Talking About Kids

I doubt that anyone listening to the Talking About Kids podcast needs science to tell them that kids form deep attachments to their pets. However, it is worth noting the research on kids’ emotional reactions to a pet’s death. Studies show that a pet’s death may be traumatic for children and associated with subsequent mental health difficulties. A mitigating factor may be bereavement or how kids are allowed to process that death. My guest today to explore this topic is licensed mental health counselor and animal lover Anne Marie Farage-Smith. Anne Marie shares some practical tips for supporting children from her newly released book, Healing Wisdom for Pet Loss: An Animal Lover’s Guide to Grief. More information about Anne Marie and her book are at talkingaboutkids.com.

My guest this episode is Timothy McKnight, a respected pediatrician, a second-generation Black physician, and an innovative leader. Tim believes that more can be done to address the healthcare disparities that too many families face, and he believes that pediatricians are in a unique position to help bring about the necessary changes. It is why he teaches leadership skills to pediatricians and why he is the Director of a program that supports students from communities that face healthcare disparities on their paths to becoming physicians. Tim and I discuss his inspirational work, as well as what you can do to help end healthcare disparities. More information about Tim is at talkingaboutkids.com.

Bullying comes up a lot on Talking About Kids. When it does, we typically are discussing statistics and system-wide initiatives. My guest this episode to discuss bullying in adolescence is globally-recognized expert, Kevin Runions. In his roles as Area Lead Consultant for Research, Evaluation & Monitoring with School Mental Health Ontario, Kevin is supports 76 school boards serving over 2 million elementary and secondary students. In other words, he deals in statistics and system-wide initiatives, but, as you will hear, Kevin believes that to stop bullying we need to pay more attention to the unique individuals involved, including the bullies. This episode was intentionally produced to support the formation and coordination of adolescent-centered care and services, so you also will hear from Vinny Chulani and Tracy Pedrotti of the Arizona Alliance for Adolescent Health. It was recorded live using a webinar platform to encourage questions from alliance members and other listeners. More information about Kevin and about the Arizona Alliance for Adolescent Health is at talkingaboutkids.com.

Talking About Kids is kicking off our fourth season with a very special guest, Kitty Felde. Kitty is a veteran public radio journalist who has won multiple awards for her coverage of Capital Hill. Kitty’s desire to expose kids to the genuine Capital Hill and the real workings of government lead her down an unconventional path, that of writing mysteries. Kitty discusses her Fina Mendoza book series next. More information about Kitty – including links to the books, the teacher's guides, and her booking information – is talkingaboutkids.com.

This is the final mini summer episode of Talking About Kids. In it, I share some statistics about kids that are related to the Positive Indicators Project's measures of kids "Helping Others to Flourish" that I described in the previous episode. To help us through the stress and fear-mongering of this political season, I share some encouraging statistics about kids and volunteerism. Links to some of the research I cite are at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return next week with a very special guest!

In this fifth mini summer episode of Talking About Kids, I introduce the Positive Indicators Project, which is a movement to measure and track positive behaviors and attitudes in kids. I also present concepts, like gratitude and thrift, that the project has defined, categorized, and analyzed. A link to the project is at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return in the Fall.

This is the fourth mini summer episode of Talking About Kids. In it, I share some favorable statistics about kids and delinquency. I hope these encouraging facts about kids will help us through the stress and fear-mongering of this political season. Links to some of the research I cite are at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return in the Fall.

This is the third mini summer episode of Talking About Kids. In it, I share some encouraging statistics about kids and substance use. I hope these encouraging facts about kids will help us through the stress and fear-mongering of this political season. Links to some of the research I cite are at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return in the Fall.

This is the second mini summer episode of Talking About Kids. In it, I share some encouraging statistics about kids and sex. I hope these encouraging facts about kids will help us through the stress and fear-mongering of this political season. Links to some of the research I cite are at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return in the Fall.

This is the first mini episode of Talking About Kids for summer 2024. In it, I share some little-known facts about kids in the U.S., and I present the theme for the remaining summer episodes: namely positive facts about kids to help us through the stress and fear-mongering that are all too present today. Links to some of the research I cite are are at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return in the Fall.