You may have seen Kerry draw faces on bananas and oranges to make FaceTime chats fun for kids! But Kerry Byrne, PhD, is no lightweight. She speaks with compassion and clarity on connecting with children 10 and under--while miles away from them. This first interview of two with her will help aunts, uncles, and others who want to remotely strengthen their family ties with a child.

Additional resources:

thelongdistancegrandparent.com

Instagram: @thelongdistancegrandparent

Celebrating 100 episodes on Conversation Balloons! Tune in for a fun episode with some great moments of the show and some questions answered by Leah! Thanks for tuning in to Conversation Balloons over the years and wait to see who we interview next!

National gymnastics champ Jen Sey reveals the abuse and anguish she underwent to become a top-tier gymnast, and what parents of athletes--and other driven kids--can do to make sure their kids stay healthy.

Additional resources:

Chalked Up: My Life in Elite Gymnastics by Jennifer Sey

https://www.xx-xyathletics.com

Researcher Kevin Waldman has discovered that college students are much more conservative than we thought. Is progressive peer pressure to blame? Does silence impair identity formation? Listen for some surprises!

Additional resources:

Forest Romm and Kevin Waldman, https://thehill.com/opinion/education/5446702-performative-virtue-signaling-has-become-a-threat-to-higher-ed/

https://psychform.com/

National TV anchor Leland Vittert's new memoir, Born Lucky, reveals how his father responded to Leland's diagnosis of autism, cheering him on despite rejection and bullying at school and the sacrifices that parents have to make for a child "on the spectrum." The book, currently #4 on the NYT bestseller list, will inspire any parent.

Additional resources:

Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, a Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism

The recent NBA sports betting bust highlights only one of the online gambling problems corrupting young men, who are becoming addicted to gambling via sports betting in record numbers. Expert Jonathan Cohen lays out why online betting is not your father's gaming experience and how it is ruining lives with breathtaking speed. Even children are at risk with this new frictionless technology for losing money. We offer tips on protecting young people from this alluring danger.

Additional resources:

Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling by Jonathan Cohen

Nolan Jones brings us up to date in his eventful life overcoming the demons of his past. We've never had such a story of transformation on this show!

Nolan Jones describes a rough childhood where virtually every adult in the family dealt drugs, and abuse was a way of life. Homeless as a teen, Nolan managed to graduate from high school, but not from drugs and criminality. Some glimmers of hope you'll hear in this episode burst into full light in the next, so tune in twice!

**THIS IS A REPRISE OF EPISODE #6 ON 5.18.22**

Professor of Jewish Studies Ilana Horwitz's recent book God, Grades, and Graduation looks at whether students do better in school when they believe in God and belong to a community of faith.  Leah explores with this sociologist such factors as parental influence, compliance with school rules, and socioeconomic inequality.  "Leah's Quadrant" is revealed, both women discuss atheist kids, and Dr. Horwitz tells us how religious kids fare in college admissions and qualities like empathy, happiness and self-restraint.

Additional resources:

God, Grades, and Graduation, by Ilana M. Horwitz, Oxford University Press, 2022

Veteran homeschooler of five kids and media entrepreneur Felice Gerwitz discusses how homeschooling has changed over the decades, and how to avoid burnout. Podcast swap!: Felice interviewed Leah in this episode of Vintage Homeschool Moms podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmIiG7BAwhc

Additional resources:

Mediaangels.com (founded by Felice Gerwitz)--a publishing company featuring curriculum, science resources, podcasts, and inspirational books

Ultimate Christian Podcast Network--including Felice's own-https://ultimatechristianpodcastnetwork.com/