Kids Under Construction

In this episode of KIDS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, voiceover artist, Rachael MacFarlane and host Donna Tetreault compare notes on their “mom worries.” Donna is in LA with her family, but Rachael has left LA behind along with her kids, husband, her father and his wife. They’re staying on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, zooming, working, going to school and feeling grateful everyday. Not many people can escape to such an idealic place, but Rachael says all the concerns they had in LA came with them. Are the kids happy? Are they doing okay with zooming school? Are they too lonely? Donna says that she has those second thoughts, too. “Are we doing the right thing?” is on her mind as much as on Rachael’s. The women agree that the constant worry goes with you wherever you are.

Mom of two girls, Rachael says if her kids were given the choice they’d rather be in school with friends and teachers. While the beach is lovely and they have more freedom to run around, their masks are always on and they are aware the future is uncertain. Even though they were originally scared about work drying up, both Rachael and her animation director husband, Spencer Laudiero, discovered they could work anywhere. Animation is portable – no sets, no big casts. Now the couple is making the most of a challenging situation and developing their own animated show based on the main character in Eleanor Wyatt, Princess and Pirate, the second children’s book they wrote and illustrated.

Both Rachael and Donna have tips for getting your kids through the pandemic. Find something new: Donna’s son can no longer play team sports, but he’s learned to play golf. Rachael and her husband have taken on a new project.

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In this exciting episode of KIDS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, Donna looks back at Season One and culls the best advice for raising kids from her favorite celebrity friends. Award winning actress Dallas Bryce Howard is adamant that fathers should be just as involved in raising kids as mothers, despite the stigma that says otherwise. In her documentary “Dad” her message is that men are more than providers. They are caretakers. Actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar has clear expectations for his children around behavior: good manners and neat bedrooms. “No” means “no” in his household. Actor Chris Noth believes in discipline. His son isn’t allowed to have a cell phone and his screen time is carefully monitored. Dr. Gail Dines applauds Noth’s decisions. The psychologist says that as soon as a kids have access to a cell phone, the dangerous world of the internet is right in front of them.

This episode contains guidance on a variety of situations that come up in families, but all four segments are based on the universal concern for our young.

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In the first episode of the second season of “Kids Under Construction” Dr. Michele Borba offers the audience a wealth of practical advice. Just what families are looking for! Despite the pandemic, parents shouldn’t raise the white flag and give up on their kids’ lives, says the internationally renowned psychologist and author of 24 books. In her latest bestseller, Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World, she writes that our children have lost their compassion and empathy for others. She blames too much time on screens for lessoning human interaction. Without empathy children cannot succeed in life, despite stellar grades and test scores.

Dr. Borba tells host Donna Tetreault that parents should pay more attention to their children now, watching for signs of stress and helping them cope. Tibetan monks taught the renowned psychologist the secret of deep breathing to relieve anxiety, which she passes on to parents during the conversation. She suggests helping children discover hobbies – finding a passion. Not only to keep them occupied now, but hobbies may become a life-long interest. She warns all of us not be “alone together.” If you or your child is on Zoom, or at home, make sure they’re engaged and not just sitting there alone without awareness for those around them.

This not-to-be-missed episode is chock full of carefully crafted optimism and new found wisdom for the precarious job of raising children during a pandemic. If you’re a parent, grandparent or relative this episode has some answers.

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Many families with growing children have long used summer camp as growth tool for development, a way for kids to learn social skills, independence, resilience, confidence and teamwork. But this year summer camp is probably going to look a whole lot different due to COVID-19. A lot of parents have questions about whether or not camp is even an option this year and how can they can provide the structured learning and seemingly limitless activities to keep anxious kids occupied and happy. Karen Meister, a lifelong camp participant, counselor and now Advisor for Camp Experts And Teen Summers, joins Donna to discuss the wonderful benefits of summer camp and what summer camp will look like in 2020 under the restrictions and guidelines of COVID-19. Will kids be “zooming” this summer in a virtual summer camp? Will there be bubble wrap sleep-away camp communities with stringent protocols like Coronavirus testing? Would kids be unenthusiastic about virtual camp since they’ve mostly been homeschooling at computers every day? Karen reveals innovative ideas camps have come up with to create a fun, safe, and inspirational environment for kids from all over the world. Taking inspiration from television shows that have performances in guests’ homes, camps are creating theater productions and classes on fashion design much like the TV format we see today. Summer camp may look a lot different this year, but the benefits are still very much available to kids and families.

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On today's episode of Kids Under Construction, Donna welcomes the very talented Bryce Dallas Howard. She's an acclaimed actress, mother and daughter to Hollywood film director Ron Howard and now she's following in her famous Father's footsteps with her first directorial feature documentary, "Dads" which celebrates the joys and challenges of parenting. In a time that's riddled with so much division, Bryce is honest and candid about the "Black Lives Matter" movement and stresses how it's essential as a white family to constantly talk about race and raise kids who are well-informed and all-inclusive. In her documentary, celebrities and "real life" Dads discuss the different stages of parenthood and reveal the one age they find most difficult. From Conan Obrien to Neil Patrick Harris to Jimmy Fallon, Bryce got these Dads to open up and share their different parenting styles including Will Smith who considers himself a master gardener. Bryce reveals her Dad was hesitant to be a part of the documentary, but explains why he ultimately decided to participate. The mother of two also reveals her emotional journey of isolation and loneliness after her pregnancy and how she was scared to reach out for help. Now, Bryce is returning to film her latest movie "Jurassic World: Dominion" and shares how she feels about being away during a pandemic.

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