The Supporting Child Caregivers Podcast: Recent Episodes
Alexandra Harrison
Helpful information about child development and parenting issues for child caregivers--parents, teachers, health workers, and other child caregivers across the globe.
Lori Hogenkamp, the pioneering mind behind the Evolutionary-Stress Framework draws from her personal journey and extensive research in psychoneuroimmunology to offer her insights into the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals and ways to help them meet those challenges.
Dr. Rogerio Lerner, Professor of Psychology at the University of Sao Paolo, talks about how he used psychoanalytic knowledge to inform a cost-effective instrument for low resource communities in Brazil and was even able to influence public policy.
Recognized author and psychoanalyst from London speaks about her remarkable work with children on the autistic spectrum.
Dr. Levine, a developmental child psychologist, discusses several helpful interventions for children on the autism spectrum suffering anxiety and fears.
Ruby Salazar, child and family developmental therapist, talks about her long experience working with children on the autism spectrum and their families and effectively advocating for them.
Ilene Lefcourt, author of several parent guidance books, member at Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training, and founder of the Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child Development in 1982, has provided developmental consultation to parents for over 35 years. She speaks about how she reached parents being haunted by “ghosts from the nursery” and helped them correct their misapprehensions of their infants’ behavior in order to respond to them with sensitivity.
Robin Holloway, is a psychologist working in Toronto. He has written about and worked with children on the autistic spectrum for decades and he approaches our subject with knowledge and a special sensitivity. He talks to us about his work and tell us some stories about the children who helped grow that knowledge.
Well known pediatrician, Dr. Michael Yogman, talks about his long-term interest in involving fathers in their children’s lives-- how he supported fathers in his pediatric practice, and how he continues to do so in international organizations.
In the third episode of our series on the NBO, Trish Hurley, the Infant Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator of Let’s Grow Together in Cork Ireland, talks about her experience with the NBO and how it allows her to enter families at a transformational moment to share their joy as well as their concerns.
Perspectives on the NBO from a Master Trainer and a Physical Therapist: Yvette Blanchard shares her experiences— as a co-author of the NBO, using the NBO in Early Intervention as a physical therapist, and as a professor and expert NBO and NBAS trainer. She brings it all to life with some stories about her work.
Alexandra Harrison responds to questions about how parents can spend time with their children when they have to work two jobs, and the problem of being seen as the “bad guy” parent, and what it really means to be a “strength-based” method. Finally, does one ever get rid of one’s ghosts?
A Strength-Based Method for Supporting Your Relationship with Your Child from Newborn to Adolescence
Dr. Kevin Nugent begins a new series on the NBO, which teaches the clinician, the parent, and all caregivers to read the language of the child’s behavior in order to recognize the child as a unique person-- their strengths and, without judgment, their vulnerabilities.
Alexandra Harrison responds to questions about helping children who do not comply with parents’ requests and who can lose control.
Alexandra Harrison responds to questions about helping children who do not comply with parents’ requests and who can lose control.
Silvia Juarez Marazzo, a licensed clinical social worker and Adlerian psychoanalyst has authored internationally recognized picture books for immigrant children. Originally from Buenos Aires, she fell in love with young children and their inner worlds when working in the slums and peasant communities in Argentina. Her own childhood was enriched by her family’s tradition of reading and her grandfather’s storytelling.
Silvia Juarez Marazzo, a licensed clinical social worker and Adlerian psychoanalyst has authored internationally recognized picture books for immigrant children. Originally from Buenos Aires, she fell in love with young children and their inner worlds when working in the slums and peasant communities in Argentina. Her own childhood was enriched by her family’s tradition of reading and her grandfather’s storytelling.
Anne Berenberg talks to us about the insights her experiences evaluating and treating children with learning differences and how reading books to children can scaffold their psychological as well as cognitive growth.
Anne Berenberg talks to us about the insights her experiences evaluating and treating children with learning differences and how reading books to children can scaffold their psychological as well as cognitive growth.
In the 3rd in our series, "Kids and Books," Kathryn Lasky Knight, the celebrated author of children’s books—and now an adult novel—talks about her experience reading and writing children’s books and how she began to write.
In the 3rd in our series, "Kids and Books," Kathryn Lasky Knight, the celebrated author of children’s books—and now an adult novel—talks about her experience reading and writing children’s books and how she began to write.
In our second installment of our Kids and Books series, Dr. Patty Potter talks about books that help teenagers find themselves in a world of adults that do not seem to understand them.
In our second installment of our Kids and Books series, Dr. Patty Potter talks about books that help teenagers find themselves in a world of adults that do not seem to understand them.
Dr. Jane Hanenberg begins our series on Kids and Books. We are a little behind on publishing her topic of Summer Reading, but Jane talks more generally about children’s literature and its place in their lives, and summer reading is also fall and winter reading after all.
Alexandra Harrison responds to questions from parents of infants that also bring up important general questions about child care. For example, when and what should you begin to teach children, and what can teeth brushing tell you about setting good limits for your child?
Kate McAlister, an early childhood educator and advocate, committed to fostering respectful and nurturing relationships, discusses the lessons she learned cultivating learning communities for children, parents, and teachers in Hong Kong—lessons that we can all relate to and grow from.
Professor Henrik Zachrisson talks to us about his important research studying the outcome of children who spend long days in daycare.
References:
Dearing E & Zachrisson H (2017). Concerns over internal, external, and incidence validity i studies of child-care quantity and externalizing behavior problems, Child Developmental Perspectives, 11(2):133-138.
Dearing E, Zachrisson H et al (2018). Estimating the consequences of Norway’s national scale-up of childhood education and care (beginning in infancy) for early language skills, AERA Open, 18(1):1-16.
Ribiero L & Zachrisson H (2019). Peer effects on aggressive behavior in Norwegian child care centers, Child Development, 90(3):876-893.
Zachrisson et al (2013). Little evidence that time in child care causes externalizing problems during early childhood in Norway, Child Development, 84(4):1152-1170.
Part 5 of our Children and Daycare series: Alayne Stieglitz, an infant and early childhood specialist, and the co-founder of SCC, will talk about some of her many experiences as an early childhood educator, including one of my favorite stories about a little boy named “Thomas”.
Patricia Ryan, a consultant and trainer for group care programs, talks to us about evidence-based practices that support relational health among young children, parents, and providers and tells us her 5 essentials for successful daycare.
A Montessori trained educator and infant parent mental health therapist, Tracy Epps, talks about her experience with children and parents, emphasizing what she calls “conscious, gentle parenting”.
Dr. Dorothy Richardson speaks about her experiences as a consultant to daycare providers and her experiences as a psychotherapist for very young children and their families. She gives her “framework” for supporting children in daycare.
Dr. Judith Yanof speaks about her experiences consulting to daycare providers and early educators and about the Boston Psychoanalytic Society’s conference on early childhood. This is a wonderful introduction to this series on the important work child caregivers do to create a safe world in which children can grow and learn outside the family home.
Alexandra Harrison continues her discussion of family vacations with another Ask Me Anything episode, demonstrating that 1) Be prepared; 2) Be flexible; and 3) Lower expectations are good guidelines to follow …as much as possible.
Alexandra Harrison discusses how to have a happy and relatively stress-free summer vacation in an Ask Me Anything episode.
Alexandra Harrison recalls her family vacations in the Dordogne and lessons to be learned, memories to be cherished.
Alexandra Harrison previews next week’s podcast episode: “My Family Vacations in France: What I Have Learned about Family Vacations-- What Works and What Doesn’t”
Alexandra Harrison shares her reflections on the recent death of her family dog and what it can help us understand about how humans maintain their sense of comfort and safety through patterns of engagement with loving partners that occur in the small details of daily life.
Preschool teachers, Maura Walsh and Dee Lyle, speak about the transition from being the only child to being a big sister or brother. It has its pluses and minuses!
The Couples and Family Therapist in Newton and a specialist on divorce and parenting issues, Dr. Robin Deutsch, speaks about the “good enough divorce” and how to help children make the transition from their original family to a new family.
LisaBeth Calvo and Christina Isidoro, two talented and experienced teachers in the toddler room, talk about how they support children make the transition to preschool, typically their first “home away from home.” They help the child and parents feel psychologically safe so that they can take this step forward in development and help the child explore the world beyond the walls of their family home. In doing this, they support the development of the core competency of making transitions flexibly, a competency used throughout life.
Tess, an occupational therapist at OTA Kumar Center specializing in sensory processing, talks to us about the challenges that children with sensory sensitivities face when they attempt transitions.
Elizabeth Tedesco, a teacher at the Cambridge Ellis Preschool in Cambridge, MA, talks about the transition from preschool to elementary school.
Alexandra Harrison continues the discussion from the last episode regarding the question of what to do when your child says he is a bad kid and will extend this discussion to include Family Values, “parents’ best friend”.
Alexandra Harrison talks about the painful and difficult question, "What should parents do when they discover their child thinks he is a bad kid?"
Today we will have our fifth episode in our Kids and Food series. I am delighted to welcome Dr. Alka Bagri to our program. Dr. Bagri is an art historian by training with a doctorate from Oxford University. She also has a passion for cooking and has turned that passion into a mission to help families with children who have dietary needs because of metabolic conditions. Dr. Bagri—with her daughter—runs @LoProFam: an open access platform on instagram to help families with toddlers who have dietary requirement eat nutritious tasty meals. Dr. Bagri is also the aunt of our amazing intern, Gaya.
In this episode of the Food and Kids series, Natalie Beaumont-Smith recalls her childhood breakfasts in Australia and the joys of vegemite.
Natalie Beaumont-Smith, is a Work/Life Analyst and Program Manager at Harvard University, and Treasurer of SCC. She grew up and was educated in Australia, where she got her PhD in Human Nutrition and did research in Social Nutrition and Public Health.
Dr. Hanife Akal, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow at the Hartford Health Care Institute of Living will talk to us about her experience with food growing up in Turkey. Hanife’s descriptions of breakfast in her Turkish family—from fresh bread to the special way of brewing tea—captivated me. Hanife tries to reproduce some of this wonderful breakfast tradition for Sunday breakfast during her busy life as a young doctor in the U.S.
Prajna Neelgund and Rohan Abhijith Ramanuja from Deenabandhu Trust will speak to us about the food of their childhood in South India. This interview brings back wonderful memories of my visits to Deenabandhu and the simple but delicious vegetarian meals cooked in the ashram from fresh vegetables flavored with many newly chopped spices.
Lily, a Boston College student who grew up in China, starts us out in this new series of Kids and Food. Lily discusses her experiences with family mealtimes as a child—menus, nutrition, cooking, and family conversations—including her mother’s response to having a child who was a picky eater. The international perspective, of this podcast series will offer us an opportunity to reflect on our own attitudes towards food, mealtime, and nutrition.
References:
Wright CM, Parkinson KN, Shipton D, Drewett RF (2007). How do toddlers’ eating problems relate to their eating behavior, food preferences, and growth, Pediatrics, 120(4):e1069-e1075, doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-2961
Caruth B, Ziegler P, Gordon A, Barr S (2004). Prevalence of picky eaters among infants and toddlers and their caregivers’ decisions about offering a new food, J Amer Dietetic Assoc, 104 Supplement:57-64.
Putnik D, Bell E, Ghassabian A, Polinski K, Robinson S, Sundaram R, Yeung E (2022). Associations of toddler mechanical/distress feeding problems with psychopathology five years later, The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13567.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ayurvedic-diet
https://mapi.com/blogs/articles/ten-ayurvedic-dietary-must-dos?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8_qRBhCXARIsAE2AtRbdmDRkozZpdWWO_VEJ2RTW6QgIh9tg1c2aOf9NHOwXJ9hGju84QnEaAhMKEALw_wcB
We are fitting in another “ Ask Me Anything” before beginning a series on Kids and Food. Today Alex responds to questions about how to teach our kids empathy, and how to explain adoption to a biological sibling.
Adoption:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804559/
Community Paediatrics Committee (2001). Paediatr Child Health, 6(5):281-283.
https://www.hopespromise.com/2020/10/21/the-effects-of-adoption-on-biological-siblings/
Hunsley Jana (2020). The effects of adoption on biological siblings, National Council for Adoption, Hope’s Promise blog.
Empathy:
Warneken F, Tomasello M (2006). Altruistic helping in human infants and young chimpanzees, Science, 311(5765). 1301-1303. DOI: 10.1126/science.11211448.
Svetlove M, Nichols S, Brownell C (2010). Toddlers’ prosocial behavior: From instrumental to empathic to altruistic helping, Child Dev, 81(6):1814-1827, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01512.x (open access)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfGAen6QiUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHY3m4c8aWE
Talking To Kids about Difficult Subjects:
https://supportingchildcaregivers.org/videos--May 20, 2020, “Talking to Kids about COVID-19 and Other Difficult Subjects"
In this Ask Me Anything episode, Alexandra Harrison responds to questions about when babies start to sleep through the night, whether you should let your baby put her hands in her mouth, whether you should continue breastfeeding even after starting solid food, how to stimulate your 6 month old baby, and what to do about an 18-month old biting his big sister.
Sleep:
Douglas P, Hill P (2013), J Dev Behav Ped, Behavioral sleep interventions in the first six months of life do not improve outcomes for mothers or infants: A systematic review, 34(7). 497-507. Doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e31829cafa6.
Hall W, Hutton E, Brant R et al (2015). A randomized control trial of an intervention for infant sleep problems, BMC Pediatr 15, 181, doi.org/10.1186/s12887-015-0492-7.
Sadeh , Tikotzky L, Scher A (2009). Parenting and infant sleep, Sleep Medicine Reviews, doi:10.1016/jsmrv.2009.05.003
Combining Solid Foods with Breastfeeding:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Working-Together-Breastfeeding-and-Solid-Foods.aspx
https://www.medela.us/breastfeeding/articles/balancing-breastfeeding-and-solid-foods-for-baby
Ashley Smith-Wallace began to study Irish dance with her parents, owners of an Irish Dance Academy, when she was 3-yo. After years of training and competitions, including honors such as being crowned the World Irish Step Dancing Champion in Belfast, in 2004, Ashley has become a choreographer and teacher herself. Ashley and I talk about her childhood with dance, how she thinks dance supports healthy physical and socio-emotional development in children, and how traditional dance can connect us with our roots.
Suzi Tortora, an accomplished dance and movement therapist and author talks to us about how dance can help children heal and grow stronger and come to know and love their bodies and their selves.
Nicole Berger De Francesco will talk to us about her life as a dancer, from her childhood studying Indian traditional dance, to her extraordinary career as a dancer and choreographer. Nicole will also offer some thoughts about how introducing a young child to dance can help guide an active little one into finding beauty and creativity in movement.
An accomplished dance therapist as well as infant parent mental health clinician, Aditi Subramaniam will talk to us about her personal and professional relationship with dance from childhood until the present, and how she has used dance to bring joy and healing to her life and to the lives of the children she has treated.
Dicki Johnson Macy, Director of the Boston Children’s Foundation and creator of Rainbow Dance will begin our series on Kids and Dance by telling us the fascinating story of Rainbow Dance, an activity of movement and music that captures the imagination of children and their caregivers while also bringing calm and comfort.
Dr. Alexandra Harrison will respond to questions from parents about when to pick up a crying baby, what to do about a 4-year-old lying, how to respond to a child cheating in a game, and how to take a child’s learning difficulties into consideration when the child does not do “what he is supposed to do”.
Dr. Monty Stambler will speak again about kids' games—the advantages of children playing together using their bodies in rhythmic, repetitive physical activity. Dr. Stambler will also discuss the meaning of kids cheating in games.
Ken Barranger, the Director of the Academy of Physical and Social Development, a wonderful activity program for all kinds of kids that I have considered a valuable resource in the community for decades, will speak about kids’ games that build community while also supporting an individual child’s development.
Katie Clark, Arts Educator and Program Director of the Cambridge-Ellis School talks about games for preschool children that support their cognitive and social and emotional development while they are having fun.
Dr. Monty Stambler, child and adult psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and also co-founder with his wife of a children’s game company, Gamrwright, will introduce our new series of “Kids and Games” with a discussion about how children’s games support their psychosocial development.
Show notes:
Winnicott DW (1971). Playing and Reality, London, Routledge Press.
Butler, & Weatherall, A. (2006). "No, We're Not Playing Families": Membership Categorization in Children's Play. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 39(4), 441–470.
Ramani, Daubert, E. N., & Scalise, N. R. (2019). Role of Play and Games in Building Children's Foundational Numerical Knowledge. In Mathematical Cognition and Learning (Print) (Vol. 5, pp. 69–90).
The second episode in a series in which the host of this podcast, Alexandra Harrison, child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, will respond to questions sent in by listeners. In this our second “Ask Me Anything” episode, Dr. Harrison will respond to additional questions from listeners . These questions touch on the subjects of sensory processing and Temperament, and also how to encourage your child to love books and reading.
Show notes:
Blanche E, Gunter J (2020). Sensory processing disorders, Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Development, 2nd edition, Eds. M Haith, J Benson, Volume 2, https://doi.org/10.1016/B8978-0-12-809324-5.23602-X.
May-Benson T, Koomar J (2010). Systematic review of the research evidence of the effectiveness of interventions using a sensory integrative approach for children, Amer J of Occupational Therapy, 64(3):403-414.
https://dgmt.co.za/mother-infant-booksharing-stellenbosch-university-shares-their-implementation-experience/
The first episode in a series in which child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Alexandra Harrison, the host of this podcast, will respond to questions sent in by listeners. In this our first “Ask Me Anything” episode, Dr. Harrison will respond to questions about the stress of COVID on children and their caregivers, how to manage childhood tantrums, and how long to let babies cry before picking them up.
Show Notes:
Garner A, Yogman M (2021). Preventing childhood toxic stress: partnering with families and communities to promote relational health, Pediatrics, 148(2), August 2021, e2021052582. www.aappublications.org/news.
Porges S (2015). Making the world safe for our children: Down-regulating defense and up-regulating social engagement to ‘optimise’ the human experience, Children Australia, 40(2):114-123. Doi: 10.1017/cha.2015.12.
Dr. Amy Koel, a developmental psychologist and expert dog trainer, who has been working with adults, children and families and their companion dogs for more than 20 years, will talk to us about ways to enhance communication and understanding between dogs and humans, in order to nurture the development and happiness of both species in their lives together.
Monique Udell, animal behavior researcher, talks about human-dog bonding, evolutionary factors influencing the social wellbeing of dogs, and intervention programs aimed at improving the lives of dogs and the humans they live with.
Speaking about his book, Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You, Professor Clive Wynne introduces our series of “Dogs and Kids” with a discussion of the amazing capacity of dogs to love us, recalling his certainty that his boyhood dog, Benji, loved him unconditionally. As an adult animal behavior scientist, Prof Wynne studied dogs' amazing capacity to make emotional bonds with humans, and in our discussion he describes experiments demonstrating this bond.
Nancy Snidman, Director of the Child Development Unit of the University of Massachusetts Boston, was Research Director of the Infant Study at Harvard, where she studied infant temperament with Professor Jerome Kagan. In this episode Nancy talks about the highly sensitive child in terms of temperament, revealing the large overlap of sensory processing problems and high reactive temperament. Professor Snidman also has some important tips for parents of children with high reactive temperament.
Katherine Schwab will discuss the interesting phenomenon of children who do not speak a word at school but are chatterboxes at home. Katherine is a therapist who works with these children and has some creative ideas about how to help them come out of their shells outside of their safety zone.
Renowned infant researcher Ed Tronick discusses a recent study of infants' responses to their mothers wearing masks. Tronick created the famous still face experiment that demonstrated the sensitivity of infants to their mother’s contingent responses, primarily communicated by facial expression. In this study, he wanted to know whether mothers’ masking during the pandemic had an effect on their infants’ responses to their mothers when the mothers were masked.
We continue with Part II of Jessica Merle’s discussion about her experience as the mother of a highly sensitive child. In this episode, Jessica will gives thoughts about how to manage the reactions of other adults, including teachers, health professionals, extended family, and friends. Jessica has come up with some creative and highly effective methods of introducing her unique child to the world.
An accomplished professional woman and the mother of a highly sensitive child describes mothering her wonderful yet challenging child and what she has learned from this experience.
Diego Quiros interviews Malu Jimenez about a study of teen parents in Peru, in particular discussing teen fathers.
Dr. Paola Contreras will speak about her work with victims of trauma in Latin America and in the U.S.
Alexandra Harrison will discuss the universal and culture specific qualities of lullabies and why it is so good to sing to your baby.
Gil Noam discusses his new book, Ten Big Bets: Transforming Education During the Pandemic and Beyond, explaining that there is hope in new flexibility and inspiration for our children's education after the pandemic.
Dr. Shawn Yehudian will discuss ADHD--how to understand it and how you can support your child with ADHD
Nancy Rappaport talks about ways of living with and coping with the stresses of COVID in schools, and at home with family and friends.
In the third of 3 episodes about remote learning, Eileen Berger gives tips about how to help your teenager with remote learning and preparation for the future.
Eileen Berger discusses remote learning with elementary school aged children and gives helpful tips about how parents can support their children with resources on the web and by collaborating with teachers.
An expert educator, Eileen Berger, will discuss how to support your preschool child in remote learning.
Meg Casano, a sleep consultant, discusses how to help your child develop good sleep habits and how to help you deal with wakefulness.
An interview with the lactation consultant Lauryl Ramakrishnan, who discusses the value of breastfeeding and how to troubleshoot difficulties in initiating and establishing breastfeeding.
A conversation between women's mental health expert, Dr. Marcela Almeida, and child psychiatrist, Dr. Mamatha Challa, on women's mental health during pregnancy and the post partum period.
Tal Baz discusses ways to manage your out of control child and methods of helping your child self-regulate in a variety of common situations.
Dr. Andrew Skoirchet will discuss the effects of various early stressors on the brain, sensitive periods of development, and how these stressors affect different regions of the brain.
Alexandra Harrison discusses how the PVT can be used to understand creating safe psychological environments for ASD individuals and how that understanding applies to all of us.
Alexandra Harrison discusses Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory in greater depth and gives a clinical example.
Alexandra Harrison explains how Ruth Bader Ginsburg can be an inspiration to parents and to all of us.
Alexandra Harrison discusses how parents, teachers, and therapists can create psychological safety for children and adults using two tools for understanding behavioral cues and stress regulation.
Alexandra Harrison describes how nonverbal behavioral cues may be an important factor in system racism.
Alexandra Harrison describes how nonverbal cues can aid parents, teachers, and therapists in managing their interactions with children and adults.
Alexandra Harrison discusses how to use "good discipline" with your special needs child.
Alexandra Harrison discussing "good discipline" in co-parenting, referring to the general guidelines for setting limits and with reference to negotiation between the parents as well as negotiation with the child.
Alexandra Harrison discusses "good discipline" with teenagers, including insights into adolescent brain development, friendships, and homework.
Alexandra Harrison discusses "good discipline" or limit setting with your school-aged child, including arguing and struggles.
Alexandra Harrison discusses the fundamentals of "good discipline" with preschool children and how to "grow their brains".
Alexandra Harrison discusses screen time in the time of social isolation and the methods and challenges of setting limits on your child's use of screens during the pandemic.
This episode of the SCC podcast discusses how to find "magic moments" in the experience of being cooped up with children during the pandemic.
This podcast discusses how parents can talk to their child about the pandemic and other difficult subjects such as divorce, illness or death of a family member, or a family move.
A discussion of Post Partum Depression in the Time of COVID-19 and how stressful life experiences accumulate to cause an illness.
A description of how family projects can be used to teach family values experientially and help children identify with family members who have demonstrated resiliency and heroism in times of hardship.
This episode discusses the racial disparity in COVID-19 illness from multiple points of view, including epigenetics. It uses this exploration to gain insight into disadvantaged people throughout the world.
This episode discusses pregnancy and childbirth in the time of COVID-19--concerns and solutions.