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Guest 1: Diane Frankenstein, author of Reading Together.
Topic: Everything you need to know to raise a child who loves to read
Issues: Guidelines for selecting appropriate books for all ages and reading abilities; how to support your child’s reading skills; helping child decide what to read

Guest 2: Harold Levinson, author of Smart But Feeling Dumb.
Topic: New understanding and dramatic treatment for dyslexia, learning disabilities, and ADD
Issues: The discovery that dyslexia is not just about reading difficulties—it’s part of a syndrome that includes hundreds of symptoms (ADD, phobias, and more); scientific proof that all these conditions can be treated with a simple, over-the-counter motion sickness remedy.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:00 — 27.5MB)

Guest 1: Elizabeth Hartley Brewer, author of Making Friends.
Topic: A guide to understanding and nurturing your child's friendships
Issues: Should you worry when your child’s imaginary friend sticks around past preschool? How do boys’ and girls’ friendships differ? What do kids really value in a friendship? What should you do if you don’t like one of your child’s friends?

Guest 2: Joseph Califano, author of How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid.
Topic: The straight dope for parents
Issues: When and how to talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol; how to respond when your kid asks, “Did you do drugs?”; how to know when your child is most at risk; how to prepare your teen for the freedoms and perils of college.

Guest for both segments: Lise Eliot, author of Pink Brain, Blue Brain.
Topic: How small differences grow into troublesome gaps — and what we can do about it
Issues: Debunking the myths about gender differences; how the brains of boys and girls are largely shaped by how they spend their time as opposed to physical difference that are there at birth

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:01 — 27.5MB)

Guest 1: Janet Hughes, advocate for children’s vision.
Children's Vision Foundation
Topic: Raising the standards for eye care.
Issues: The critical difference between vision screenings and eye exams—and why screenings often miss serious problems; the importance of good vision in school and elsewhere (academic learning is 80% visual).

Guest 2: Darryl Shue, representative of the Military Family Network

Topic: Military families
Issues: Special concerns of families facing deployment; the challenges of staying in touch across time and distance; resources that can help support deployed servicemembers and their families; special concerns of reservists and Guard troops.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:00 — 27.5MB)

Guest 1: Wednesday Martin, author of Stepmonster.
Topic: A new look at why real stepmothers think, feel, and act the way they do
Issues: The process of becoming a stepmother; the myths and realities of being married to a man with children; debunking the prevailing notion that stepmothers are responsible for the problems they encounter.

Guest 2: Karyl McBride, author of Will I Ever Be Good Enough?
Topic: Healing the daughters of narcissistic mothers.
Issues: Recognizing how your own experiences with maternal narcissism and its effects on all aspects of your life; discovering how you have internalized verbal and non-verbal messages from your mother and how they have translated into overachieving or self-sabotage

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:02 — 27.5MB)

Guest 1: James Steyer, CEO and Founder of CommonSenseMedia
Topic: Is social networking changing childhood?
Issues: Discussing a recent survey that found that kids are increasingly connected with friends, classmates, and others through social networks—and parents are completely out of the loop; what parents need to do to supervise and monitor their kids’ online behavior.

Guest 2: Timothy Smith, author of Crashproof Your Kids.
Topic: Make your teen a safer, smarter driver
Issues: Developing your teen’s braking, car control, and defensive driving skills; handling road emergencies and basic maintenance; helping young drivers deal with dangerous distractions; a parent-child contract that outlines expectations, responsibilities, and rules.