Episode #22 - Lori Stephens (Executive Functioning)
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Release Date: 03/01/2022
Episode #34- Denise Schonwald (Parenting Tips from a Licensed Mental Health Counselor)
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Joining Ashley on the podcast is Denise Schonwald, a Licensed Mental Health counselor. Denise gives some insight and parenting tips on her most common issues she sees with children. Denise Schonwald, BSRN, LMHC Denise Schonwald is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor located in Sarasota, Florida. She brings 30 years of experience working as a registered nurse (RN) within the intensive care unit (ICU), Denise Schonwald cared for patients who were very ill and often in critical condition. Denise learned various techniques to support mental and emotional well-being. Her...
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Episode #33 - Human Trafficking Awareness - Keeping our Kids Safe, with Hilda Arreola
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Today's guest is Hilda Arreola, a prevention coordinator at Selah Freedom. Selah Freedom is a faith-based nonprofit anti-human trafficking organization, based in Florida and the Midwest, with the mission to end sex trafficking and bring freedom to the exploited through five strong programs: Awareness, Prevention, Outreach, Residential and Organizational Consulting. Hilda and I discuss the different red flags of being a victim of child trafficking and how to identify them in children. She also gives some great tips on how to keep our kids safe online. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. If you'd like more...
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Spanish Episode #3 - “Ser madre soltera en estos tiempos: desafíos y soluciones”
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
La madre soltera demuestra día a día un gran coraje al sacar adelante la casa y la educación de sus hijos por ella misma. Demuestra en cada acto que lucha por ofrecer a sus hijos una vida mejor, en la cual no sufran carencias y estén siempre rodeados de amor. Pero a veces el sacrificio es muy grande y sus vidas no están exentas de obstáculos difíciles de superar. En este Podcast vamos a conversar con la Sra. Judith Sánchez, de Woman Resources Center, y la Sra. Lourdes Guerrero, de Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC), sobre algunos de estos obstáculos difíciles que afrontan...
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Spanish Episode #2 - Crecer en el mundo Digital: como el internet afecta al bienestar y la seguridad de los niños
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
La tecnología crece día con día y a pasos agigantados, lo que antes era un lujo para algunos, hoy son accesorios de uso cotidiano para la mayoría. El uso de las nuevas tecnologías ha provocado un cambio radical en el día a día de nuestros pequeños y jóvenes. En este Podcast hablamos junto a la Srta. Hilda Arreola, Coordinadora de Prevención en Selah Freedom sobre los beneficios y los riesgos que tiene el mundo digital en nuestros niños y jóvenes. Si quieres más información sobre los temas discutidos o nos quieren sugerir temas para los futuro puede enviar un correo electrónico...
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Episode #32 - Keelia McCaffrey (Tips from a Librarian on Building Your Child's Literacy Skills)
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Today's episode Keelia has worked in libraries for over 15 years. She is currently the Youth Librarian at the Palmetto Library, and moved here to FL from Virginia. With our focus this month on literacy skill building, we are so excited to have Keelia join us on the podcast! Some fun facts about Keelia, as well as some of her favorite children and teen books: My favorite children’s books at the moment are: Aquicorn Cove by Kay O’Neill, Fluffy McWhiskers Cuteness Explosion by Stephen W. Martin, and Front Desk by Kelly Yang. My favorite teen books at the moment are: That Time I got...
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Spanish Episode #1- Escuchen y aprendan sobre el mundo mágico que tiene la lectura y la escritura para nuestros niños
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
En el mes de septiembre se celebra el mes Nacional de la Alfabetización, y es por eso que este pódcast tiene el propósito que nuestro padres y madres puedan ayudar a sus niños a construir habilidades en la lectura y escritura en casa. Y tenemos el placer de tener como invitada a la Sra. Aileen Valdés, quien es la supervisora en la biblioteca de la Isla de Anna Maria, en el condado de Manatee. Aileen Valdés nos comparte valiosos consejos de cómo ayudar a nuestros niños desde una edad temprana hasta su vida escolar en adquirir habilidades necesarias para leer y escribir. Y además nos...
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Episode #31 - Ashley Tabachnick (Building Your Child's Early Literacy Skills at Home)
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Today on the podcast, Ashley is joined by...another Ashley! Ashley Tabachnick is a Parenting Educator here at Parenting Matters. She has a background in education and is full of really great tips to help support your little learners build their early literacy skills at home. Stick around until the end, where she gives some of her favorite online literacy resources. In honor of National Literacy Month, make it a point to read with your children just a few times per week and see the difference it makes! See Ashley's online resource recommendations: Jack Hartman- Gracie's Corner- Starfall- ...
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Episode #30 - Katie Becker (Executive Director) - Tips for Sending Your Kids Back to School)
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Today on the podcast, I am thrilled to introduce you to the new Executive Director of Parenting Matters, Katie Becker. Katie comes with an impressive background working in Non-Profits, and an even more impressive heart for our mission and the families we serve. Katie shares her experience sending her son to kindergarten this week, and we go through some tips and tricks for sending your kids back to school. If you are a local parent and you wish to sign your child up for VPK, please visit If you'd like more information on the subjects discussed or suggest any upcoming topics for discussion,...
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Episode #29 - A Parent's Guide to Health, Wellness, and Early Literacy with the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
Today on the podcast, Ashley is joined by Rachel and Kelly from the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County. This episode is filled with local resources provided by the ELC as well as early literacy and nutrition tips for parents. All of the resources and programs mentioned in today’s episode are linked below. Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County: CATCH: For more information on CATCH, please visit or reach out to the Early Learning Coalition for more information. Division of Early Learning: You can visit Fresh From Florida, which provides information about Florida-grown food...
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Episode #28 - Joe Herr (Father's Day Special)
Parenting Matters: The Podcast
In today's episode, we wanted to do something special for Father's Day to honor the important roles dads and other male adult role models play in children's lives. We are so grateful to be able to bring one of our clients to the show today to share his story and to talk a little about fatherhood. Ashley is joined by Joe, a dad of 3 who has been working hard with one of our parenting educators to be the best dad he can be. We wanted to share some of the things he has learned over the years, and encourage our dads listening to never stop working on themselves and their connections with their...
info_outlineJoining Steve on the podcast is Lori Stephens, a School Success Coach and Educational Advocate. She is here to give us an overview of executive functioning as it relates to children.
Executive functioning, in a nutshell, is a set of mental skills that help you manage time, pay attention, plan, organize, etc. For our students, these skills are the base skills needed to be successful in school, that aren’t always intuitive, or easily learned. When it comes to children with ADHD or other special needs, it can be particularly helpful to understand executive functioning to support their success in and out of school.
At the end, Lori gives some resources to dive a little deeper into this topic, so that you can begin to help your child improve their executive functioning both at home and academically.
Check out https://www.understood.org/
and https://www.additudemag.com/
Additionally, this short video may help. https://youtu.be/H4YIHrEu-TU
If you'd like more information on the subjects discussed, or suggest any upcoming topics for discussion, just email us at [email protected] and we'll respond as soon as possible.