Zach Rhoads

Kids in the Gray Zone

Society EN ↓ 3 episodes

Kids in the Gray Zone explores the messy middle ground of education, behavior, mental health, and child development. Hosted by educational consultant Zach Rhoads, the podcast features conversations with psychologists, educators, researchers, parents, and unconventional thinkers about why so many kids are struggling — and what more thoughtful, collaborative, and human approaches might look like. From school systems and SEL to anxiety, motivation, free play, discipline, belonging, and modern childhood, the show examines the “gray zones” where simple answers often fall apart.

Author

Zach Rhoads

Episodes

Children Didn’t Suddenly Become Fragile 31.05.2026 9:21

Children today are often described as anxious, distracted, emotionally fragile, socially overwhelmed, or unable to tolerate boredom and frustration. But what if the issue is not that children suddenly changed? What if childhood changed? In this episode of Kids in the Gray Zone, Zach Rhoads explores the developmental experiences that have quietly disappeared from modern childhood: unstructured play...

Ross Greene: Why Schools Are Too Reactive 17.05.2026 1:09:05

Welcome to Episode #1 of Kids in the Gray Zone. In this premiere episode, Zach Rhoads sits down with Dr. Ross Greene — psychologist, bestselling author, and creator of Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) — for a wide-ranging conversation about behavior, schools, SEL, PBIS, social media, free play, school systems, and why so many struggling students are being misunderstood. Throughout the...

Introduction: Entering The Gray Zone 17.05.2026 3:22

In this introduction to Kids in the Gray Zone, Zach Rhoads explores the "Gray Zone" -- the space where the usual explanations for behavior, education, and modern life stop fully making sense. Drawing from the idea of portals in stories like Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and Harry Potter, this episode asks a deeper question: What kind of environments do human beings actually need in order to grow?