On this final episode of the season, Bethany Robertson, the original founder of Parents Together, discusses the importance of community and support for parents. She shares her own experiences as a new mom and the challenges she faced. Bethany emphasizes the need for systemic change and supportive policies for parents, such as paid family leave and affordable childcare. She also highlights the power of parents coming together to advocate for their needs and the needs of their children. The conversation touches on the division in the country and how parents can play a role in building bridges and finding common ground. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of hope and agency for parents and children, as well as the upcoming Parent and Family Vote initiative by ParentsTogether. The conversation revolves around the importance of voting as a family and instilling the value of civic engagement in children.

In this episode, Ailin Arreaza interviews Dahlia Hashad and Shelby Knox, who are involved in the online safety work at ParentsTogether. They discuss the harms of social media on children, including addiction, bullying, disordered eating, and sextortion. Highlighting the power of parents in advocating for change and sharing the progress they have made in working with tech companies and government officials, Dahlia and Shelby also provide resources for parents to get involved and make a difference.

⚠️Trigger Warning⚠️

This episode features content around substance misuse and the death of a teenager. Please call 1-800-662-HELP if you or anyone you know is struggling with substance misuse.

Amy Neville shares her personal journey of loss and activism after her son's tragic death due to fentanyl poisoning. She educates parents and teens about the dangers of fentanyl, the deceptive nature of counterfeit drugs, and the impact of social media on drug accessibility. Amy's foundation focuses on youth perspectives and aims to raise awareness and provide resources for prevention. Amy Neville discusses the dangers of fentanyl and its impact on adolescents, highlighting the role of social media platforms like Snapchat in facilitating drug-related activities. She emphasizes the need for parents to engage with their children on social media and provides insights on how to address drug experimentation and addiction. Amy also shares valuable information about naloxone and its importance in saving lives. The conversation ends with a message of hope and empowerment from the perspective of teens.

In the podcast episode "The Childcare Challenge: Parents, Policy, and the Power of Community," host Ailen Arreaza interviews three mothers—Kelly, Angela, and RiAnna—who share their journey in the grassroots Campaign for Childcare. They recount how they connected on Reddit, formed a supportive community, and began advocating for affordable, high-quality childcare. Their discussion delves into the challenges faced by families, the impact of childcare costs on their lives, and the need for systemic change. The mothers share personal stories, highlight examples of successful policies like New Mexico's universal childcare program, and encourage parents to join their movement to bring about change for future generations.

In this episode, host Ailen Arreaza interviews Robyn Welling, the director of content at ParentsTogether, discussing the creation of the popular social media series 'Scripts for Parents' and how it helps parents navigate difficult conversations with their children. They also talk about the importance of providing support and resources for parents. Robyn shares personal experiences and examples of how the scripts have helped her in her own parenting journey.

In this conversation, Winona Bateman, the founder and executive director of Families for a Livable Climate, discusses her inspiration to be vocal about climate change and the anxiety and paralysis that many parents feel about the future. She emphasizes the role of stories in climate action and how they can help engage and empower parents to take action. Winona also shares her approach to talking to kids about climate change and offers advice for parents who are unsure how to approach the topic. She highlights the importance of holding corporations accountable and taking action as families. Despite the challenges, Winona finds hope in nature and life, and encourages others to join the community and work towards a thriving and just world.

In this episode, host Ailen Arreaza interviews Jessica Stamen, an activist and co-founder of Momtivist and Democrashe. Jessica shares her journey into activism, which was sparked by the Sandy Hook tragedy. She discusses her involvement with Moms Demand Action, an organization fighting for sensible gun legislation and gun safety education. Jessica emphasizes the importance of asking about gun safety and shares tips for parents on how to approach the topic. She also highlights the power of using humor in advocacy and shares examples of her videos that tackle serious issues in a lighthearted way. Jessica talks about her work with Momtivist, a group that empowers parents to fight for what they believe in, and her current focus on Democrashe, a program that empowers high school girls to become leaders and future elected officials. She envisions a future where families and kids are actively engaged in advocacy and making positive change in their communities.

You can find out more about Jessica Stamen and her work at: www.democrashe.org

@democrasheorg

@momtivist

@jstamen

Follow us for more @parentstogether or find us online at parents-together.org

This conversation explores the challenges and experiences of a parent advocating for her dyslexic children in the public school system. The discussion highlights the struggles faced by students with dyslexia, the importance of early intervention and support, and the impact of school environments on a child's self-esteem and academic progress. This conversation also touches on the difficulties faced by parents in navigating the education system and the need for systemic change to ensure all children have access to appropriate educational resources and support. Naomi Pena shares her journey of opening the South Bronx Literacy Academy, a New York City Public School that supports students struggling with reading. She discusses the training of teachers and the remarkable outcomes they have achieved. Naomi also emphasizes the need to expand the vision and open schools in every borough of New York City and beyond. She addresses the guilt parents may feel when their children struggle with reading and offers advice on setting expectations and persisting in finding solutions. Naomi highlights the importance of teacher training and the efforts of the Literacy Academy Collective to improve literacy education.

In this episode, Ailen Arreaza engages in a meaningful dialogue with Tracy and LaQuanta, two parents whose children have suffered terrible harms on social media. We'll delve into their personal encounters with social media and the measures they've taken to safeguard their children's online presence. The discussion covers the pivotal moment they decided their children could own phones and engage with social media, along with the complexities and strategic choices they faced to protect their kids in the digital realm. They share poignant experiences of their children facing cyberbullying, focusing on the profound emotional repercussions and the critical steps towards addressing and mitigating such harassment. Specifically, they highlight incidents of racial cyberbullying, the difficulties in pinpointing the perpetrators, and the subsequent legal actions they pursued. The conversation also uncovers the underlying motives of cyberbullies, often driven by a quest for online recognition, and the significant emotional distress inflicted on the victims and their families. Tracy and LaQuanta further share their proactive roles in advocating for change, including pushing for legislative reforms and enhancing public awareness, underscoring the indispensable role of parental communication and the imperative for social media platforms to acknowledge and rectify the damages incurred.

In this episode, Ailen Arreaza interviews Jess Craven, an activist and influencer who uses TikTok to discuss the intersection of politics and parenting. They discuss the power of media, the importance of being politically engaged as parents, and the impact of having a non-binary child. Jess shares her experiences dealing with trolls and pushback on social media and offers advice on how to navigate political conversations. She emphasizes the importance of taking action and finding hope in activism, encouraging parents to use their voices and votes to make a difference. In this episode, Jessica Craven discusses the importance of finding hope and taking action in the face of challenges. She emphasizes the power of collective action and encourages listeners to focus on positive news and be part of the solution. Jessica also shares her personal journey of supporting her non-binary child and offers advice for parents of LGBTQ+ children. Finally, she provides information on how to follow her and get involved in creating a better future for children.

Instagram/TikTok: @jesscraven101

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