Parenting Pickup

Send us Fan Mail Meet our new host, Dr. Aimee Fearing, the Vice President of Education and Staff Development at New Horizon Academy. This episode marks a bittersweet milestone. Cara Johnson-Bader has been a luminary for countless shared stories, hours of expert analysis, and deep connections with our guests and school families. But the meaningful discussions and insightful interviews won't en...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Katie Lingras is a multi-talented guest -- she's a child psychologist, associate professor, author of 'A Kids Book about Mental Health', and the Director of Inclusiveness and Excellence at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Today she joins us to discuss how we can introduce the topic of mental health to kids how that topic intersects with her writing and...

Send us Fan Mail Kim Hughes, a Conscious Discipline certified instructor, joins us to discuss how parents, guardians and caretakers can become better "behavior detectives". Kim demonstrates how through treating tricky behavior as a form of communication, and using emotional co-regulation as a tool to get us back to square one, we can set the children in our care up for long-term success....

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Parenting Pickup Podcast, Nicolette Graf, a consultant and leader in equity, joins us to discuss how we can identify and pursue more equitable solutions for early childhood caretaking, both for parents and educators.  During this episode we discuss: - How Nikki started her advocacy and career in equity work - The fundamentals of pursuing cultural experiences...

Send us Fan Mail Lindsay Morgan, a pediatric speech language pathologist with M Health Fairview, brings her expertise to discuss milestones for language development in early childhood, as well as tips, tricks and behaviors to observe for parents & guardians trying to raise a communicative child.  During this episode, we discuss: An overview of the field of speech pathology and the pediatric ap...

Send us Fan Mail Amanda Woodward, Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, joins us this episode to discuss and explain social behavior in children younger than school age.  During this episode, we discuss: Differentiating typical social behavior between age groups Key findings in recent research about early childhood social behavior Activities that foster greater...

Send us Fan Mail When it comes to your children's picture books, do you find yourself wondering about the story behind the story? Children's book authors Megan Maynor, Lauren Gillman, Tracy Hyde and Camila Gadotti join our host Cara Johnson-Bader to go over their own journey to creating engaging picture books.  Book & Author links:  'A House for Every Bird' by Megan Maynor...

Send us Fan Mail This month, NHA's child mental health specialist, Amanda Mason, joins us to talk about the positive effects that therapeutic reading can have on children. This episode we'll tackle subjects such as: The benefits of bibliotherapy The obstacles for parents to use bibliotherapy with their child Appropriate books for therapeutic reading How bibliotherapy can help with grief...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode features three-time guest MiaLisa Millares, and it's one you're not going to want to miss. MiaLisa is the executive director at Doing Good Together , a non-profit organization that aims to connect families to different volunteer and donation opportunities. Over the course of the episode, MiaLisa will provide families with several tools to foster deep...

Send us Fan Mail Sifting through different information to find reliable health advice for your children can be a complicated and overwhelming process for a lot of parents. That's why we reached out to Kelly Lemieux, the head of pediatrics at Ridgeview Medical Center.  Kelly has been voted by Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine as one of the top doctors in the Twin Cities and has been a board-certif...

Send us Fan Mail Research continues to conclude that children’s academic successes later in life can be attributed to the amount of talk and reading they experience from birth to age 3. They also statistically prove to be better readers later in life. We are thrilled to have Sara Reichstadt, a renowned Social and Emotional learning expert, and the Education Coordinator for Kinderberry Hill Child D...

Send us Fan Mail Nowadays, it is impossible to get away from a screen since everyone has a phone, restaurants have TVs mounted everywhere, and children are on tablets at school, so it's more important than ever that we make sure that what they are watching is appropriate content.  To give us some guidance, Momo Hayakawa joins us to discuss what that looks like. She is the Director and Develop...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to a new season of Parenting Pickup! Today's episode features Dianne Haulcy, the host of Minnesota Public Radio's Early Riser's podcast , and CEO of The Family Partnership , a non-profit organization that provides holistic structures and resources for families and children within cycles of poverty.  Dianne explores ways in which early childhood is an essenti...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Parenting Pickup, we are grateful to talk to our partner at MacPhail Center for Music, Dianna Babcock, Director of Sing Play Learn, to learn why music is essential in a child's life. Dianna talks about the program's mission for each child's specific stage of development.  With each class, children are encouraged to explore musical concepts and exp...

Send us Fan Mail In this insightful podcast episode, we are all treated to a wealth of knowledge on pediatric oral health with an engaging conversation with Dr. Matt Scribbins from Maple Grove Pediatric Dentistry, a seasoned dentist with a passion for children's dental care.  Dr. Scribbins shares his expertise on age-appropriate oral hygiene practices, the importance of regular dental check-u...

Send us Fan Mail We brought back a special guest, Kate Wessinger, to share her wealth of knowledge and expertise on the importance of open and honest communication with grieving children.  Throughout the episode, she offers practical tips on creating a safe space for children to express their emotions, understand the concept of death, and navigate the stages of grief. She also discusses age-approp...

Send us Fan Mail Potty training can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be! In this podcast episode, we discuss potty training your child with Steph Schmidt, a New Horizon Academy District Curriculum Coordinator. We'll cover everything from introducing the potty to dealing with accidents. Whether you're just starting the training process or feeling stuck, we've got you covered....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk to Theresa Gunderson, owner and language learning expert at O'Neill Language Academy, about the importance of early learning of a second language. Theresa discusses the many benefits of bilingualism, including improved cognitive function, academic success, and career opportunities. She also shares tips on best supporting your child's language lea...

Send us Fan Mail Most families are unaware that unstructured play is significant for children. Play fosters cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. More specifically, it helps creativity, imagination, problem-solving, and social skills! Sara Reichstadt from Kinderberry Hill discusses why children must explore, create and discover without predetermined rules or guidelines. Read Why...

Send us Fan Mail Being distracted while your child is talking to you can be a big problem when communicating. We have all been there, listening while holding a phone or not making eye contact. MiaLisa from Doing Good Together is a special guest on this episode to talk about how and why it is critical to be listening fully. Doing Good Together: https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/ Doing Good Together...

Send us Fan Mail Getting hit by your child or having your child hit others can be embarrassing and infuriating. Many families worry that their child's aggression toward them and others is a bad sign and reflects on their parenting. But, what Amanda Mason explains, it's all about how you react to the hitting and what you do moving forward that makes the difference. Contact New Horizon Aca...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Parenting Pickup Podcast, Anna Paulson, current Program Coordinator for Help Me Grow, a licensed teacher in the areas of Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Elementary Education, and a certified Early Childhood Education advocate, talks about helpful information and practical steps to take for families to understand and support your child's early childhood develop...

Send us Fan Mail Thuba Nguyen is an early childhood education advocate and teacher who is passionate about celebrating cultural diversity and multiculturism and is the author of the book My Daddy Tells Me. Her children's book is about a life-changing love between fathers and daughters, immigration, self-esteem, and positive affirmations. With over twelve years of experience in the field, Thub...

Send us Fan Mail You want to ensure your children are ready for kindergarten regarding academic, social, and emotional skills. We chatted with Bev Bauman, New Horizon Academy's Vice President of Staff Development and Education, about the different skill sets children should or are expected to have before they start kindergarten.  More Information: https://www.newhorizonacademy.net/ Contact Ne...

Send us Fan Mail It happens in every family. Your child bites, has been bitten, or both! So, what do you do? Kate Wessinger, our Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, dives into why biting is happening, how to prevent it, and what to do. Contact New Horizon Academy  Follow us on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube and Tik Tok Email us at parentingpickup@nhacademy.net Check out our website to learn...