PrinciPALS: A Rowland Hall Podcast

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Ask any parent: if your child is sleeping well, life just seems to run smoother. But when good sleep feels out of reach? The pressure (and exhaustion!) can be intense.

In the first of a new batch of episodes going back to basics on raising children who thrive, the princiPALS are talking about sleep. Leaning on their own experiences as parents and educators, as well as a bit of sleep science, the pals share information on building healthy sleep routines, dealing with inevitable bumps or pushback, and knowing if your child is getting enough sleep.

Episode resources:

• Dr. Becky
• American Academy of Pediatrics sleep times recommendations
• Smiling Mind app
• Headspace app
• Precious Little Sleep by Alexis Dubief (check out the podcast too!)

Read the episode transcript.

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The princiPALS are back with an episode about the parenting book that seems to be everywhere right now: Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.

This episode features a panel discussion about the book, with four childhood experts weighing in on topics including balancing screen time with productive play, protecting children’s mental health, helping children process what they see online, and even making changes to your family’s social media decisions (it’s never too late!). Whether or not you’ve read the book, this episode will help you better navigate the challenges that face today’s families.

Episode resources:

• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

Panelist biographies:

• Emily Quetone Khan is Rowland Hall’s director of learning services for grades PreK–5. She has 20 years of experience in PreK–12 education as a special education classroom teacher, inclusion specialist, and learning specialist, and as a leader in public, charter, non-public, non-traditional, and independent school settings across the United States.
• Deborah Wright is Rowland Hall’s emotional support counselor for grades PreK–5. As a school counselor working in different schools and settings, Deborah has partnered with organizations such as Communities In Schools, Partners in Education, Stewards of Children, and various other stabilization and community wraparound programs.
• Jessica Kahn has worked as a pediatric occupational therapist for over 20 years, specializing in sensory processing disorders and various developmental motor deficits and diagnoses. She is the owner of Blue Sky Therapeutics, which has served Summit County, Utah, for the past 18 years.
• Michele Catten is a licensed clinical social worker at Full Circle Yoga & Therapy. She specializes in directive and non-directive play therapy to help children process and heal developmental challenges and traumas.

Read the episode transcript.

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It’s part two of our "Ask the PrinciPALS" series. Join Emma, Brittney, and Conor as they discuss even more of listeners’ top questions: how to teach kids about finance, how adults can help children understand that their actions impact others, how much support adults should provide when it comes to school assignments and projects, and how much families should really worry about summer slide.

Episode resources:

• The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber
• Smart But Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare

Read the episode transcript.

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This special episode is about you, our listeners. Join Emma, Brittney, and Conor as they discuss some of your top child-rearing questions: how to get habits and behaviors to stick, how to address distressing current events, how to get kids interested in activities and hobbies, and how to manage sibling rivalry during the elementary years. This warm, supportive conversation will help you feel seen, understood, and even better prepared to support the children in your life.

Read the episode transcript.

Screens are a necessary tool in today’s world, but they can cause a lot of family anxiety. As parents themselves, Rowland Hall’s princiPALS understand this struggle—and so they’re tackling the topic. Join the pals for a discussion about current guidelines (and why it’s understandable if you can’t always adhere to them), high-quality programming, social media, the importance of balancing screen time and productive play, and how you can get the whole family involved in identifying values and boundaries that will guide screen time in your home.

Episode resources:

• Dr. Becky Kennedy/Good Inside
• Common Sense Media
• Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (2023)
• Current social media guidelines: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Common Sense Media, Mayo Clinic

Read the episode transcript.

Behavior and discipline: no matter what kind of parent you are, they’re two topics you think about often. And chances are, you’re often wondering, “Am I doing this right?” In this episode of princiPALS, Emma, Brittney, and Conor focus on methods for recognizing children’s behavior patterns, as well as share tips for how parents can best guide those behaviors in positive directions.

Episode resources:

• The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
• The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene
• Raising Kids by Sheri Glucoft Wong and Olaf Jorgenson
• Good Inside by Becky Kennedy

Read the episode transcript.

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COVID changed a lot about parenting, including how caregivers view the kind of risk-taking that helps build resilience in young children. Now that we are living in a different phase of the pandemic—one that’s more focused on management instead of avoidance—it’s an ideal time to revisit the topic of resilience: what it is, its many benefits, and how families can build it back into their routines.

Episode resources:

• The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey
• Raising Kids by Sheri Glucoft Wong
• “The Conversation: The Purpose of School and Bringing Joy into the Classroom,” featuring Denise Pope

Read the episode transcript.

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In this episode, Rowland Hall princiPALS Emma Wellman and Jij de Jesus take on the topic of bullying. While parents and caregivers are undoubtedly familiar with this term, the definition can shift depending on who’s talking. Knowing this, Emma and Jij explain what it means when educators use that word, as well as walk listeners through what’s happening to kids developmentally during the early childhood and elementary years so that they understand what behaviors are typical and which may require intervention. Listeners will walk away with a better understanding of what is behind children’s behaviors and tips on supporting them.

Episode resources:

• Yardsticks by Chip Wood
• Bully Nation by Susan Eva Porter
• Queen Bees and Wannabes and Masterminds and Wingmen by Rosalind Wiseman

Read the episode transcript.

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The princiPALS are back in the office to revisit one of today’s most essential topics: how to talk to kids about race. Join Emma Wellman and Jij de Jesus as they discuss how to teach children to have thoughtful conversations about race and racial differences, as well as share tips on how to model antiracist behaviors for children.

Episode resources:

• Raising Race-Conscious Children
• PBS Utah’s Let’s Talk: Talking to Kids about Race
• Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk about Race: Resource Roundup


Read the episode transcript.

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In this episode of princiPALS, Jij and Emma discuss some of the most inspiring things they’ve learned (so far) while educating preschool- and elementary-aged children during the pandemic, with a hope that their perspectives on in-person learning may help other educators—as well as answer some of the many questions parents and caregivers have as schools readjust learning models in 2021. Jij and Emma also draw on their lessons to create tips that will help parents and caregivers continue to support children (and themselves) at this time.

Read the episode transcript.

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In this episode of princiPALS Jij and Emma discuss the importance of talking to kids about race. Join them to unpack common fears around discussing race and bias, including the role socialization plays, and explore studies on kids and race. Listeners will also get tips to help them feel more prepared for these necessary conversations.

Episode resources:

• The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s anti-bias education website
• Sesame Workshop’s Identity Matters study
• NurtureShock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
• PBS Utah’s Let’s Talk: Talking to Kids About Race
• Lisa Delpit
• Louise Derman-Sparks
• Robin DiAngelo

Read the episode transcript.

Update January 11, 2021: This episode won silver for a single podcast episode in the 2020 InspirED Brilliance Awards. Sample judges' comments: The branding of the podcast itself is excellent. The topic is timely and I appreciated hearing about the research and action items to take. Terrific resource! The concept of interviewing the two school heads together (the PrinciPALS) is strong and the advice is timely. Really smart advice, well-presented.

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The princiPALS are back in the studio to discuss academic rigor during the early childhood and elementary school years. While traditional education focused on the memorization and regurgitation of facts to display knowledge, Jij and Emma show how today’s students succeed when they know how to seek, evaluate, and use knowledge. They also provide practical tips to help parents and caregivers inspire lifelong learning and collaboration in children.

Read the episode transcript.

Listen below or on Apple Podcasts.

In the first episode of princiPALS, we’re discussing resilience—that essential life skill that empowers kids to bounce back from challenges and stressors. Join Jij and Emma as they chat about what resilience in children looks and sounds like, and share ways that caregivers and educators can work together to build this skill.

Episode resources:

• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth, co-founder and CEO of Character Lab and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania
• The Gardener and the Carpenter, by Alison Gopnick, professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley
• The Price of Privilege, by Madeline Levine, psychologist and co-founder of Challenge Success at the Stanford Graduate School of Education

Read the episode transcript.