News and Happenings

Devorah Heitner, Ph.D. and author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World, guides us through some of the push-and-pull challenges we’re facing with screen time and technology while kids and parents are stuck at home. “I don’t think of media and tech as evil, I just think that most of us do well when our screen experiences and tech time is more balanced.”

As an entrepreneur, actor, and solo parent, having to suddenly homeschool his kid wasn’t the easiest transition for Jonas Chartock, but finding time every night for him and his son to say what they’re thankful for has helped ease stress for them both. “It’s something that I want to model for him so that he is able to use it as a counter to some of the anxiety and stress that that comes up.”  

During this time of social isolation, activist DeRay Mckesson (Pod Save The People) wants to inspire people to get involved and organize from home. This led to the creation of WhileAtHome.org, a regularly updated website that compiles all sorts of COVID-related resources and tools for American citizens of every demographic, including parents and students. “While you’re at home, there are resources to help you get out of this mess, and we will make it out of this mess. While you’re home, there is still something for you to do.”

California’s Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, joins us remotely to share advice on how to talk to your kids about COVID-19, what all of us can do to help, and how to mitigate stress while stuck at home. “We’re all feeling a lot of stress right now. And I think for adults, we can kind of recognize it and say it. But for kids, oftentimes it doesn’t show up in the same way.”

In the midst of a quarantine, Stephanie Wittels Wachs (Last Day, Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful) talks about living in the unknown as a parent and being okay with all that it brings. “I accepted a really long time ago that I have no control over anything. I can put my best foot forward. But ultimately, what’s gonna happen is gonna happen.”

Dan Levin covers American youth for The New York Times’ National Desk. On today’s episode, he examines some of the challenges facing today’s kids like school shootings, addiction, consent, Coronavirus, and more. “My goal with writing about young people today is to really examine what it’s like to be a teenager, a kid in America, how they’re being impacted by policy and by various events that happen in the country and also how they’re responding.”

Comedian Negin Farsad (Fake The Nation, TEDFellow) is motivated by her interactions with her one-year-old to form a new habit of looking strangers in the eye and being more open to the opportunities for human connection that are all around her. “You know, the practice of making eye contact is just one manifestation of basically the bigger thing that I’m after, which is human connection.”

In honor of Super Tuesday, Sarah Stewart Holland & Beth Silvers (co-hosts of Pantsuit Politics) dive into talking to your kids about everyone’s favorite topic: politics! They have a really thoughtful conversation about tips, strategies, and challenges they’ve faced when having these conversations with their own kids. But, most importantly, they stress how critical it is to have these conversations even when it’s hard. “I think it’s really important to start early, developing both in yourself and your kids, that some of these questions are really hard and sometimes there isn’t a clear cut answer.”

Kate Spencer, co-host of the Forever35 podcast and author of The Dead Moms Club, shares why it’s so important—and also so challenging—to take care of yourself as a parent but also how important it is to teach your kids to do the same. 

Jay Casale (The Lighter Side Podcast) shares his hilarious wisdom on teaching kids kindness, dealing with perpetual poop problems, and being completely ill-prepared for parenthood.