StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast Munchkin Inc.

What a season!
True to our name StrollerCoaster has ridden the ups and downs of parenting with laughter, candor, and always—with our best face forward. Enjoy this season finale as we look back at the mind-blowing science of playing outside, handling big emotions gracefully, the physiological experience of kindness, reading to learn as opposed to just learning to read, how-to raise confident kids, how to navigate what’s “not fair!” and how each of these empowering themes played out in real life. 
We share what we’ve learned, what’s worked and what we are planning to try next... 
Enjoy this unfiltered look at How We Have Changed as Parents (and how we are greasing the tracks for a smoother ride.)

Once upon a time there was a parrot, a snail, a duck, and a wolf! They were all great friends, but the wolf really liked to play tricks on the rest of the gang. Tricks can be funny, but they can also be misleading. Find out what happens when this wolf cries "ice cream!" and ends up learning a very valuable lesson on the importance of honesty. Grab YOUR ice cream, sit back, and relax, as our 9-year old director leads a cast of amazing improv actors in our one-of-a-kind version of the classic children's story 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'.

We know reading is so important to a child’s life, from the stories we tell them as infants to teaching them how to read themselves. But how does reading work inside a child's brain and what effect does it have on brain development? We talk to Dr. David Pearson, a reading expert with 40 years of experience, and take a science-driven deep dive into reading to demystify how it works. Then we hear a story from Emily Varod about the power that books had to help her kids overcome the challenges they face from day to day.

 “Time to go out and play!” It’s something we as parents tell our children when we need a break and they need some exercise. But as we learn in this episode, the benefits go MUCH deeper than that. We’ll sit down with Angela Hanscom, an occupational therapist who noticed a startling trend in her young patients and came up with some solutions that can make a huge difference in every child’s life. Then we hear a story from Ramsey Hootman about how her son’s connection with the outdoors actually transformed him for the better. This one gives physical activity an entire new level of importance!

Olivia loves to cook with her grandma, especially her delicious mac and cheese. But, today Grandma is making Rock Soup! What ingredients do you need for this rockin' dish? Well you'll just have to listen to find out! Our 9-year old director leads his cast of amazing improv actors as they perform a one-of-a-kind version of the classic children's story 'Stone Soup'. It's full of musical surprises, cool sound effects and unexpected twists and turns! It's "story time" like you've never heard it before! Perfect for kids! And parents too!

The Travel Episode! From going to the grocery store to flying with your toddler, we get into what it’s like to take your kids from point A to Point B. Traveling with your family can be a beautiful and enriching experience… or an absolute disaster. To help us make the best choices, we talk to Jessica Averett, a world traveler and creator of Bring the Kids, a website dedicated to family travel. Jessica has journeyed to over 40 countries with her family of 5 and has a ton of great tips and tricks for packing the family up and heading out on an adventure. Then we hear a feel-good story from Dustin Moore about how he and his wife got an unexpected surprise on their first flight with their newly adopted baby. This one is going to get you excited for new adventures with your kids!