosion. Don't snoop in rooms you weren't invited into. Boom — you're now everyone's favorite guest.

Squad Challenge #2: At your next sleepover — or honestly, just at lunch — ask someone one big question and actually listen to the whole answer without planning what you'll say next.

Stay sparkly. Bye, Squad! ✦

Hey Squad, it's Riona! Today we're talking about big feelings. The kind where you're suddenly crying about your pencil breaking, and you're like — this is not about the pencil, is it?

First, the most important thing anyone ever told me: feelings are visitors. They show up, they hang around, and they leave. Even the giant ones. You are the house. The feeling is just visiting. It is not the boss of the house.

Second trick: name it to tame it. When a feeling is huge and swirly, try to actually name it. Not just "bad" — get specific. Am I angry? Embarrassed? Left out? Nervous? Jealous? The second you name it, it shrinks a little.

Third trick, and this is my favorite: the brain dump. Grab any paper and write everything in your head for three minutes. Don't make it neat. Don't spell right. Nobody grades this. It's like emptying your backpack when it's too heavy — same brain, way lighter.

If writing's not your thing, try my three-line formula. Line one: today I felt… Line two: because… Line three: tomorrow I hope… That's it. Three lines. Twenty seconds. It works on the worst days especially.

One more thing, and I mean this: some feelings are too big to carry alone, and that's not a you-problem, that's a human-problem. If a feeling is really heavy, or it stays for a long time, tell a grown-up you trust — a parent, a teacher, an auntie. Big sisters ask for help too. That's actually the strongest move there is.

Squad Challenge #3: Tonight, do the three lines. Today I felt… because… tomorrow I hope… If you do it three nights in a row, you're officially a journaler.

Stay sparkly. Bye, Squad! ✦

Hey Squad, it's Riona! Today: skincare. Because at some point every girl looks in the mirror and goes "hmm, is my face… changing?" Yes. It is. Totally normal. Here's the thing nobody tells you: you need way LESS than the internet says.

You've seen those videos — twelve steps, glass jars, someone's entire allowance on the bathroom counter. Squad, no. Those routines are made for grown-up skin. Tween skin is brand new. It needs like three things.

Step one: a gentle cleanser. Once at night, maybe once in the morning. Gentle means no burning, no tight squeaky feeling after. Washing your face is just taking the day off your face.

Step two: a simple moisturizer. A little bit, all over. That's it. Your skin is already good at its job — you're just helping.

Step three, and this is the actual big one: sunscreen in the morning. Every grown-up I know says the same thing: "I wish I'd started sunscreen at your age." Every single one. Be smarter than all of us.

That's the whole routine. Three steps. Under five minutes. Now the big-sister honesty part. Don't borrow the strong stuff from older sisters or "anti-aging" videos — the harsh ingredients are too much for new skin and can leave it red and angry. If your skin ever stings, burns, or gets a rash — stop using it and tell a grown-up. And if something is really bugging you, that's a question for a parent and maybe a skin doctor, not a ten-second video.

Squad Challenge #4: Tomorrow morning, sunscreen. That's the whole challenge. One step, ten seconds, your future self is already thanking you.

Stay sparkly. Bye, Squad! ✦

Hey Squad, it's Riona! Last episode of our launch week, and we saved the big one: confidence. Where do you even GET it? Is there a store? Sadly, no. But there are tricks, and I'm giving you all of mine.

Trick one: confidence comes AFTER, not before. Everyone thinks you feel brave first and then do the scary thing. It's backwards. You do the scary thing slightly terrified, and THEN the confidence shows up. Raising your hand, joining the team, talking to the new girl — scared first, confident after. It means you don't have to wait to feel ready.

Trick two: fix your inside voice. You know that voice in your head? Here's the test: would you say it to your best friend? If your inside voice says "you're so awkward, everyone noticed," ask — would I say that to HER? Never. Talk to yourself like you talk to her. It takes practice. It works.

Trick three: stand like a superhero. Before anything scary — feet apart, shoulders back, chin up, ten seconds. It sounds ridiculous. Do it in the bathroom where no one can see. It genuinely flips a little switch in your brain from "hide" to "let's go."

Trick four: armor is allowed. Confidence is an inside job, BUT a little outside sparkle helps you remember who you are. For some girls it's a lucky hoodie. The sparkle isn't the confidence. It's the reminder. And the last thing: confident isn't the same as loud. Some of the most confident girls I know are quiet. Confidence just means you're on your own team.

Squad Challenge #5: The full stack. Superhero pose, ten seconds. Fix one mean inside-voice sentence. Then do one slightly scary thing this week — one raised hand, one hello.

Stay sparkly. See you next week — bye, Squad! ✦