In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer talks with author and jesusloves.org founder Tara Hackney about rewriting the classic song "Jesus Loves the Little Children" after adopting a traumatized two-year-old from India and realizing the original lyrics felt outdated and incomplete. Tara shares how her experiences in global ministry and adoption awakened a deeper passion to help children understand they are purposefully made, personally known, and perfectly loved by Jesus, and how diversity reflects God's grand design. They discuss practical ways educators can honor God's image in every child through respectful interactions, creativity, empathy-building experiences, and cultural exposure, while connecting everyday actions to God's love. Monica also highlights upcoming ECCN conferences in Georgetown and McKinney, Texas.

00:00 Welcome to Reimagine Childhood

00:50 Meet Tara Hackney

02:07 Why Rewrite the Song

03:12 Adoption Sparked the Change

04:58 Gods Grand Design in Diversity

09:01 Purposefully Made Personally Known

10:54 Practical Classroom Mindset Shifts

15:01 Creativity Justice and Reasoning

16:42 Let Kids Create and Learn

19:24 Do Overs and Childlike Mercy

22:30 Quick Story Break Setup

22:43 Conference Season Preview

23:49 Keynotes and Registration

25:06 Teaching Kids Gods Love

27:46 Culture and Classroom Differences

30:43 Immersion and Empathy Activities

35:15 Worship Creativity and Discernment

40:05 Reimagine Teachers as Missionaries

42:27 Purposefully Made Reflection

44:46 Final Challenge and Farewell

Connect with Tara at her website www.jesusloves.org where she also has a really cute shop with merch for you!

She has a monthly newsletter where she shares lots of fun ideas as well. Here's the link if you want to sign up.

Find the song on Spotify or Youtube:

Audio only - https://open.spotify.com/album/1fxDj0EWd0bJ8fPNTQj2SL

Audio and video (lyric video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGR9HoxoZIA&list=RDhGR9HoxoZIA&start_radio=1

Connect with Tara on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jesusloves.ministry/

Find the book Jesus Loves The Little Children on Amazon HERE.

If you'd like to place a bulk order of these little books, reach out to Tara on her website for bulk pricing.

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer talks with Sarah Philpott—farmer's wife, mom, part-time teacher, and author—about two lift-the-flap board books for young children: Wake Up Little Seed (plant life cycles) and Moo Moo Nap Nap (midday rhythms of rest on the farm). Sarah shares how farm life inspired her to help children see God as "the who behind the science," and she offers practical classroom ideas like starting with the end in mind by opening fruit, showing seeds, planting in soil, and tracking growth over time. Their conversation also explores helping children connect food to farms, building positive nap-time routines through repetition and predictability, and making read-alouds engaging through expressive voice, prediction questions, and acting out stories. The episode also highlights ECCN's upcoming two-day Texas conferences and notes Sarah's devotional for women experiencing infant and pregnancy loss.

00:00 Reimagine Childhood Intro

00:46 Meet Sarah Philpott

01:54 Wake Up Little Seed Story

04:29 Classroom Planting Ideas

06:44 Food Comes From Farms

12:30 Moo Moo Nap Nap Rhythms

20:01 Read Aloud Tips and Wrap

Connect with Sarah at https://allamericanmom.net/

On her instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sarahlphilpott/

Her children's books that we talked about today are

· Wake Up, Little Seed

· Moo, Moo, Nap, Nap

You can find all of her books on Amazon - HERE

SPECIAL NOTE: If you or a momma in your circle of influence has suffered with infant or pregnancy loss, check out her book Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer welcomes Brock Eastman (aka Dr. Phineas Einstein Fizzlebop), an award-winning author, Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. contributor, and dad of four, to discuss why connecting science and faith matters for young children. Brock shares how Dr. Fizzlebop began as a Clubhouse Jr. science column and grew into videos, a 52-week family devotional (Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop), and Super Simple Science board books covering basics like colors, counting, alphabets, weather, and space. They talk about planting early "memory seeds" that help children integrate faith with everyday learning, the importance of parent-child reading and shared experiences amid modern distractions, and the power of saying "I don't know—let's look it up." Brock demonstrates simple experiments—baking soda and vinegar balloon inflation, "cluck from a cup" amplification, and a straw rocket launch—each paired with a faith connection, and he also mentions his middle grade series Parable Port where Jesus' parables come to life.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:29 Brock Science Origins

04:57 Dr Fizzlebop Resources

31:05 Why Moments Matter

36:51 Curiosity Builds Trust

39:37 Fizz Inflator Experiment

48:34 Cluck From a Cup

53:57 Rocket Launch and Sendoff

Connect with Brock Eastman (aka Dr. Fizzlebop) on his website - https://www.brockeastman.com/dr-fizzlebop.html or on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@fizzlebop

or on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/fizzleboplabs/

Find all of his picture and board-books here - https://www.brockeastman.com/picture--board-books.html

Fun experiment for Father's Day! - https://www.brockeastman.com/fizzlebop-lab-updates/fathers-day-fizztastic-experiment-water-balloon-strength-test

Our Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ECCN-Admin/podcasts

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer talks with Debbie Simmons, founder and CEO of Anchor Point, about why so many early educators feel overwhelmed and how to build resilience without defaulting to control, hustle, or silence. Debbie explains that pressure reveals where our trust systems "leak," and encourages educators to view burnout and anxiety as data points for needed shifts in rhythms, relationships, and honest conversations. She challenges listeners to be brave, speak up, and first be honest with God about fear and lack of trust, noting that internal stress can impact health. Debbie offers practical tools for daily life: start the day centered with God, surrender your schedule, breathe to regain clarity, and focus on the "next best step."

00:00 Reimagine Childhood Intro

00:50 Why It Feels Heavy

08:33 Silence And Hard Talks

18:25 When You Cannot Give 100

23:46 Summer Conference Preview

26:23 Honest Trust Conversations

30:11 Daily Practices to Trust

41:28 Legacy and Closing Prayer

Find more great info about Debbie Simmons and all that she brings to the table on her website at https://thedebbiesimmons.com/

Or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thedebbiesimmons/

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer welcomes back conference favorite Dr. Melissa Ewing, a PhD-trained clinical psychologist and professor at Dallas Baptist University with ministry experience and a passion for integrating scripture with brain science. They discuss why emotions can feel overwhelming, including generational messages about stuffing feelings, the amygdala's danger response, and the role of the prefrontal cortex in reasoning and impulse control. Dr. Ewing defines emotional regulation as recognizing, naming, expressing, and managing emotions, and explains how it supports mental health and relationships. She offers practical tools organized into four areas: renew your mind by replacing automatic negative thoughts with truth and scripture, refocus your heart through worship and gratitude, recharge your body with sleep, hydration, movement, and wise choices, and rest your spirit through Sabbath rhythms, boundaries, and reducing technology.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:22 Why Emotions Feel Bigger 09:24 What Emotional Regulation Means 11:28 Renew Mind and Refocus Heart 23:08 Summer Promo 26:42 Music and Boundaries 28:48 Grace at Work 31:23 Recharge Your Body 37:22 Rest and Wrap Up

We've added several tools here to help you: Coping Skills Checklist Encouraging Verses for Worry and Stress Using Your Senses to Manage Stress

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer welcomes Joy Wendling—founder of Created to Play, author, podcast host, and ministry resource coordinator—to model how intentional movement and planned "interruptions" can transform Bible storytelling for preschoolers. Joy demonstrates telling "Jesus Calms the Storm" by inviting children to row, rock with waves, show emotions, and breathe into peace, helping them process fear and experience the story in their bodies. They discuss choosing age-appropriate, shorter storybook Bible retellings, the value of oral storytelling, and how movement frees children's brains to focus rather than struggle to sit still. Monica and Joy explore how this approach nurtures faith, helps children imagine Jesus in everyday life, and offers practical ways to handle child-led interruptions with "connection over perfection," plus classroom extension ideas like sink-and-float play and ocean sounds.

00:00 5.4.26- Joy Wendling

00:01 Welcome to Reimagine Childhood

00:50 Meet Joy Wendling

02:30 Interactive Bible Story Demo

13:34 Why Movement Matters

17:01 Conference Season Highlights

18:01 Storytelling That Builds Faith

26:05 Handling Interruptions Gracefully

31:09 Key Takeaways And Sendoff

Find all of Joy's resource at https://createdtoplay.com/

Her podcast is Playfully Faithful Parenting - https://createdtoplay.com/podcast/

Follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/createdtoplay

Or find some of the toolkits she's created at https://faithandchildren.org/

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer welcomes literacy change leader Melissa Leach, owner and president of Leach Literacy Training, to discuss why young children "won't listen" and how educators can teach listening and behavior skills developmentally and with grace. Melissa emphasizes that it's not a child's job to be engaged; it's the teacher's job to engage them, consider children's backgrounds, and teach expectations rather than assume they already know. She shares practical tools including nonjudgmental "behavior reflections" (stating what a "mirror" sees using "you/your") and the "4 Rs": Reflection, Reaction, Redirect, and "Remember I said." They also address barriers like time and adult discomfort, encourage partnering with families, and recommend restoring classroom joy through teacher-led singing and playful transitions while holding onto the "pre" in preschool.

00:00 Welcome to Reimagine Childhood

02:07 Why Kids Don't Listen Yet

05:04 Teach Behavior Not Punish

11:22 Behavior Reflections Tool

17:15 Summer Conference Promo

17:38 Conference Season Highlights

19:39 The Four Rs Framework

21:41 Overwhelm to Joyful Classrooms

32:08 Reimagining Preschool and Final Takeaways

Find Melissa at her website - https://www.leachliteracytraining.com/

Here is a link to the website with free printables that Melissa mentioned - https://kizclub.com/#gsc.tab=0

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer talks with Ann McKittrick, founder of Nurtured Noggins and Texas Childcare Training, about challenges young families have faced since COVID and practical ways early educators can help. Ann describes lingering impacts including fear, isolation around birth and newborn care, disrupted social-emotional development, increased reliance on screens and online "experts," and reduced everyday experiences for children. They discuss how parental loneliness and overwhelm affect children and highlight the need for belonging and predictable routines in classrooms to build confidence and security. Ann shares strategies for strengthening family community through intentional parent connections, analog wellness prompts, and facilitating relationships among parents. She also reimagines greater cultural respect, support, and pay for early childhood educators given the importance of early brain development.

00:00 Reimagine Childhood Intro

00:49 Meet Ann McKittrick

02:56 COVID Aftershocks for Families

10:37 Loneliness Screens and Child Development

20:29 Conference Season Highlights

22:38 Predictability Builds Belonging

26:09 Helping Parents Reconnect

35:15 Reimagining Educator Respect

Ann McKitrick has LOADS of resources for early childhood educators, parents and moms, specifically. Check out her website at https://www.annmckitrick.com/

You can also connect with her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nurturednoggins/

And if you're interested in connection and becoming your best self in this season — check out her Momentum program at https://www.annmckitrick.com/momentum/.

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer talks with Jesse Lambert, a childcare coaching specialist from West Virginia, about the importance of knowing your "why" in early childhood education—especially during seasons of spring fatigue, difficult days, and burnout. Jesse shares how a moment driving past a church for sale sparked her path into early childhood, leading her to earn an associate's degree in early childhood education and a bachelor's in child development and family studies. Together, Monica and Jesse explore how purpose fuels motivation beyond a paycheck, how your "why" can shift with different seasons of life, and how prayer and staying in tune with yourself help you recognize when you're drifting or simply going through the motions. They discuss navigating hard interactions with parents, coworkers, and children, choosing to "rise above" by turning to God, and practical ways to reset classroom routines—like changing tone of voice, singing directions, or adding playful elements—to reignite joy for both teachers and children. The conversation also highlights the role of school leaders in creating supportive environments, the value of a school-wide "why" alongside each staff member's personal purpose, and Jesse's experience of burnout during COVID that ultimately led her to make a job change. Monica closes by encouraging listeners to pause, ask God to renew their passion, and remember that thriving educators help children flourish.

00:00 Welcome to Reimagine Childhood: A Calling to Shape Hearts

01:32 Meet Jesse Lambert: From a Church-for-Sale Moment to Early Childhood

04:20 Find Your "Why": Purpose, Seasons, and Staying in Tune with God

13:11 Hard Days & Healthy Culture: Resilience, Faith, and Leading Staff Well

19:12 Create a School-Wide "Why" (and Make It More Than a Mission Statement)

22:10 Are You Drifting? Signs You've Lost Motivation + How to Check In

23:28 Burnout, Needed Shifts, and Simple Classroom Resets That Reignite Joy

30:04 Break the Generational Cycle + Final Encouragement to Rediscover Your Why

Connect with Jessie on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jessie.lambert.2025

Need some tools for identifying your Why? Try this activity - Finding Your Roots

In this episode of Reimagine Childhood by Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer converses with Martha Harvey, co-founder of With Families ministry. They discuss the importance of early faith formation starting even before birth and its role in developing trust, love, and safety in children. Martha shares practical ways for integrating faith into preschool classrooms and engaging parents in the discipleship process. Topics covered include the significance of teachers modeling faith, incorporating prayer and scripture into daily activities, and creating intentional learning experiences that connect to Biblical stories. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of family worship and community support in nurturing a child's spiritual growth. Martha introduces the With Kits as tools for extending faith education into the home, providing resources that require no prep work for parents. The episode concludes with reflections on the pivotal role weekday programs play in shaping the foundational faith experiences of young children.