Dear Highlights host Christine French Cully is celebrating her 30-year anniversary of working at Highlights. In this special episode, CEO Kent Johnson interviews her on her career, mission and purpose, and her insights on children.

Few parents have heard the term “school refusal,” but many families are experiencing it. In fact, since the pandemic, it is a big problem. Missing a lot of school causes cognitive-academic, social, and behavioral deficits for students. School Avoidance Alliance founder Jayne Demsky joins the podcast to help us understand what is happening, and how parents and schools can help. 

Hanh Bui fled her homeland of Vietnam as a child. She remembers the challenges of arriving in a new country with new customs, language, and expectations. Even more – she remembers the adults, and especially the children, who welcomed her, and who gave her the connectedness she needed to make a new home. Today a teacher, children’s author and advocate, Hanh invites us to think about how we can not just look for the helpers, but be the helpers, who make all children belong. Tune in to hear her remarkable journey.

Amanda Morgan from Save the Children joins the podcast to share what the past few weeks have been like for the children of Ukraine, what Save the Children is doing to help children impacted by war and how we can help kids here in the US who are frightened by the war and its possible impacts for the world. Listen in to hear:● The long-term effects of displacement and war on kids● What we can do when our kids are worried about the threat of nuclear war● How kids around the world can support the children of UkraineTo support Save the Children’s work in the Ukraine, visit https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/ukraine.

Kids love Halloween! Scary stuff can be so fun . . . or it can ruin bedtime. Common Sense Media’s Editorial Director Betsy Bozdech joins the podcast to share her tips for seasonal media that is scary, but not too scary. From Hocus Pocus 2 to Zombies to podcasts, tune in for her spooky picks for kids of all ages. For more recommendations, visit https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/scary-but-not-too-scary-halloween-movies (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/scary-but-not-too-scary-halloween-movies)

It may be hard to fathom, but children as young as age 8 can have suicidal thoughts, and many parents don’t know when their children are in crisis. In this week’s Dear Highlights podcast and in honor of Mental Health Awareness month, our host Christine French Cully, talks with Dr. John Ackerman, a child clinical psychologist and the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research (CSPR) (https://www.onoursleeves.org/) at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio, about risk factors and treatments for mood disorders and suicide in children, and how to tell if your child is at risk.

Parents Trent and Carly Shepherd (Instagram: @shepquest) join the podcast to share more about a major lifestyle change they embarked on with their two sons – traveling the country together, learning, working, and exploring on the road. What can we learn from a family whose family time is 24/7?

Highlights CEO Kent Johnson joins the podcast to answer questions from our readers, talk about why his great-grandparents founded Highlights with their retirement savings, and share what makes carrying on the mission so meaningful today.

Parenting educator Jennifer Miller joins the podcast again to talk about social aggression, exclusion, and gossiping in elementary school. Being mean at times, and being on the receiving end of meanness, is common in childhood. In a world that isn’t always kind, how can we help children lean into the best versions of themselves? Listen to learn how adults can employ curiosity and compassion to guide kids through mean moments.

Economist Dr. Emily Oster joins the podcast to talk about how parents can use data to make better parenting decisions, and how learning to read data like an economist can save us from the whip lash of the news cycle. Listen to find out the handful of things data can tell us really matters to raising happy, healthy kids; and how to ignore the rest.

Homework researcher Dr. Harris Cooper joins the podcast to help us answer a question from Highlights reader: “What is homework for anyway?” Listen to learn how to establish positive habits and attitudes related to homework, and how homework can be fuel for the parent/school relationship.

The pandemic has accelerated a trend — kids are consuming more and more digital media. Common Sense Media’s Erin Wilkey Oh joins the podcast to discuss:* What media is aiding kids’ mental health, and which categories are harming it* Why the end of the school year is a great time to reassess media rules* How letting your kids teach you new media can build their media literacy

This episode contains sensitive content about the sexual abuse of children and may be upsetting to some listeners. Tune in for an open, honest discussion about:● How children tell us something is wrong without words● What we should ask of children’s schools, camps, and sports teams● What adults can do to help children who have experienced abuse For local resources, support, and information about sexual abuse, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or visit online.rainn.org to receive support via confidential online chat.

Many of today’s kids are worried about climate change. Climate scientist and expert communicator Dr. Katherine Hayhoe joins the podcast for a hope-filled conversation about how we can inspire children to see a future of climate change solutions — and how listening to kids can inspire adults, too. Listen in as Dr. Hayhoe shares: * Why it’s important to talk to kids about climate change* How to describe climate change to kids in just one minute* What gives her hope that we can still tackle the challenges a changing earth will bringRecommended resources:http://www.globalweirdingseries.com (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.globalweirdingseries.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cted.weckbacher%40highlights.com%7Cd9cadda74fa5483b93f308da1657622d%7C2b6dba977f9247b2a6f765136c3676f0%7C0%7C0%7C637846861809633405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=19vHqBqsh9cF1QcXJXbBlGT5ht%2FafXvAcKOZkx92CEU%3D&reserved=0)https://sciencemoms.com/ (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsciencemoms.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cted.weckbacher%40highlights.com%7Cd9cadda74fa5483b93f308da1657622d%7C2b6dba977f9247b2a6f765136c3676f0%7C0%7C0%7C637846861809633405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=GEhfTQLy%2BjuB0ri34AZlBFM8TCHk3p1zm1ShjUgMVXU%3D&reserved=0)https://vimeo.com/151923918 (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F151923918&data=04%7C01%7Cted.weckbacher%40highlights.com%7Cd9cadda74fa5483b93f308da1657622d%7C2b6dba977f9247b2a6f765136c3676f0%7C0%7C0%7C637846861809633405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=2yLhjpm5IP2MiR6T5KUX2ZwFJUBYAu4BXRuAk8%2BiCwE%3D&reserved=0)https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Saving-Us/Katharine-Hayhoe/9781982143831 (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.simonandschuster.com%2Fbooks%2FSaving-Us%2FKatharine-Hayhoe%2F9781982143831&data=04%7C01%7Cted.weckbacher%40highlights.com%7Cd9cadda74fa5483b93f308da1657622d%7C2b6dba977f9247b2a6f765136c3676f0%7C0%7C0%7C637846861809633405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=aMpmqSeRQS5Akkon%2BuMeDkNKJOf69NuDb8p7OvSgEyg%3D&reserved=0)https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623543/the-future-we-choose-by-christiana-figueres-and-tom-rivett-carnac/ (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F623543%2Fthe-future-we-choose-by-christiana-figueres-and-tom-rivett-carnac%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cted.weckbacher%40highlights.com%7Cd9cadda74fa5483b93f308da1657622d%7C2b6dba977f9247b2a6f765136c3676f0%7C0%7C0%7C637846861809633405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=hjAuDvCATCNGRkKsn%2Fca0NIQPoYL%2BciNtU%2FjQ7%2B6lj4%3D&reserved=0)

The majority of kids will at some point grieve a loved one. It’s a normal part of childhood we often don’t talk about enough. How does a child’s evolving understanding of death impact their grieving? How can we help kids express and process their grief?Developmental-behavioral pediatrician and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. David Schonfeld joins us on this week’s episode of Dear Highlights to shed light on the important topic of childhood bereavement. Host Christine French Cully reads letters from grieving children who have lost family members and talks with Dr. Schonfeld about how adults can support children’s understanding of death, model effective coping, and help children to continue to feel connected to their loved one who has died.

Amanda Morgan from Save the Children joins the podcast to share what the past few weeks have been like for the children of Ukraine, what Save the Children is doing to help children impacted by war and how we can help kids here in the US who are frightened by the war and its possible impacts for the world. Listen in to hear:● The long-term effects of displacement and war on kids● What we can do when our kids are worried about the threat of nuclear war● How kids around the world can support the children of UkraineTo support Save the Children’s work in the Ukraine, visit https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/ukraine.

It may be hard to fathom, but children as young as age 8 can have suicidal thoughts, and many parents don’t know when their children are in crisis. In this week’s Dear Highlights podcast and in honor of Mental Health Awareness month, our host Christine French Cully, talks with Dr. John Ackerman, a child clinical psychologist and the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research (CSPR) (https://www.onoursleeves.org/) at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio, about risk factors and treatments for mood disorders and suicide in children, and how to tell if your child is at risk.

Kids write Highlights to tell us how they feel about their bodies. And the news is not good. When most adults are also unhappy with their bodies, how can we help kids to relate to their bodies, and to food, in a positive way? Nutritional Scientist Dr. Kendrin Sonneville, who studies the prevention of eating disorders and how to create healthy body image, joins the podcast to discuss: * What a healthy body image actually looks like* What we are getting wrong about kids and eating disorders* Putting kids’ pandemic weight gain in context

Highlights gets thousands of letters from kids each year – and an editor personally answers each one. Highlights Associate Editor Allison Kane joins the podcast to discuss some of her favorite letters, and how we answer kids in a way that lets them know we are listening. Join us to hear answers to kids’ questions like:* Can I believe in Santa when my friends don’t?* How can I build a proper trap to catch more lizards?* How can I make the world better other than running for President?

It feels like the pandemic has conspired against friendship. Friendships are one of the most important parts of childhood, and kids’ letters tell us that their relationships have suffered in the last few years. Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore joins the podcast to share how we can help kids connect with each other. Listen in to hear:* The importance of in-person socializing for kids* How technology can be a help, and a hindrance, to friendship* What parents can do to set a playdate up for success Find more friendship resources from Dr. Kennedy-Moore: https://eileenkennedymoore.com/free-mini-guides/ (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feileenkennedymoore.com%2Ffree-mini-guides%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cted.weckbacher%40highlights.com%7Cf01691b892a3490881a708d9efd6c17c%7C2b6dba977f9247b2a6f765136c3676f0%7C0%7C0%7C637804527928913718%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=aca21XPlP24NYU0rEZha%2BkhNVbFsQIdsygNANDfZDvA%3D&reserved=0)