More than Child's Play

Stressed about making decisions involving your child’s education, activities, and your family’s safety during the pandemic? Join us as we speak with Dr. Lisa Costello, MD, MPH, FAAP. "Dr. Lisa" is an experienced pediatrician and public health expert, a dedicated community servant, and an advocate for children's health and wellness in local and national arenas with a LONG and DISTINGUISHED list of accolades and work in pediatrics and public health (see linked bio). She has spent a great deal of time this year working on the Covid pandemic and it's impact on public health and the pediatric population working with the Bureau of Public Health on their Covid pandemic response. . Dr. Lisa skillfully answers our questions and those of our listeners relating to navigating, living, parenting, and educating in the time Covid.

Episode Highlights:

Questions regarding general virus info: 7:34

Questions related to sports and activities: 19:37

Questions related to family interactions: 33:35

Questions related to masks and hygiene: 42:56

Questions related to immunity and regression of pediatric development in times of stress: 56:34

Questions regarding school reentry: 1:01

Physical and mental health considerations around Covid and children: 1:10

Preschool is often a child’s first step into the world of education. How do we support that step being a positive one? And one that associates school with a love of learning? Morgan Academy's Melanie Zajicek, known to us as a Pre-K goddess, joins us to answer questions we find most parents have when exploring Pre-K in general and Pre-K options. With a background in early childhood and psychology, and armed with years of experience not only teaching young children, but really living inside a child's world, Melanie discusses what parents should look for when visiting or researching potential schools. We talk about the many options available in terms of type/style of Pre-K programs and what really matters. We dive into what real learning look likes, why outdoor play is essential, and if worksheets are appropriate for preschoolers. Melanie touches on an situation too common in today’s world - the anxious child - and what is recommended to avoid this and keep children healthy and happy. She shares her thoughts on reading readiness, technology appropriateness, and her favorite resources for the Pre-K population. Melanie is smart and funny and will help any parent feeling concerned about this step to feel empowered and excited. Enjoy!

One of the universal themes a parent with a school age child can relate to is feelings toward math. Whether the child's feelings toward math are those of anxiety or excitement, frustration is often experienced as families try to tackle nightly math homework around the dinner table. Join us as we welcome Nationally Board Certified, Presidential Award Winner for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, and veteran educator and curriculum consulter, Cindy Evarts. Cindy explains how "new" math is actually OLD and answers questions and provides tips for parents who often seem confused about why the student can't do math the way "I was taught." She also supports fellow educators with suggestions in teaching parents and students alike about the math methods shared in today's classrooms. She compares and contrasts how math is taught in the US and how that is shaped by legislation and political influence and compares and contrasts this to how math is taught around the world. We have an important discussion about age old beliefs and practices surrounding how girls are taught math and discuss gender differences in math education. Cindy shares her experiences with Lego Robotics and how using this and other practical examples of real problems solved with math excite her students. She also answers our questions about the best ways early math concepts are introduced to young children, whether basic math fact memorization is important, if we should care about finger counting, and if she thinks we push higher math concepts too early. Most importantly, she shares tips and resources for parents, students, and educators that will hopefully help to turn math anxiety into math excitement. Don't miss this episode. It will make your life easier!

Join us as we welcome to the table reading specialist and educator Sarah Poland in our first episode of our Back To School Education Series. Sarah shares with us what we know about the young brain and how it learns to read. She discusses early literacy tips and components for successful reading. As an expert in the field of dyslexia she details what parents and educators should be looking for to identify and decipher between a challenged reader/learner and a child with dyslexia. Lacy shares her personal experience navigating educational supports as a parent of a child with dyslexia. We discuss the Orton Gillingham method and how it’s sensory rich approach can be helpful to any teacher or parent. She answers common questions about letter reversals, guided reading, and more! Our conversation was rich with detail and resources helpful to us all! We hope you’ll enjoy!

This episode is not to be missed! We welcome Behavor Science Specialist Chrissy Keller to our table for information EVERYONE needs to have. Chrissy expertly breaks down what behavior actually is (it's not ALL bad), and how it is affected by our culture, changing play trends, and nutrition. We opened up your questions to Chrissy and she covers all the big ones - biting, tantruming, meltdowns, transition struggles, listening the first time our children are asked to do things, and power struggles...and she shares suggestions to shape these behaviors! We discuss instilling empathy and understanding fairness within families. And we loved hearing her thoughts on balancing inclusion vs. safety in schools in terms of behavior. This information is fascinating and more importantly will be helpful to you TODAY!