2011

01/02/11
Guest 1: Mary Gordon, author of The Roots of Empathy.
Topic: Changing the world child by child.
Issues: A revolutionary program that reduces bullying, antisocial behavior, and aggression while at the same time boosting self-esteem, and enhancing each child’s ability to understand other points of view and respect the feelings of others.

Guest 2: Michael Ungar, author of The We Generation.
Topic: Raising socially responsible kids.
Issues: how to organize play dates with children of different ages so your child can help younger kids; the importance of watching the news with your children and discussing what you see; getting kids to consider how their actions make others feel.

01/09/11
Guest 1: Judy Molland, author of Get Out!
Topic: Easy ways for kids and adults to get into nature and build a greener future.
Issues: The importance of getting outside; why today’s kids are spending less time outside than we did as kids, why looking out for the environment is good for all of us.

Guest 2: Laurie LeComer, author of The Socially Included Child.
Topic: Successful playdates, recreation, and family events for children with autism
Issues: The difficulties faced by parents of autistic children when trying to socialize or organize playdates when a child has autism, a new science-based method that can help children with autism and their families.

01/16/11
Guest 1: Marla McLaren, author of The Language of Emotions.
Topic: What your feelings are trying to tell you.
Issues: What, exactly, are emotions? Understanding that all emotions—even the “bad” ones—are important messengers, helping us; Learning to work with your emotions instead of trying to control or change them.

Guest 2: Ann Louise Gittleman, author of Zapped.
Topic: How to outsmart the hazards of electronic pollution.
Issues: How wireless internet, smart phones, and laptops have transformed the ways we live and work; the dangers of electromagnetic fields (EMF); radiation from cell phones is just the beginning—it’s also wall outlets, refrigerators, dimmer switches, hair dryers, and a lot more; why the risks of EMFs are especially high for children.

01/23/11
Guest for both segments: Mary Lamia, author of Understanding Myself.
Topic: A guide to intense emotions and strong feelings.
Issues: The good and bad of emotions; the science behind emotions; why venting your anger is a bad idea; why negative emotions might actually be good for you.

01/30/11
Guests for both segments: Steve and Annette Economides, co-authors of Cut Your Grocery in Half.
Topic: So many innovative strategies you won’t have to cut coupons.
Issues: Spend less time shopping and cooking; get more bang for your grocery buck; plan meals for picky eaters and busy schedules; kitchen tools that streamline meal preparation; turn your freezer into a money-making machine.

02/06/11
Guest 1: John Duffy, clinical psychologist and life coach.
Topic: A new approach to parenting teens.
Issues: Entering your teens world; making yourself more available; learning new ways of communicating with your teen in a way that brings you closer together; the thin line between being an authority figure and a friend to your child.`

Guest 2: Gemini Adams, author of Your Legacy of Love.
Topic: Realizing the gift in “goodbye.”
Issues: If one of your parents died, which would prefer to inherit: their money or a letter saying how much they loved you? 90 percent said they’d rather receive the letter: how preparing our emotional assets can reduce the family’s grief and suffering, provide them with a continuing loving bond, and help them preserve special memories.

02/13/11
Guest 1: Rachel Kauder Nalebuff, editor of My Little Red Book.
Topic: Stories about first periods.
Issues: How dads can approach his daughter’s first period without making it uncomfortable for either of them; why there is a taboo around the subject matter.

Guest 2: Guest Michael Greenberg, author of Hurry Down Sunshine.
Topic: A father’s story of love and madness.
Issues: What it’s like to be the parent of a child who suffers from mental illness; understanding and coping with the anger, frustration, desperation, and helplessness that parents and other loved ones may feel when trying to save a child from mental illness.

02/20/11
Guest 1 and 2: Po Bronson, author of NurtureShock
Topic: New thinking about children
Issues: Why just about everything you think you know about parenting could be wrong; why the most brutal person in a child’s life is often a sibling; when is it too soon—or too late—to teach a child about race; why reading to your child may not be the most effective way of stimulating vocabulary.

02/27/11
Lawrence Steinberg, author of You and Your Adolescent.
Topic: A look at adolescence, from ages 10-25
Issues: Why adolescence longer than it used to be; what research into the adolescent brain says about teen behavior; should parents of preteens and young teens monitor social media use? Communicating with your teen; understanding the power of the peer group.

3/6/11
Val Walker, author of The Art of Comforting.
Topic: What to say and do for people in distress.
Issues: What makes a person comforting? What do you do if the person you’re comforting resists your efforts? Using art, writing, and words as to comfort and heal.

03/13/11
Marie Arana, coauthor of Stop Calling Him Honey and Start Having Sex.
Topic: How changing your everyday habits will make you hot for each other all over again.
Issues: Why silly pet names are the first step towards a nonexistent sex life; the importance of closing the bathroom door; talk dirty; argue more; stay separate to stay together.

03/20/11
Sara Rosenquist, author of After the Stork.
Topic: A couple’s guide to preventing and overcoming postpartum depression.
Issues: What is postpartum depression (PPD)—and what isn’t it? The true causes of PPD; warning signs; why just as many dads as moms develop PPD; when expectations meet reality; the social side of PPD.

03/27/11
Guest 1: David Anderegg, author of Nerds.
Topic: Who nerds are and why we need more of them.
Issues: How kids become nerds and what happens to their identities when they do; how antinerd sentiment affects children, undermines their academic performance, and ultimately jeopardizes American economic competitiveness.