On the finale episode of Finger Painting the Future Season One, our esteemed hosts thought it was only fitting to do an episode about empty nesting. We wanted to round out Season One with a big & fun celebration — and thanks to this week's guest, we realized that it makes sense for all empty nesters to do the same! 

Join Florence Ann & Joe as they chat with Chicago Tribune writer, and father of 4 young adults, Jerry Davich, about his personal experience going through two rounds of children flying the coup and why he decided to celebrate it the second time.

About our guest: Jerry Davich’s writing career began in 1995 as a freelance journalist and political cartoonist for The Times Newspaper of Northwest Indiana. One story led to hundreds, then thousands. In 2006, he was offered a position he couldn’t refuse – full-time metro columnist for The Post-Tribune, the same newspaper he delivered as a boy.

As a columnist, Jerry has always shined a light on society’s darkest corners while offering a voice to the voiceless. He has written about every imaginable issue and situation – including the last days of a woman with terminal cancer in a hospice; flying upside down in a U.S. Thunderbirds fighter jet at 9.2 G’s; visiting New York City’s Ground Zero just days after the terrorist attacks in 2001; witnessing a coroner perform an autopsy; and jumping out of a perfectly fine plane with a recorder in hand.

Along the way, Jerry has won more than 50 state or national awards from various journalism organizations while now writing for Chicago Tribune Media. He also writes freelance stories for various magazines while completing four books: “Connections: Everyone Happens for a Reason,” “Lost Gary, Indiana: Rusted Landmarks of the Steel City,” “Crooked Politics of Northwest Indiana” and the history of Andrean High School.

Jerry is in the business of connecting people, asking unpopular questions, and provoking a needed dialogue. He is the father of two children, ages 36 and 35, and also the dad to two stepchildren, ages 21 and 19. Jerry cruises the Chicago area on a daily basis, never leaving home without his notebook, his iPhone and his curiosity.

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know that out of the 35 million mothers in the US, 9.8 million of them are suffering from burnout due to the pandemic? With everything that moms are being forced to juggle nowadays, how can they overcome and work through this exhaustion? On this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann and Joe speak with the host of Morning Beats TV and auntie to three wonderful daughters, Ashley Larsen, about mom exhaustion, mommy guilt, and more.

Listen as Florence Ann and Ashley bond over being aunties to their friends' and sisters' children. They chat about how common it is for mommies to feel guilty for asking for help — and how they've been able to make their loved ones feel more comfortable doing so. Joe also shares why he believes husbands and fathers have a duty to help their spouse out and how men should go about doing that.

About our guest: A Louisiana native, Ashley is an MFA-trained actor, screenwriter, and producer. Since childhood, Ashley has been on stage and backstage with experiences ranging from plays, short films, movies and commercials. She is currently the host, producer, and writer of Morning Beats TV, a positive and inspiring morning show that airs on national television and digital streaming. It airs on The Heartland Network, The Family Channel and Retro TV Network. When Ashley isn’t in front of the camera, she loves to sing, read poetry and write music.

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@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In the age of the pandemic, it's inevitable that screen time has gone up for all of us — including children. But how has all of this extra exposure to technology and media affected kids? Has it had a positive or negative impact? Is it altering the way they view relationships and has it affected the nature of their relationships with family and friends?

Listen as Florence Ann and Joe discuss this topic with Julia Dennison, Digital Content Director of Parents.com. Julia opens up with our hosts about how she is navigating her daughter's exposure to media as a single mom and what patterns she and her colleagues are seeing at Parents.

About our guest: Julia Dennison is Digital Content Director for the Parents brand, which includes heading up the content for Parents.com and its social platforms. A single co-parenting mama to 4-year-old Esme, she’s been writing and editing in the parenting space for over 13 years (an editor in general for more than 16 years), with a passion for covering all the wonderfully unique ways people parent and form families. She’s been a co-host of the podcast Pregnancy Confidential, and now of the new podcast We Are Family with ShaunT, all about the diversity of family life in America today. She has also appeared as a panel moderator and expert on the parenting beat for various events and TV segments, including those for Good Morning America, CNN/HLN, Yahoo and local news networks.

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann Romano touches on her three rules she lives by — build your village, let love in, and ask for help! Building your village starts within your heart. Who do you love and trust? Your village doesn't have to be confined to your immediate home either. Second families are a great way to build your village! This can be the blending of two separate marriages, your close friends you trust with your kids, or even living in a multi-generational home! Listen as Florence Ann and Joe Fatheree talk about the importance of second families.

Building your village is important, especially during COVID. Overnight we saw things change drastically — schools were closing, daycares were gone, nannies left the home, and it seemed as if parents were left with almost no village to lean on. 2020 left parents realizing the importance of the second family. Our great hosts offer concrete tips for parents on how they can build and maintain their village and lean on their second families during this time.

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@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know as early as 6 months, a baby's brain can notice race-based differences? Children learn about these racial biases and racial differences early on from their first teachers--their parents--and how to deal with and react to them. Our special guest, Jemelleh Coes, Georgia's 2014 Teacher of the Year, gives parents and teachers advice on how to guide our children to stand up against racial bias. We are back on another episode of Finger Painting the Future to revisit the topic of biases and racial equity and how they affect children at a young age. We learn from Jemelleh that building up our children's confidence levels gives them the courage to stand up for themselves and for others. Tune into this episode as she gives us helpful tips on how to navigate this hard topic with our children and ourselves in our everyday life. 

About our guest: Jemelleh Coes was named Georgia's 2014 Teacher of the Year. She is the daughter of immigrant parents and a first-generation university graduate. Jemelleh earned her Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Practice. She is a professor at the University of Georgia and Mount Holyoke College where she teaches current and future educators along with future professionals dedicated to disability advocacy. Her work has a laser focus on equity and disrupting traditional ways of engaging in education. She believes that equity is the thread that runs through everything! 

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Mental health has become a bigger topic as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise. And with an ever-changing environment, kids today have to understand the various emotions that surround the current situation. Parents and educators everywhere are seeking ways to address these issues with children. In today's episode of Fingerpainting the Future, we talk with middle school teacher Jess Guidroz about implementing social-emotional learning in the classroom and how parents can bring this practice home. As we continue navigating the pandemic and online learning, it's important for teachers to take a closer look at the mental well-being of their students to ensure they are as successful as possible. Tune in to this week's episode to find out how to incorporate social-emotional learning into your child's everyday life.

About our guest: Jess Guidroz is a middle school teacher who specializes in social-emotional learning and teen leadership. He has been an educator for more than 6 years and is currently teaching at William S. Hart Union High School District in Santa Clarita, CA. He has been awarded the Santa Clarita 40 Under 40 Award previously. Jess is also the founder of Santa Clarita Valley VEG FEST, an annual vegan-themed festival that aims to educate on the benefits of plant-based living.

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In today's stress-packed world, more and more people are looking for easy ways to relieve their stress and anxiety. A great place to start is to practice mindfulness — not only ourselves but our children as well. Being mindful means focusing on the present to find inner peace. What is something you love that brings you peace? It could be listening to your favorite music, going outside, or even meditating! Whatever it may be, it's so important to make sure we take five minutes out of our day with our kids to practice mindfulness. In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann and Joe speak with Adam Avin, teen mental health education advocate & founder of Wuf Shanti Children's Wellness Foundation, about how we can practice mindfulness with our children. Tune in to hear how thinking well can positively impact our lives.

About our guest: Adam Avin is a teen mental health education advocate and is the youngest meditation instructor at Yoga International. He created the Wuf Shanti Children's Wellness Foundation, which teaches mindfulness and social-emotional learning to kids. Adam also has been in many publications and gave a TEDxYouth Talk about getting mindful and social-emotional learning programs into our education system and using our voice to make a positive difference in the world.

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Everyone has their own biases, but how do they affect our children? With all of the current events taking place in our society, like the recent Capitol bombing, it's so easy to be angry at everything — however, it's worth noting that our anger can negatively impact the behavior of our children. So how do we approach such a hard topic with our children? In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, our special guest, Dana Boyd, 2007 Texas Teacher of the Year, speaks on the effects of biases and racial equity among young children. As teachers and parents, it is our duty to exhibit the type of behavior we want our students and children to have. The first step is acknowledging it within ourselves. Tune in to hear how we can effectively tackle this topic with our kids. 

About our guest: Dana K. Boyd is an influential leader with over twenty years in education. She has been a principal for 10 years and is currently the principal of Parkland Elementary School in El Paso, Texas. Dana has been awarded many accolades, including the 2007 Texas Teacher of the Year. She believes in creating and establishing a culture of success through relationships with students, faculty, and families. Dana is a self-reflective leader who strives to use lessons learned to strengthen stakeholders in education. 

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Bullying doesn't end at school – cyberbullying still happens after 3 PM. With the COVID-10 and remote learning, kids are experiencing more bullying online than ever before. While teachers are trained on how to identify and deal with bullying in the physical classroom, how can parents and teachers prevent/stop it during remote learning? On this episode of Finger Painting the future, Florence Ann and Joe speak with 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year, Kareem Neal on the topic of bullying. Kareem gives helpful insights on how we can be a safe space to talk with our children when it comes to dealing with bullies. As parents, it is very important that we build strong relationships with our children in order to create that safe space. Tune in to hear how you can tackle this hard topic with your kids. Not only will you learn how to help your children deal with bullying, but also how to deal with it in your own adult life!

About our guest: Kareem Neal is a recipient of 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year award and has taught students with cognitive delays for 23 years! He received an honorary doctorate from NAU for his contributions to special education in Arizona — and is also a 2019 Understood Teacher Fellow. Kareem has a passion for connecting all students and is currently the restorative justice trainer for the Phoenix union High School District.

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

COVID-19 quickly moved our children into virtual learning this year and it's safe to say it was NOT an easy transition. For kids, staring at a screen all day isn't as exciting as being in a classroom with their friends!

On today's episode of Finger Painting the Future, special guest Dyane Smokorowski, 2013 Kansas Teacher of the Year, gives parents and teachers advice on how to set children up for success and help them deal with failure. Whether it's picking something your students are passionate about or helping them ask their teacher for resources, we adults must ensure we are working to bridge the parent-student gap.

Your takeaways for this episode:

• Reach out & talk to your students' teacher
• Share your students’ interests with your teachers 
• Teach your students to self-advocate

About our guest: Dyane Smokorowski is a 2019 National Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee, 2013 Kansas Teacher of the Year, and is currently serving as the Coordinator of Digital Literacy in the Wichita Public Schools. Mrs. Smoke, as she’s known to her students, believes in a project-based, student-centered classroom that helps students build skills in communication, planning, research, and project implementation. Additionally, Dyane thrives on the mission to create active and engaging teacher professional learning opportunities. She wants her students and teachers to develop a love for innovation, communication, and technology, but also to understand how to use that love and passion to advance their own futures, as well as that of the global community.

Get in touch with us:

@fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram

@FPTFpodcast on Twitter

or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!