Welcome to the Parenting Pickup Podcast. With over 50 years of experience in early child care and education, we're here to share all things child-related. Every episode is designed for families' education and support from parenting tips and tricks, trending topics, fun activities, child development, and so much more! Special guests in early childhood and education will join our host Cara, share their expertise, and help answer some of the most challenging questions.
Children of all ages have meltdowns. There is no surprise there. But, many parents aren’t sure how to help their children when they have a tantrum or a meltdown. We sat down with Kate Wessinger, an expert on behavior and mental health, to give up beneficial advice.
Amanda Mason, New Horizon Academy’s Mental Health Specialist, talks about the steps to take to get your child ready for a new sibling and what to do once the new addition has made its appearance.
Jessi Grittner, a Conscious Discipline Coordinator, shares how teachers, parents, and children can utilize conscious discipline every day to better understand the brain stages, feelings, communication, and intelligence through a self-regulation program that involves social and emotional learning and discipline.
MiaLisa from ‘Doing Good Together‘ explains how important it is to instill caring and kindness in your child as character traits and values. She provides crucial facts, tips, and shares helpful resources on how to raise children to be kind.
We met with Jill Weldon, New Horizon Academy’s food and nutrition expert, to talk about one of the most asked questions, how to help children who are selective eaters. Resources mentioned include My Plate and Solid Starts.
It happens in every family. Your child bites, has been bitten, or both! So, what do you do? Kate Wessinger, our Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, dives into why biting is happening, how to prevent it, and what to do.
You want to ensure your children are ready for kindergarten regarding academic, social, and emotional skills. We chatted with Bev Bauman, New Horizon Academy’s Vice President of Staff Development and Education, about the different skill sets children should or are expected to have before they start kindergarten.
Here are 5 Activities to Promote Kindergarten Readiness.
Thuba Nguyen is an early childhood education advocate and teacher who is passionate about celebrating cultural diversity and multi-culturism and is the author of the book My Daddy Tells Me. Her children’s book is about a life-changing love between fathers and daughters, immigration, self-esteem, and positive affirmations.
With over twelve years of experience in the field, Thuba talks about how vital it is to have multiracial representation in all creative markets and education. Her work inspires future generations to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and oppression.
More resources can be found here.
In this episode of New Horizon Academy’s Parenting Pickup Podcast, Anna Paulson, current Program Coordinator for Help Me Grow, a licensed teacher in the areas of Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Elementary Education, and a certified Early Childhood Education advocate, talks about helpful information and practical steps to take for families to understand and support your child’s early childhood development.
Resources mentioned in the podcast include: Help Me Grow, Learn the Signs – Act Early, CDC’s Milestone Tracker App, Help Me Connect, and Reach Out and Read.
Getting hit by your child or having your child hit others can be embarrassing and infuriating. Many families worry that their child’s aggression toward them and others is a bad sign and reflects on their parenting. But, what Amanda Mason explains, it’s all about how you react to the hitting and what you do moving forward that makes the difference.
Being distracted while your child is talking to you can be a big problem when communicating. We have all been there, listening while holding a phone or not making eye contact. MiaLisa from Doing Good Together is a special guest on this episode to talk about how and why it is critical to be listening fully.
More listening resources can be found here: Doing Good Together, Power of Listening, Making Room to Listen
Most families are unaware that unstructured play is significant for children. Play fosters cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. More specifically, it helps creativity, imagination, problem-solving, and social skills! Sara Reichstadt from Kinderberry Hill discusses why children must explore, create and discover without predetermined rules or guidelines.
Explore additional resources: Why Play is Important, Kinderberry Hill Website
In this episode, we talk to Theresa Gunderson, owner and language learning expert at O’Neill Language Academy, about the importance of early learning of a second language. Theresa discusses the many benefits of bilingualism, including improved cognitive function, academic success, and career opportunities. She also shares tips on best supporting your child’s language learning journey. Theresa Gunderson is a language learning expert with over 20 years of experience. Theresa is passionate about helping people learn new languages and believes that bilingualism is a valuable asset for everyone.
Explore additional resources: O’Neill Language Academy, Lesson Books
Potty training can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! In this podcast episode, we discuss potty training your child with Steph Schmidt, a New Horizon Academy District Curriculum Coordinator. We’ll cover everything from introducing the potty to dealing with accidents.
Whether you’re just starting the training process or feeling stuck, we’ve got you covered. Join us on this journey and learn how to master potty training with ease!
Explore additional resources: Conscious Discipline Podcast Episode, Potty Training Tips
Cara Johnson-Bader is the Vice President of Marketing and Parent Experiences at New Horizon Academy. She is the mother of two incredible and full of energy boys—Ben and Will. When not attending her sons’ snowboarding, skiing, and baseball sporting events, she can be found playing board games and reading with her boys. As one of the hosts of Parenting Pickup, she is excited to share helpful hints, tricks, and advice to help parents as the navigate the child-rearing journey.
Alex Dickison, the previous host, is now the podcast's producer. She has always been passionate about early childhood education, having a son of her own. Her main goal is to provide listeners with the best information, educate parents on trending topics, and bring awareness by producing the best episodes possible.
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