Notes from the Backpack: A PTA Podcast National PTA

Did your last power struggle with your child leave you feeling burnt out? What if we shifted our mindset around parenting, and stopped trying to make our kids happy all the time? Dr. Shefali, a clinical psychologist and author, whose work has been endorsed by Oprah, joins our hosts to discuss parent self-care. She shares her own parenting experiences and philosophy and offers advice on letting go and learning to live in the now.
Resources:
Read https://ptaourchildren.org/self-care-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/ (Self Care in the Time of Coronavirus) in Our Children, PTA’s online magazine
Get a copy of http://getsuperpowered.com (Superpowered: Transforming Anxiety into Courage, Confidence and Resilience) for your child (ages 8-15)
Learn more about our expert guest at http://www.drshefali.com (drshefali.com)

Let’s start talking about mental health! For too long, we’ve stigmatized mental health issues and it’s time to have open conversations with our friends and family. We talked to mental health advocate, Allison Raskin, about her personal journey and work to destigmatize these topics. She offers advice for normalizing discussions of mental health in your family and community!

Is your teenager so stressed you worry they’re on the brink of burning out? Teens are still facing the typical pressures of navigating friendships, relationships, college admissions and now a pandemic. Our hosts spoke with adolescent psychologist and best-selling author, Dr. John Duffy, about how families can support their teens during this challenging time. He offers advice and shares how parents can distinguish between typical teenage stress and when it is time to seek help.

How can we prepare to meet every child’s needs as they return to school? We spoke with National School Psychologist of the Year, Chandrai Jackson-Saunders to learn how schools can set children up for success and how families can help by focusing on the whole child. She offers concrete strategies school communities should implement to meet the variety of needs children will have in the wake of the pandemic.

Teens experience mental health issues at alarming rates. How can you tell if it’s typical teenage angst or something more serious? If your teen is experiencing depression, how can you best support them? We sat down with Dr. Doreen Marshall, VP of Mission Engagement at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP) to get answers to these questions and more.

It’s time to rewind! Join our hosts Helen and LaWanda as they look back on highlights from our first three seasons. They discuss some of their favorite pieces of advice and share a sneak peek at our upcoming mini-series.
Resources
Episodes referenced in this compilation include:
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/middle-school-what-every-parent-should-know (Middle School: What Every Parent Should Know) with Phyllis Fagell
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/how-to-handle-homework (How to Handle Homework: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly) with Steve Sheldon
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/tackling-covid-19-anxiety-together (Tackling COVID-19 Anxiety Together) with Erlanger Turner
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/navigating-online-resources-during-covid-19 (Navigating Online Resources During COVID-19) with Merve Lapus
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/raising-kids-who-embrace-race (Raising Kids Who Embrace Race) with Melissa Giraud and Andrew Grant-Thomas
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/talking-race-kidlit (Talking Race and KidLit) with Kwame Alexander
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/how-to-help-lgbtq-youth-thrive (How to Help LGBTQ Youth Thrive) with Ellen Kahn and Jodie Patterson
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/money-talks-school-finance-101 (Money Talks: School Finance 101) with Marguerite Roza
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/the-truth-about-school-discipline-in-america (The Truth About School Discipline in America) with John King
https://www.pta.org/center-for-family-engagement/notes-from-the-backpack/beyond-academics-preparing-your-kids-for-life (Beyond Academics: Preparing Your Kids for Life) with Linda Darling-Hammond
Learn more about our show and listen to all of the episodes at http://www.notesfromthebackpack.com/ (www.notesfromthebackpack.com)