No Silly Questions- An Education Podcast for Parents

It’s 7:30 AM. Your child comes to the door ready to go to school, but there’s one shoe on, things are falling out of their backpack because it’s unzipped, and the homework folder is nowhere to be found. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why your child may struggle to stay organized, follow directions, or manage transitions, this episode is for you. Today, we’re talking about executive functi...

“ My problem with gentle parenting is it’s too much parental talking - when you’re raising a boy you’ve got to learn how to do it  in a sentence or two.” This is just one insight that today’s guest, Michael Thompson, shares for how we can support our boys’ development, as well as our relationship with them, in and out, of the classroom.  Michael G. Thompson, Ph. D., is an internationally recognize...

If you’re at all curious about the full scope of parent choice when it comes to schools, this episode is for you. Though Jordana has been in education for a long time, her personal knowledge base on charter schools is limited and this conversation, with two experts - Danielle being one of them - expanded her understanding of the promise of charter schools, specifically Success Academies, the large...

The good news is that parents may not have to pay for the whole independent school tuition themselves. In this episode, Alisa provides clarification around the process of financial aid - and how it’s changing - to create opportunities for more families. Through Alisa, we learn that a private school education is more attainable than many understand it to be- and may be worth investigating for your...

Educational environments should foster exploration, healthy self development, and ripe opportunities to think independently. Instead, as our guest today puts it, we see that our youth experience a ‘poverty of the self,” leading to group think, pressure to conform and a lack of strength and stability from within. On today’s episode, we’ll unpack this idea and discuss how parents can drive against t...

Wouldn't we all like to know how to help our kids fall in love with learning and absolutely love going to school? Well, today, we are joined by cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, who breaks down for us how students learn—and why traditional classroom environments often fail to engage them. We loved this conversation because Daniel has a unique ability to use his scientific research to off...

Many children receive comfort from a cherished blanket, stuffed animal, or lovey. Today, we’re speaking with the team at Slumberkins, who elevate these comfort items to help parents address tricky topics in an intentional way. Kelly Oriard - Chief Therapeutic Officer- and Callie Christensen - Chief Brand Officer - are the co-founders of Slumberkins, a children’s education and emotional health bran...

More and more, adults are consuming information from podcasts- just like you right now! But what about for our kids? Is podcasting closer to TV watching or reading? What are the unique benefits of this platform? Which programs can parents trust? Today, we sit down with the co-founder of Tinkercast and the star of their hit show “Wow in the World” - who are the very best in this space.   BIO Meredi...

Parents who have never heard of any pedagogical philosophy will often have heard of Montessori. With that popularity comes misunderstandings and myths. Is it progressive? Is it structured? Is it rigorous? Is it permissive?  Today, we hope to add clarity to the conversation through our conversation with Montessori expert Jesse McCarthy.  For 20 years, Jesse McCarthy has worked with thousands of chi...

As parents, we are bombarded with headlines on all different topics and from sources all over the political spectrum. It can be hard to have your finger on the pulse- especially as it relates to your child's education. Today, we are joined by journalist Frannie Block to fill us in on the top news-making stories as they relate to our kid’s schooling and learning. Better yet, she joins us from...

Emotional intelligence, or the ability to understand and manage our own emotions, and relate to and understand others, is a key skill for success in life and in the workplace. And frankly, in an age of artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence may be our great differentiator: our self-awareness, empathy, social skills, defining features of what it means to be human.  We’ve covered multiple i...

You may have heard of the book “Bad Therapy” where author Abigail Shrier argues that the mental health industry is harming, not healing, American children. Well today, we are fortunate to be joined by her colleague Carolyn Gorman, who similarly studies mental health solutions- in and out of schools- and their efficacy, or lackthereof. Next week, we will follow up this conversation with an alternat...

Let me set the scene. The parent is preparing dinner in the kitchen. All three kids are happily playing at various activities of interest. The TV is off. The iPads are absent. Harmony is in the home, every member in flow. Sounds nice right? Well this is the environment our guest, Myriam Sandler,  has been able to foster in her own home through thoughtful play. These are skills she has already taug...

Last season’s concluding  NSQ was “should we be worried about our boys?” So to launch Season Five, we've decided to shift the spotlight to our girls and spend some time understanding the pressures and challenges for girls in particular when it comes to everyone’s favorite topic: social media. Our expert today, says girls are uniquely impacted by the visual content they’re consuming- and it’s...

Did you know that if you look at high-school GPA’s, the top 10% is 2/3rds female and the bottom 10% is 2/3rds male? That there are twice as many women flying fighter planes as there are men teaching kindergarten? For years there has been a focus on opening access and opportunities for girls, but now experts are saying our boys are in trouble. Our guest today, Richard Reeves, paints a picture for u...

Artificial Intelligence - just the sound of it transports us to a sci-fi movie. But of course, this is no longer a fiction or a future possibility. We see AI already revolutionizing countless sectors and industries, and it’s coming for education- its impact is imminent, if not already in motion.  We’re dying to know if this is a story with a happy ending or if we’re in the horror genre. So stick a...

When a parent walks into a toy store, they are looking for toys that will endure and keep their children engaged. And, yet how many times have we walked out with a light-up, siren-blaring hunk of plastic. If you’re a  new parent, we bet you’ve heard of Lovevery, the child development company conceived by our guest today Jessica Rolph. With playkits and subscriptions that arrive at your door, it&ap...

In these highly tense and polarized times of geopolitical and domestic turmoil, and with the presidential election a few months away, you better believe we’ve wanted to do an episode for you on civics education.  And while it’s our first on the topic, it won’t be our last. Safe spaces, trigger warnings, viewpoint diversity or lack thereof, performance activism, and teacher bias, these are just som...

“Bright Kids who Couldn’t Care Less” is the title of our guest Ellen Braaten’s most recent book. And it’s a trend she’s found in her renowned private practice as a clinician. So why do some kids care and others don’t? In our conversation with Ellen we get into childhood motivation, how it all works, and what’s a parent to do when their kid is being - what can even feel like a taboo word-  “lazy.”...

The 'awayness' of sleepaway camp is, as our guest today shares, precisely what makes it so valuable - today more than ever. But how specifically is it a ripe opportunity for growth? Is sleepaway camp for everyone? Our guest Dr. Tracy Benner - who we're calling the Camp Dr. Becky- tells us everything we need to know as we consider this decision for our children. We loved this convers...

Welcome to an episode of NSQ Parents Unplugged- where we hear from parents and professionals about their experiences with school and the educational choices they're making for their families.  In honor of Mother’s Day,  we’re thrilled to be joined by three esteemed guests-  Lily Walla, Loren Klein, and Lizza Assa- three amazing mamas who all work in the parenting space - for a special discuss...

I truly believe that my 10th grade teacher, Dr. Joshua Gaylord, changed the trajectory of my academic future. He taught writing class and it’s a skill I use and rely on every single day, from writing a work email, to a birthday card, to even this introduction. We all rely on our ability to write - so, it’s understandable that we would want our kids to develop enormous confidence in this discipline...

As our 15 year college reunions approach, we can still vividly remember how much we dreaded studying for the SATs and the stress we felt waiting for our college acceptances. But will this be the same for our kids? Today, we bring on Michael B. Horn to help us understand what’s changed since our day- what’s stayed the same- and how we can get better at “Choosing College” - which is in fact the name...

Preschool - and early childhood learning - plays an essential role in the lives of many parents and children. Working parents rely on preschool, and research shows that a HIGH QUALITY preschool program can have a lasting positive impact on the life of a child. According to the NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, providing a high quality education for children before they turn 5 yields significant medi...

If you’re a parent whose child’s birthday falls within a few weeks - or in some cases a few months - of the cutoff date, perhaps you’ve thought about whether you should delay your child’s entry to Kindergarten so they can be one of the oldest in the class -  a practice known as redshirting. Depending on where you live and what school choices you have, redshirting may or may not be an option for yo...