Parent Trapped

In our final episode of the series, we're looking at how you can take the messiness of the last few months and embrace it to have a more creative and resilient life. Plus, we do a little bit of therapy … movie therapy.

Since the pandemic started, kids have been spending more time online. So how do we keep them from chatting with strangers, sharing passwords, and discovering adult content? Anya Kamenetz, author of The Art of Screen Time, gives us strategies for making sure your kids are safe and responsible on the internet even when you're not watching.

Feeling angry lately? Overwhelmed? How about your kids? Author and illustrator Christian Robinson has created a tool to help young people process powerful emotions through art. In this episode he'll talk about his video series Making Space, and how childhood struggles can be spun into stories.

... and just when you think he's done ... he sings some more. Plus, chores! And getting your kid to do them. Author Asha Dornfest has some ideas.

Racism has a profound impact on the health and well-being of our kids. This week, racism against the Black community is being laid bare for all families to see—from the pandemic's disproportionate impact to police brutality and other racist violence. For this week's show, child psychologist Allison Briscoe-Smith will share her advice for talking with your kids about big, important topics like racism, ways to promote resilience, and committing to action.

Reading, writing, and storytelling can be a creative first aid kit for families stuck at home during the pandemic. But where do you begin if your kid says they don't *want* to read or write? Today we've got some strategies for making reading and writing exciting, including some games dreamed up by the one and only Julie Andrews.

Over the summer, kids tend to lose some of what they learned during the academic year—and that slide may be greater this year, with schools being shut for months during the pandemic. Today we'll get some tips on how to manage the "COVID slide." Plus, award-winning children's book writer Grace Lin brings author visits to your home, and comedian Rob Huebel has some tricks for getting through the monotony of spending every freakin' day with your kids.

During a pandemic, there's so much to be stressed about. Dr. Dave Anderson of the Child Mind Institute has some strategies for keeping your anxiety in check—including one that involves eating a sandwich!

What happens when the invisible work of mothers becomes visible during a pandemic? Better Life Lab director Brigid Schulte says now is the perfect time for couples to dream up better ways to share responsibilities at home.

Ever since schools closed due to social-distancing requirements, a lot of kids have been spending most of their time online. Is all that screen time harmful?