What If Children Don't Feel Safe Telling Us? Recognizing Bullying and Understanding What They Really Need
What if the children in our lives don't feel safe telling us what they're really experiencing?
Rachel Weinstock, mental health coach, anti-bullying advocate, and author, is our guest. She was bullied from the time she was in grade 1 through secondary school.
How can well-intentioned adults unintentionally hurt children through comparisons, the words we choose, and the ways we respond when they come to us for help? Our intentions may be positive, but the impact on a child can be very different.
💥Bullying is not something children should simply learn to tolerate. If a child were being physically harmed, how would we support them?
💥 Behaviour is communication. Get curious about what a child may be telling you.
💥 Creating emotional safety starts with listening, validating, and building trust.
💥 Children need adults who will keep looking for answers and support.
💥 What tools do parents have available to them? Rachel shares a bullying advocacy kit.
When School Becomes a Struggle: Knowing When Your Child Needs Support
The school year is underway, but what happens when a child continues to struggle long after the adjustment period?
Erin Plumb talks with guest host Kathryn Collins about the signs parents should watch for when a child may need extra academic, social, or emotional support - from school avoidance and homework battles to difficulty with reading, writing, math, organization, or following instructions.
💥What are some signs to watch for (tears, fears, avoidance etc)?
💥How can learning challenges affect a child’s confidence and behaviour?
💥How parents can start a productive conversation with their child’s teacher and questions to ask.
💥 What support is available through the Learning Disabilities Association of Windsor-Essex Families don’t necessarily need a formal diagnosis to reach out. (Including academic programs, tutoring, executive-function support, social-emotional programs, and youth coaching.)
💥 What to look for and what to do next.
💥 What are a few practical things parents can do to support learning while protecting their relationship and their child’s confidence?
This episode is a must for a parent who is thinking, “This sounds like my child” and wondering what to do about it.
More Than Math Facts: Building Confident, Capable Math Learners
What happens when a child decides, “I’m not a math person”? And how early does that belief begin?
Yvette Lehman and guest host Kathryn Colins explore what it really takes to build confident, capable math learners—and why the answer is about much more than math facts. Yvette is an Ontario Certified Teacher with over 16 years of experience across the classroom, district leadership, and math education. She now serves as Chief Academic Officer for Make Math Moments,
💥 The role teachers’ own attitudes and beliefs about mathematics play in shaping how students see themselves as learners.
💥 Why games and joyful experiences can be powerful entry points to mathematical thinking.
💥 How productive struggle helps students develop reasoning and resilience, and why we need to rethink how we approach fluency and math facts.
💥How do you teach a classroom full of students who are all at different levels?
💥 How assessment that actually helps teachers understand how children think
💥 The importance of small-group instruction, purposeful practice, repetition and automaticity, and the challenge of deciding what mathematics is truly essential when teachers are faced with an overwhelming number of curriculum expectations.
Most importantly, Yvette challenges us to look beyond “Can the student get the answer?” and ask:
How does this child think about mathematics—and what do they need from me next?
Because the goal isn't simply to get children through the math curriculum.lehman
It's to help them see themselves as capable mathematicians.
Teaching Reading the Right Way | What Every Parent and Educator Should Know
Learning to read is one of the most important skills a child develops and is not natural. It must be explicitly taught. Reading requires an understanding of how the brain learns to read, as well as evidence-based practices that help learners build a strong foundation.
Mary-Anne Mouawad is the Founder and Director of The Reading Clinic and a literacy educator with more than 25 years of experience supporting children, youth, and adults on their reading journeys. Mary-Anne shares her passion for the Science of Reading and explains why explicit, systematic, sequential, and multisensory instruction matters.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
💥 Why many educators feel unprepared to teach children how to read and why understanding the Science of Reading is essential
💥 The four key components of effective reading instruction and what they mean.
💥 The connection between decoding and language comprehension, and why both are necessary for reading comprehension
💥 The difference between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness, and why these skills begin with listening before reading and writing
💥 How young children can build early literacy skills through rhyming, songs, chants, syllable activities, and sound play
💥Practical strategies for parents, including ways to support pre-reading skills with young children
💥 Why older students who struggle with reading need assessment to identify specific areas for support
💥 How educators can use evidence-based resources and approaches aligned with the Science of Reading
💥 Why choosing a literacy tutor or support provider who understands how reading develops matters
Beyond Grades | What Kids Really Need to Succeed
𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞?
Guest host Kathryn Collins sits down with entrepreneur and youth advocate Rob Heller, founder of the Boost Program. Rob shares how a search for life skills training for his own teenage son led him to create a program that is now being used by schools and organizations across the country.
Together, they explore why social-emotional learning matters more than ever, the impact of smartphones and social media on youth engagement, and the skills that help young people build confidence, resilience, responsibility, and self-leadership. Rob also discusses the importance of practice, the role of caring adults, and why he remains optimistic about the next generation.
Academic success alone isn't enough. Skills such as communication, responsibility, goal setting, self-awareness, and resilience can be taught and practiced.
💥 Information isn't the same as learning.
💥 What is the impact of Social media and phones from the eyes of our youth?
💥 What action can we take to build the skills and character our children and youth need for life?
💥 One caring adult can make a lasting difference. Parents, educators, coaches, and mentors all have the power to positively influence a young person's confidence, mindset, and future.
💥 Confidence and resilience grow through practice.
💥 There is reason for optimism!
The Prism Lighting the Table: Navigating IEPS, Neurodiversity and Relationships
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, "𝐖𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐄𝐏," 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬?
Lisa Richer is a neurodiversity consultant, speaker, coach, and founder of Journey2Bloom.
One of Lisa's most powerful insights is that "neurodiversity is the prism lighting the table." Rather than viewing differences as deficits, she encourages families and educators to see neurodiversity as a lens that brings new understanding, perspective, and opportunity to every conversation.
💥 What an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is and how it differs from a 504 Plan in the United States
💥 The biggest concerns and challenges parents often face when a school recommends an IEP
💥 Practical strategies for navigating what can feel like a complex and overwhelming process
💥 Why clear communication and strong partnerships between families and schools are essential
💥 The importance of keeping the child at the centre of every discussion and decision
💥 How Lisa helps parents prepare for meetings and feel more confident advocating for their child
💥 A real-life example of how expert guidance can help families achieve better outcomes
💥 No parent has to feel alone.
AI in Education: Designed to Support the Role of Educators, Parents and Professionals
Guest host Kathryn Collins sits down with Derek Crager to explore how AI is beginning to reshape learning in practical, student-centered ways. Derek is the creator of Pocket Mentor, an AI-powered platform designed to provide real-time, voice-based support for learning and reflection. Derek shares why Pocket Mentor is grounded in a “human-first” approach - where AI is designed to support, not replace, the role of educators, parents, and professionals.
For students who hesitate to speak up, it creates a private space to build confidence. For those ready to go further, it removes limits on how deeply they can learn.
Key points:
💥 Students are not accessing the world wide web - only the information in the data base of the program.
💥 What about accuracy?
💥 What about over-reliance or the human connection?
💥 How can tools like this can offer immediate support when traditional systems are limited by time, cost, or availability?
💥 What does this mean for a generation of children growing up with AI: the opportunities, the risks, and the responsibility to use it with intention and clear boundaries?
It’s a balanced, forward-looking discussion about how AI can enhance learning, support confidence, and expand what’s possible - when we keep people at the center.
Grounded in a belief that AI should enhance human potential, Derek advocates for responsible, bounded systems that prioritize accuracy, accessibility, and human connection.
More Than Behaviour: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection in Children
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥?
Guest host Kathryn Collins sits down with Lisa Denahy, founder of Create Calm, to explore what it really means to support a child’s emotional and behavioural regulation. We often focus on what we see—tantrums, defiance, big reactions—but beneath it all is something deeper: the connection between the mind, the body, and a child’s developing sense of self.
Lisa shares a powerful shift in perspective… from controlling behaviour to creating the conditions where children feel safe enough to learn how to regulate themselves.
Key points:
💥 Why discipline needs to be redefined
💥 The role of movement, breath, and the nervous system
💥 Why children need us to model the skills we expect from them
💥 How “testing limits” is actually a sign of trust and growth
💥 Simple, practical ways to build regulation before challenging moments happen
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧… 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫—𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.
With an MS in Yoga Therapy and BA in Psychology, over 30 years as a school administrator and SEL curriculum developer, and certification as an advanced educator and trainer, Lisa is highly skilled at creating accessible, evidence-based, successful curricula for behavioral and emotional regulation, as well as physical and mental health.
The Child Who Felt Invisible - and the Superpower That Changed Everything
Some children shine in obvious ways. Others quietly wonder if anyone truly sees them.
Guest Host Kathryn Colins speaks with Dr. Mark Perloe, a retired IVF specialist and grandfather, whose relationship with his two grandsons inspired him to write his first children’s book. One grandson is highly focused and neurodivergent. The other sometimes feels invisible -but uses humour as his superpower to connect.
💥 How children who feel unseen can discover their own strengths
💥 The power of humour, empathy, and kindness in building confidence
💥 The unique role grandparents and adults can play in nurturing emotional well-being
💥 Why noticing and valuing every child creates stronger families and communities
💥 How Milo's story has helped to build a connection between siblings. How did Mark and his cousin work together to make publishing Milo's Superpower possible.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply see a child - and help them recognize the superpowers they already have.