Raising OKC Kids – Conversations with MetroFamily

It's American Heart Month -- and the American Heart Association, along with Damar Hamlin, is challenging Oklahomas to get trained in CPR. Steven Embree joins us to share where Oklahomans can receive training (including at Science Museum Oklahoma!). Plus, learn the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attacks (and how to respond), why women are much less likely to receive bystander CPR when...

How should parents handle their child's first crush? How do we help kids navigate dating in a high-tech world that's so different from when we were kids? What do safe, healthy friendships look like in today's world? Brittany Keck with Thrive joins us to answer how parents can teach their kids about safe relationships at every age and stage.

It’s hard enough to get kids an appointment to see their doctor during cold and flu season, and on top of that, there’s the shortage of infant and children’s fever reducer and antibiotics. Grace Mitchell, CPNP, of Saving Grace Pediatrics shares how they are meeting parents where they are to provide support and provides tips to combat the medication shortage.

Whether you are searching for full-time childcare or part-time preschool programs, finding the right early childhood care and education can be a big stress for families in Oklahoma. Join us as we hear from Carri Hicks, senator for Oklahoma District 40 and CEO of Rainbow Fleet, a nonprofit that serves children, families, childcare professionals and communities in central Oklahoma on how they are he...

Did you know the Metropolitan Library System offers take-home family activity kits, a Makerspace Studio with the latest in STEM equipment and tailored reading lists based on your or your child's interests, all FREE to you?! Listen in as Angel Suhrstedt shares in-person and virtual opportunities to learn and grow as a family with the Metropolitan Library System this year as the organization continu...

Resilience expert, author, speaker, mom and multi-award-winning education and psychology instructor Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe joins us to share how to fight today's culture of perfectionism and instead teach our kids to strive for B+s. Author of the book Calm Within The Storm: A Pathway to Everyday Resiliency , Dr. Robyne discusses how families can reframe focuses on outcomes and assessments to fost...

Educator, literacy advocate, mother and author Maya Payne Smart joins us to empower parents to inspire our kids to love reading. Her new book, READING FOR OUR LIVES: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six, explores our country’s literacy crisis and explains how parents can proactively give their children early advantages in both reading and life. Smart details strategies for parents with kids fr...

Dr. Helen Hadani and Rachael Katz are authors of the book The Emotionally Intelligent Child, and they join us to talk about strategies for raising self-aware, cooperative and well-balanced kids. We discuss how to build emotional intelligence in ourselves as parents and how to model and teach it to our kids by first better understanding their developmental stages and capabilities. Plus, we gain str...

Mental health has been a trending topic lately, especially as it relates to our new “work/life balance.” Join us as Michael Dickerson, founder of the  Dickerson Consulting Group  and the podcast  The Spillover Effect , talks to us about stigmas around mental health in the workplace, stigmas around mental health in POC communities, stressors and support available for working moms and above all how...

Erin Engelke and Heather Gaglio with local nonprofit Calm Waters Center for Children and Families join us to provide tips, coping strategies and affirmation for families and children experiencing grief during the holiday season. They share effective strategies to acknowledge and help children express their feelings, remember loved ones who have died and support those around us who are grieving.

Local mom and executive director of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs Rachel Holt joins us to talk about what giving back means to her both professionally and personally. She shares recent milestones for the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs in expanding prevention services for youth and families as well as expanding therapeutic care for young people requiring secure care treatment. Rachel...

Cléo Nash, the Executive Director of the Independent Shopkeepers Association, as well as Paige Beal, owner of Tulips Home & Gift in Norman, join us to talk about the whirlwind of the pandemic and how local retail is recovering – and even thriving in 2022. Small business is no small feat; according to the US Small Business Association, there are currently 27.9 million small businesses in the US, m...

Did you know shared family meals have a positive impact on our kids mental health, in addition to their physical health? Therapist, author and psychology professor Dr. Anne Fishel shares why family mealtimes are so important as well as how busy families can set reasonable expectations for shared meals. Listen in for easy how-tos to schedule time together, make meal planning and prep easier, encour...

Madison Whitekiller, who holds the title of 2022 Miss Indian Oklahoma, joins us to talk about her platform: guiding Native American youth to discover success through STEM. She discusses her own journey to a STEM field, advice for parents on helping children discover the fun of STEM and the power of representation when kids see people who look like them succeeding in a field they love. Whitekiller...

Local mom and chief of pediatric infectious disease for Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health, Dr. Donna Tyungu joins us to discuss the rapidly rising number of children with RSV in the metro. Dr. Tyungu shares the signs and symptoms of RSV parents should be watching for, what age children are most prone to complications from RSV and when parents should call their pediatrician. Most importantl...

This month we are joined by a representative from The Boeing Company to talk about how just a spark of an interest can turn into a life-long passion. Fueling STEAM opportunities for all ages within Oklahoma, Boeing is a leader in innovation and discovery. Listen in to learn how to foster your child's natural skill-set in aeronautics!

We get an update on the foster care system in Oklahoma from Dr. Deb Shropshire, director of Child Welfare Services for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, and Destyni Trayler, senior program director for Sunbeam Family Services. Currently there are around 6,600 children in DHS custody in Oklahoma, which is at least a 20 year low. Dr. Deb and Destyni discuss the improvements that have led to...

Dr. Ariana Hoet works in pediatric primary care and is the clinical director for On Our Sleeves, a national movement to break stigmas around children’s mental health with a mission to provide free mental health educational resources to every community in America. Dr. Hoet equips us as parents with tools to maintain conversations with our kids about their mental health. She shares advice to talk ab...

The weather is cooling down and the outdoors are calling. Listen in as we chat with Skylar St. Yves, Aquatic Education/R3 Fishing Coordinator at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, about how we can enjoy outdoor activities as a family, including fishing, hiking, camping and more. We all naturally have a calling to the great outdoors, not to mention the benefits like reducing anxiety...

Internationally acclaimed reading specialist, educational therapist and author Dr. Vicki Waller joins us to talk about identifying learning differences and motivating all kids to love learning. Dr. Waller outlines key points in helping to reengage kids in their learning, including shifting your mindset as a parent first, and also how to find an advocate to lean on. She keys us in on the step-by-st...

Outdoor play is important for us all, but it is especially important for our kids! This week, Paloma Cisneros, Director of Children’s Programs at the Latino Community Development Agency joins us to talk about the Tony Reyes Bilingual Child Development Center's two Nature Explore® Outdoor Classrooms. We learn why these outdoor classrooms are important for the communities they serve, and how we as p...

Educator and author Henry Rice joins us to discuss how teaching our children the principles of love and kindness can counteract violence. Currently the music teacher at Putnam Heights Academy, Henry has worked in education for 30 years and recently put his 12 strategies of teaching nonviolence in book form for use by families, schools and youth organizations: Hey TEENS Workbook: Teaching Everyone...

This National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Commissioner Carrie Slatton-Hodges of the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse joins us to provide parents with tips on talking with kids about suicide and depression, signs and symptoms to be aware of and steps to take if we suspect a child we love is contemplating suicide. She shares details on the new 988 statewide ment...

Certified meditation coach, author and podcast host Josephine Atluri joins us to talk about the benefits of mindfulness as many families are feeling the chaos of the back to school season. Josephine shares easy, practical ways to build mindfulness into our everyday lives, practice conscious connection with our kids and cultivate more peace in our homes. Josephine hosts the podcast,“Responding to L...

Certified meditation coach, author and podcast host Josephine Atluri joins us to talk about the benefits of mindfulness as many families are feeling the chaos of the back to school season. Josephine shares easy, practical ways to build mindfulness into our everyday lives, practice conscious connection with our kids and cultivate more peace in our homes. Josephine hosts the podcast,“Responding to L...