Volunteering From Home (0:00:00)

Quarantine is changing the way we serve each other. Before social distancing we could work together in groups for a particular organization. Now our biggest service moment of the day might be letting our spouse decide which TV show we’ll be watching together. But thankfully because of technology, we can find lots of service opportunities online that we can do from the comfort of our own homes. One such opportunity comes through Zooniverse, an online science platform that conducts research on interesting scientific topics, all led by volunteer researchers. Joining us today is astronomer and science lead Cliff Johnson, here to talk with us about the mission of Zooniverse and how anyone can get involved in real scientific research.

 

 

The Need for Cuddlers (0:15:07)

Lately, I’ve really been missing getting hugs from people! I didn’t really consider myself to be a touchy person until we were advised not to touch anyone... and I miss it! Who knew how important physical contact is? We recently found out about is a position called a “cuddler;” a volunteer whose entire job is to provide this important physical contact for newborn babies in the hospital by holding and snuggling them! This seemed too good to be true, we so we invited Dr. James Kirk Bass , a neonatologist and pediatrician at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, to tell us more!

 

 

Self-Compassion (0:33:43)

As parents, we want to be caring and loving to our kids. I don’t think any of us want to be that parent that only cares about themselves... like Cinderella’s stepmother or Luke Skywalker’s evil father Darth Vader, just caring about our own vanity or ruling our own galaxy while our kids feel forgotten. But is the solution to go to the other extreme and never take care of ourselves? No! And Dr. Fuschia Sirois is here to explain why. She’s an internationally distinguished researcher of Health and Social Psychology at the University of Sheffield who studies how self-compassion can help us be better parents and healthier people.

 

 

Staying Connected Through Social Media (0:50:34)

Before the coronavirus outbreak, people always said that social media can actually make us feel lonely and more isolated, but now social media is one of the few ways for us to stay connected with our family and friends. So how can we use these apps to keep in touch with not just our tech-savvy friends but with our older relatives as well? Sarah Gleim, a writer and content manager for HowStuffWorks, joins us on the show today to walk us through all our options.

 

 

Little Dresses for Africa (1:07:36)

A new dress can stop a little girl from being abducted. That might sound crazy, but that is often the case in many parts of Africa. When a little girl is seen wearing a new, clean dress, it usually means someone cares about her and is looking out for her. Recognizing the need for more dresses in many of these impoverished countries, the non-profit organization Little Dresses for Africa is making new dresses for girls in Africa using pillowcases. A pillowcase might cost two bucks at Walmart so this is a relatively inexpensive way to serve from within your own home. Here to talk about this amazing service opportunity is the founder of Little Dresses for Africa , Rachel O’Neill.

 

 

Beauty at Home (1:25:42)

The #pandemicbangs hashtag has been trending over the past few days as many people have realized that going in to see their hair stylist isn’t going to happen any time soon. So, what are we supposed to do with grown out roots, shaggy hair cuts, or split ends? Knowing the ins and outs of at-home hair care can help us survive these unpredictable times without sacrificing our beautiful locks. Here to give us some tips regarding at-home hair care is friend of the show Michelle Lindsay. Michelle Lindsay is a hair stylist, color expert, and an instructor for L’oreal Professionnel.