Home & Classroom

It's the first episode of our new companion podcast A Day in the Life! 

We read your stories of the moments you have with children every day. Tell us all about the times a child in your life has surprised you, challenged you, made you laugh, or made you cry. Join us for some fun, laughter, and meaningful conversation, as we discuss everyday life with children while gaining insight and sharing advice from the experts here at Brightside Up. Email [email protected] to share your stories today!

We kick off the new show with a couple of our own stories. In this episode, Lindsay describes an adorable moment when niece, Quinn, discovers that talking to houseplants helps them grow. After a conversation with Infant Toddler Specialist, Kathleen Harland, Lindsay learns the benefit of what's happening for Quinn when she reads a book to Phil the philodendron. Then Kate shares a memory from her own childhood describing a fun "dress up for dinner" event when the family would wear silly outfits at the dinner table. After chatting with Kim Polstein, LMSW & director of mental health services, she understands better why these moments were so meaningful.

Mentioned during the show | thefamilydinnerproject.org 
The Family Dinner Project champions family dinner as an opportunity for family members to connect with each other through food, fun, and conversation about things that matter. Try one of their activities and tell us how it went!

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

We chat with experts & special guests about children's development, health, nutrition, play, growth, child care, parenting, and more. Email [email protected] to be a guest or send an interview suggestion today!

To kick off the new season, we sat down with Barbara Mitchell, LMHC, and Infant Mental Health Consultant to talk about navigating grief with young children. Barbara helps us understand how to communicate authentically and honestly with children about a loss so that they feel safe, supported, and able to move forward with life. 

Mentioned during the show
Owl Babies book amazon.com/Owl-Babies-Martin-Waddell/dp/0763617105
See the Owl Babies inspired artwork on our Instagram page at @wearebrightsideup
Brene Brown on Empathy youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw
Tear Soup amazon.com/Tear-Soup-Recipe-Healing-After/dp/0961519762
Life Kit npr.org/lifekitold
Home & Classroom magazine brightsideup.org/homeandclassroom
The Invisible String book amazon.com/Invisible-String-Patrice-Karst/dp/031648623X
The Invisible String video youtu.be/bp425dENRoA
The Invisible String printables English | Spanish
The Memory Box book amazon.com/Memory-Box-Book-About-Grief/dp/1506426727
The Sharing Place thesharingplace.org
Sesame Street sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/grief

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

The Best of Home & Classroom
Kate's pick for 'best of' features an interview with Brightside Up's Infant Toddler Specialist, Kathleen Harland. Originally aired on April 11, 2019.

Kathleen Harland, Infant Toddler Specialist talks infant and toddler literacy and how our interactions and meaningful conversations using rich language will enhance baby's language and literacy. She sheds light on how providing children with options and choices makes the world of difference. Kathleen dives into the importance and benefits of taking children outside and allowing them to explore and see the world without the confines of their stroller or carrier. 

• Hello Brain Builder! Try Vroom at vroom.org

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

The Best of Home & Classroom
Lindsay's pick for 'best of' is all about art and children's development with Brightside Up's own executive director, Abbe Kovacik. Originally aired on March 21, 2019.

Hannah and Rachel chat with Abbe Kovacik, early childhood developmentalist and executive director of Brightside Up (formerly the Child Care Council) about the benefits of the early childhood art experience. 

• Visit Harvard for research and inspiration, Project Zero: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/who-we-are/about
• The Arts Center in Troy, NY for local art experiences https://www.artscenteronline.org/

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

The Best of Home & Classroom
Rachel's pick for 'best of' features Dr. Walter Gilliam, Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center and Director of The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy. Originally aired on August 6, 2019.

Dr. Walter Gilliam joins us remotely to discuss implicit bias and the alarming rate at which preschoolers are expelled. Dr. Gilliam is a Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center, as well as the Director of The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy. His research involves early childhood education and intervention policy analysis (specifically how policies translate into effective services), ways to improve the quality of prekindergarten and child care services, the impact of early childhood education programs on children’s school readiness, and effective methods for reducing classroom behavior problems and preschool expulsion. 

• www.ziglercenter.yale.edu
• [email protected]
• https://earlycareandlearning.org/nys-elan-nbcdi-html/ (ECLC expulsion and suspension toolkit)

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

The Best of Home & Classroom
Hannah's pick for 'best of' features our friend Jeannie Thomma from the Early Care & Learning Council. Originally aired on July 11, 2019.

Meditation can improve the body, mind, and spirit. Tune in to hear Jeannie Thomma, Infant Toddler Coordinator at the Early Care and Learning Council & meditation/mindfulness expert share her experience and tips for adding meditation practice to your life and how it can improve interactions with others personally and professionally.

• InsightTimer

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

Join Hannah and Rachel, joined by Jennifer Pringle, JD, Project Director for NYS TEACHS the New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students who provide information, referrals, and training to schools, school districts, social service providers, parents, and others about the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

https://www.strose.edu/academics/schools/school-of-education/campus-based-professional-groups/friday-knights-program/

The Friday Knights Recreation Program is a structured and supportive recreational environment for children and adolescents who need opportunities for social interaction beyond what is available through school settings or community recreation programs.

https://www.albany.edu/registrar/Center_for_Autism_and_Related_Disabilities_(CARD).php

The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University at Albany (CARD Albany) is a university-affiliated resource center that brings research and practice together in community settings. 

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

A chat about children's creativity and the "whole book approach" with Courtney Waring, Director of Education and Sara Ottomano, Art Educator from the Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
 
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has compiled its online resources onto one page. It includes links to at-home Art Studio projects, storytime videos, their first online exhibition, a Shop blog with booklists and recommendations, exhibition videos, available virtual workshops, and social media platforms.  https://www.carlemuseum.org/content/online-resources

Be sure to visit the Art Studio Blog mentioned in the show here: https://www.carlemuseum.org/blogs/making-art)

Grace Lin's podcast Kids Ask Authors, (https://www.kidsaskauthors.com/) and the Whole Book Approach which is introduced in this book https://shop.carlemuseum.org/reading-picture-books-children-be-autographed-423

The Carle also offers a professional development workshop around the approach as a virtual program https://www.carlemuseum.org/content/professional-development-0

With the current closure due to COVID-19, please visit https://www.carlemuseum.org/content/temporary-closure for the most current information regarding temporary hours.

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

Lisa Dougherty is the mom of an 18-year-old with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her son Sam was diagnosed at age 4 1/2. Join us as Lisa shares her family's journey, insights, and some helpful, local resources in New York's Capital Region. 

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.

Kaela Wallman, Coordinator of Youth Services for Schenectady County Public Library joins Hannah and Rachel to talk about the importance of early literacy, the role the library plays in literacy development, Schenectady County Public library's literacy partners, and the role parents and caregivers play in early literacy development.

Schenectady County Public Library website: http://www.scpl.org/

STARS program: https://www.schenectadystars.org/

Screen time info for parents of 0 to 3 year olds: https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/series/screen-sense

Screen time info for parents with older children: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/technology-and-media

These are the books Hannah and Rachel discussed in the intro:

 BJ Novak - The Book with No Pictures 

 Jimmy Fallon – Your Baby's First Word Will Be DADA 

John Oliver- A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo 

Stephen Colbert- I Am A Pole (And So Can You!)  

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Home & Classroom is an interview-style podcast featuring child development experts and  Shorties! is a news-style podcast on what's happening at Brightside Up.