Talking About Kids

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In this mini Memorial Day episode, I look at poppies as a symbol of remembrance that you can share with the kids in your life. A link to “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae is at talkingaboutkids.com. Full-length Talking About Kids episodes return next week (June 1, 2026).

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The science is clear: A one-size-fits-all approach to education or mental health does not work. But what about physical health? I am hearing more and more parents complain about the healthcare their children receive. At the same time, I am being overwhelmed with ads for potions, diets and supplements that promise to cure everything instantly. This is why I was eager to speak with Marcus Fernandez. Marcus has spent three decades advocating for preventative, homeostatic approaches to physical health. He is the Principal of The Centre for Homeopathic Education and the author of several works, including Homeopathy at Home: Everyday Treatments for Common Complaints. I asked Marcus to define what homeopathic medicine is, when and for whom it is appropriate, and how to distinguish between, what he refers to as, “evidence-based” approaches and the exploitive, false promises that crowd our inboxes and social network feeds. More information about Marcus, including links to the The Centre for Homeopathic Education and his book, is talkingaboutkids.com.

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The children’s middle grade action and adventure novel, George Goodwin, Dragon Slayer: A Scouting Legend, was written by long-term collaborators Candace Lee and Eric Newman. Bringing it to fruition was an act of resilience, so it is not surprising that resilience is theme in the book and a skill the authors hope the book fosters in its readers. Candace, Eric, and I discuss this, the importance of scouting and exploration, and the depth of the world they created. More information about Candace and Eric, including a link to their book, is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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Kevin Cripe changed the culture of his under-resourced school in Modesto, California, with an afterschool program devoted to…chess. Kevin and I discuss his motivation for starting the program, how he did it, and, importantly, why he chose chess. I believe the lessons Kevin learned in the process can benefit all out-of-school time (OST) programs. More information about Kevin – including information on his books, how to engage him as speaker, and a picture of one his many chess champions with an enormous trophy – is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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Grammar. If the thought of it makes you anxious, you are not alone. My guest this episode, Patty McGee, wants to change that by changing how we teach the subject. The pedagogy that she prescribes in her excellent book, Not Your Granny’s Grammar, is not necessarily new (Patty bases her recommendations on evidence-informed practices). However, solid pedagogy, like Patty’s, is rarely applied to subject of grammar. Patty and I discuss this, her book, and tips for reducing grammar anxiety. More information about Patty and her book is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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If we want to improve the economy, if we want to make the population healthier, or even if we want to reduce the deficit, leading economists tell us that we should invest in early childhood development. Unfortunately, the opposite is happening, and, as new research from National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) reveals, childcare providers are feeling pinched. My guest to discuss NAEYC’s most recent Early Childhood Education (ECE) Workforce Survey is NAEYC’s Senior Director of Applied Research, Meghan Salas Atwell. As you will hear Meghan explain, childcare providers are caught between rising costs and decreasing revenue. If this persists, the evidence suggests that we all will suffer. More information about Meghan and ECE Workforce Survey is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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When it comes to programs and services for children and families, researchers and practitioners should work hand-in-hand: research should guide practice and, in turn, study what is working to inform the rest of the field. By all accounts, All Our Children Elite Childcare Academy, the beloved program founded by Antoinette Elliott, exemplifies this relationship. Antoinette incorporated best practices and input from expert consultants in the design of the academy, but, as you will hear, I believe that the elements that she created from experience and trial-and-error are benefiting children and families in ways that need to be studied and replicated. More information about Antoinette and All Our Children Elite Childcare Academy - including a link to a complimentary Parent Peace Pack: 10 Powerful Tools to Help You Navigate Tantrums, Picky Eating, Bedtime Battles, and More - is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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The research is conclusive: strong public education systems benefit individuals, communities, and, ultimately, society in myriad ways. Unfortunately, public education systems across the U.S.A. are facing pressures that, some believe, impede them from providing all the services that kids, and neurodivergent kids in particular, need. My guest this episode, Kait Feriante, supports public education, but she has seen too many kids with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia fall through the cracks. Kait founded Redwood Literacy to provide independent assessment and intervention services for them. She and I discuss those services and how to tell if a kid in your life needs them. More information about Kait and Redwood Literacy is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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Faye Bankler Casell wants your child to read, and she is doing all she can to make that happen.  Faye is a Special Educator, Certified Academic Language Therapist, and Dyslexia Therapist; she has a master’s degree from the Teachers College at Columbia University; she hosts the “Teach My Child to Read” YouTube Channel; and she is the founder of HomeReadingCoach.com. As you will hear, Faye is concerned that not everyone in our kids’ lives is as committed to helping them read as she is. Faye and I discuss this and what you can to do to support early reading interventions. More information about Faye, including links to her website and YouTube channel, is at talkingaboutkids.com. 

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The black garbage bag. You may or may not know its significance in the foster care system. Either way, my guest this episode will inspire you. Among other things, Rob Scheer is the author of A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child at a Time and the founder of Comfort Cases, a nonprofit with the #BAGBUSTERS rallying cry and the mission to “inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care.” My hope is that you will never look at a black garbage bag the same way again. More information about Rob, his nonprofit Comfort Cases, and his book, A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child at a Time, is at talkingaboutkids.com.