Best Wellvisits Podcasts (2025)

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Voices from the 2025 National Summit 42:59

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5d ago42:59

42:59

In early November 2025, almost 200 people from the Reach Out and Read and Nurture Connection worlds — comprising clinicians, staff, community leaders, funders, and parents — gathered in Washington, DC for the National Summit. This event convened a coalition of innovative organizations representing the nation's early childhood community, child healt…

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Returning to Gratitude 28:13

19d ago28:13

28:13

We're thankful, all year round, to those who read aloud to young children and who encourage shared reading with others. To celebrate Thanksgiving 2025, we're revisiting a powerful selection of stories from Traci Sorell, Ann Clare LeZotte, and Dr Sayantani DasGupta, three children's authors who joined us share their own stories of thanks.…

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Fostering Health: Meeting the Needs of Children and Adolescents in Foster Care 36:28

1M ago36:28

36:28

Over 200,000 children enter foster care each year in the United States. How can we create safe, stable, and nurturing environments for foster children who have, by definition, experienced a rupture of at least one of these elements? Dr. Camille Broussard, Executive Committee member for the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Foster Care, Adop…

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Parenting Little Kids with Big Feelings 37:51

2M ago37:51

37:51

Sometimes called "spirited" or "deeply feeling", highly sensitive children are "more likely to have challenges regulating their big emotions because their brains are wired to process and react to their experiences in the world more deeply than other children." Claire Lerner, a licensed social worker and author of "Big Reactors: Practical Strategies…

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Thinking Developmentally 34:36

2M ago34:36

34:36

We continue to learn so much about the development of our brains in the first 1,000 days of life, and how the social world around those young brains matter deeply. What can parents and caregivers do in those early days to allow healthy and strong brain growth? Dr. Andrew Garner, pediatrician and co-author of Thinking Developmentally: Nurturing Well…

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Questions (from young children) Without Answers 37:03

2M ago37:03

37:03

There are loads of poetry books for children but not too many by children. Sarah Manguso, author and curator of the new book "Questions Without Answers", joins us to talk about children's deep (and often unknowingly) philosophical questions—and that though kids may yet be developing their vocabulary, they have plenty of profound questions."…

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One-on-One with Dr. Lynette Fraga, Reach Out and Read's New CEO 37:10

3M ago37:10

37:10

Dr. Lynette Fraga, Reach Out and Read's new CEO, joins us to talk about the lived experience she brings to this role, and her plans to accelerate our mission, scale impact, advance equity, and, of course, strengthen families.

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"Listening In" and "Not Knowing" 37:04

3M ago37:04

37:04

We don't know what we don't know. And when it comes to relationships, approaching others from the perspective of not knowing can often make those relationships stronger. Dr. Claudia Gold, a pediatrician and writer with over 20 years experience in the field, joins us to talk about humility, listening, "rupture and repair", and a 'willingness to be s…

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The Genius of Judy 34:03

4M ago34:03

34:03

Judy Blume is one of the most prolific and beloved writers of our time — but also is at the center of many debates over what is appropriate for children, to the point of being one of the most banned. Rachelle Bergstein, author of the new book The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us, joins us to talk about Blume's life, ho…

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Junie B. Jones Continues to Delight Children and Frustrate (some) Adults 37:53

4M ago37:53

37:53

Junie B. Jones was first introduced to young readers over thirty years ago, but her ability to make children laugh - and some adults angry - hasn't changed. Colleen AF Venable, a seasoned children's author whose graphic novel adaptation of Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus hit shelves earlier this year, joins us to talk about …

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Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek: A Conversation 37:04

5M ago37:04

37:04

Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek are two of the most remarkable, beloved writers and illustrators working in children's books today. Working both together and separately, they have created dozens of well-known and acclaimed books—and show no signs of slowing down! In a rare interview, Kevin and Laura share their creative process, and how finding an '…

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Children and Media Use: The 5 Cs 39:04

5M ago39:04

39:04

How we think and talk about kids and digital media use has evolved as we've learned more and refined better approaches that are more practical for parents. Dr. Jenny Radesky, Co-Medical Director of the AAP's Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, joins us to talk about "The 5 C's" - a straightforward and highly effective way …

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Leave Me Alone! Solitude and Creativity with Vera Brosgol 36:22

6M ago36:22

36:22

We can all benefit from healthy relationships and connections, but sometimes kids (and adults) just want some 'alone time' - and that's OK too. Author and illustrator Vera Brosgol joins us to dig into several of her fantastically imaginative book worlds that help explore relationships with our family, and ourselves.…

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Words With Wings 35:17

6M ago35:17

35:17

Poetry is often perceived to be "hard" or inaccessible, but as our next guests illustrate, poetry can offer an "uplifting journey through everyday moments, moods and experiences" for kids at any age or stage of development. Author Matthew Burgess and illustrator Doug Salati join us to talk about "Words With Wings", their magical new book of poems f…

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The Hedgehog's Dilemma 32:59

7M ago32:59

32:59

How can one discuss topics such as social exclusion, anxiety, paranoia, human intimacy, affection, and our need to bond with others? A brilliant book, The Hedgehog's Dilemma, by Dutch author Toon Tellegen, is a "metaphor for the dilemma humans are faced with in their intimate relationships with others", exploring all this in an accessible manner fo…

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Building Resilience in Caregivers 35:09

7M ago35:09

35:09

Approaching families with a 'resilience lens' is a relatively new practice but might turn out to be one of the most impactful tools in our pediatric toolbox yet. Dr. Gretchen Pianka, author of "Coaching Families for Resilience: How Pediatricians Can Support Caregivers and Prevent Burnout", joins us to talk about how this manner of thinking can help…

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Love to Learn: A Conversation with Isabelle Hau 32:21

8M ago32:21

32:21

Relationships have long been recognized as a catalyst of learning; changing our focus away from a solely child-centric model of education to relationship-centered thinking may prove to be the key to success. Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins us to talk about her new book Love to Learn: The Transformati…

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The History of the Science of Reading 33:33

8M ago33:33

33:33

Despite humans having read for thousands of years, we still don't understand everything about how it happens. It is still a mystery of how the eye, mind, and the brain are called upon to perform tasks that are fundamentally 'unnatural'. Dr. Adrian Johns, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Chicago, joins us to talk about how all…

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Picture Books Help Us "See" Differently 34:59

9M ago34:59

34:59

Kids (and adults) sometimes have a hard time accepting unique characteristics in themselves and in others. But when a book lands just right, sometimes the simplest format – a picture book – can have the greatest impact on how we view ourselves, others, and the world. Author and illustrator Barney Saltzberg joins us to talk about how picture books i…

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Bonding with a Newborn 36:03

9M ago36:03

36:03

It's overwhelming to form a relationship with a new baby while your relationship with yourself as a new parent is in flux! Keeping it simple is one of the ways parents can get through a challenging but rewarding time. Dr. Joanna Parga-Belinkie, a clinical neonatologist and author of "The Baby Bonding Book", explains how one-on-one time and getting …

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The Last Human Job: Part 2 29:35

9M ago29:35

29:35

In Part 2 of our interview with Allison Pugh, professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University and author of "The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World", we talk about what "connective labor" means for early relational health, and can how physicians, practitioners, and caregivers can apply this theory to their everyday in…

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The Last Human Job: Part 1 33:52

10M ago33:52

33:52

How people connect to one another is something we sometimes don't think about, and how technology touches modern life is a key factor. Allison Pugh, Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University and author of a notable book on this subject, joins us to talk about how, and why, the human connections now at risk in our tech-driven lives are wort…

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The Science Sessions: Learning from Families About What Inspires and Enables Them to Share Books Together 30:21

10M ago30:21

30:21

Dr. Clare Crosh and Dr. Diogo Anyigbo join us to talk about what they have learned from families about how they view and practice shared reading and how that can inform messaging and resources that inspire and enable families to sing, tell stories and share books with their young children.

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The Daycare Myth 38:51

11M ago38:51

38:51

Addressing childcare and education in this country has been a challenge for decades, but according to our next guest, fixing it comes down to one thing - acknowledging that we're thinking about the whole system upside-down, and flipping it right-side-up. Dan Wuori, known globally for his uplifting and educational social media, joins us to talk abou…

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How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen 32:06

11M ago32:06

32:06

What does early relational health have to do with getting your kids to put their shoes on? Julie King, co-author of "How to Talk So Little Ones Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Age 2-7", offers a series of parenting tools that lean into emotional intelligence and foster early relational health.…

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A Conversation with Lois Lowry 33:05

12M ago33:05

33:05

For nearly 50 years, Lois Lowry's books have adeptly tackled friendship, loyalty, fear, comfort, family, war, political oppression, love, grief, racism, and so much more – and usually from the perspective of the children themselves. Lois Lowry joins us to share how, through writing, she tries "to convey her passionate awareness that we live intertw…

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Creating the Magic of "The Yellow Bus" 33:24

1y ago33:24

33:24

Every so often, a book comes along that allows parents and children to slow down together, engage, and experience the joy of reading a book that requires, and then rewards, looking closely at everything that book has to offer. Famed author and illustrator Loren Long joins us to talk about The Yellow Bus, a magical new children's book that does exac…

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Digging Into Nature 32:22

1y ago32:22

32:22

Instead of 'Screen Time', try 'Green Time'! Dr. Pooja Tandon and Dr. Danette Glassy, co-authors of the new book "Digging Into Nature: Outdoor Adventures for Happier and Healthier Kids" join us to talk about a growing body of evidence behind the mental and physical benefits nature offers to children, ideas for nature-based activities, and ways to ov…

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Spotlight on Poverty, Part 5: How Reach Out and Read is Helping 35:37

1y ago35:37

35:37

In the fifth and final episode in our multi-part series on poverty and early relational health we look inside our organization and examine the work Reach Out and Read is doing to help families experiencing material hardship. Ruth Coleman, Alex Chu, and Callee Boulware outline how we can use our long-standing experience and in-depth research to focu…

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Spotlight on Poverty, Part 4: Positive Relationships Can Help Mitigate the Effects of Poverty 36:29

1y ago36:29

36:29

Positive, supportive interactions with children may help mitigate the effects of adverse childhood experiences resulting from poverty. Continuing our spotlight series on poverty and early relational health, Dr. Kate Rosenblum, co-Director of Zero to Thrive at the University of Michigan, joins us to talk about how aligning programs like ours can "pr…

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Spotlight on Poverty, Part 3: Home Visiting Supports Families Where They Need It Most 34:21

1y ago34:21

34:21

How can families help prepare their children for school when they're working multiple jobs, or struggling to buy groceries? Reading a book together can seem like a lot when all your energy is focused on meeting the basic needs of your family. Evidence-based home visiting programs like Parents as Teachers can help with some of these challenges. Jenn…

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Spotlight on Poverty, Part 2: Seeing the Families Beyond the Numbers 38:13

1y ago38:13

38:13

There's a significant amount of data on childhood poverty, but the numbers only tell one part of the story. Cristi Carman and Dr. Philip Fisher of Stanford University join us to talk about how to decipher complex data to better understand the experiences, challenges, and resiliency of young children and their families experiencing material hardship…

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Breaking News: The New 2024 AAP Literacy Promotion Statement 33:29

1y ago33:29

33:29

AAP policy statements are powerful, well-researched, and meticulously-reviewed principles on the state-of-the-art in children's health. Yesterday, the AAP released their latest Policy Statement: "Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice", and an accompanying extensive Technical Report outlining the substantial s…

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Spotlight on Poverty, Part 1: Nick Kristof on How to Talk so People Will Listen 35:41

1y ago35:41

35:41

How can we talk about poverty and early relational health so people will listen? How can you get people to care about public issues that seem insurmountable (but aren't)? Nicholas Kristof, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, joins us to talk about strategies for how to talk about difficult subjects so people will listen (hint: it starts with a …

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The Big Apple: Reach Out and Read Greater New York 32:18

1+ y ago32:18

32:18

Celebrating their 25th anniversary, Reach Out and Read Greater New York provides books and training to over 230 Reach Out and Read programs in predominantly low-income communities in New York City, Long Island, and the Greater Hudson Valley. Executive Director Emily Marchese joins us to talk about the joys — and challenges — of serving one of the l…

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Grandmothering While Black 35:52

1+ y ago35:52

35:52

Over the decades, more and more US children are being raised by their grandparents. Dr. LaShawnDa Pittman, author of the new book, "Grandmothering While Black: A Twenty-First-Century Story of Love, Coercion, and Survival", joins us to talk about how the interweaving of love, obligation, bureaucracy, historical factors, race, gender, and economic in…

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Summer Rerun: The Wild Robot 37:07

1+ y ago37:07

37:07

Writing for children—especially books that can be emotionally challenging—requires a great deal of insight, honestly, talent, and self reflection; and that's before you even pick up the pencil! Peter Brown, author of The Wild Robot, a beautifully crafted and deeply moving middle grade novel about technology, nature, and family, joins us to talk abo…

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The Gretchen Hunsberger Award Goes To... 12:08

1+ y ago12:08

12:08

The Gretchen Hunsberger Medical Champion Award honors a clinician whose exemplary personal and professional medical leadership has helped to make delivery of the Reach Out and Read program model all it can be. Meet this year's winner!

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Live from NYC! The 2024 ROR Leadership Conference 44:37

1+ y ago44:37

44:37

Season 5 of our podcast kicks off with highlights from expert voices in early relational health, pediatrics, and publishing, captured live at the Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference in New York City in May 2024.

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BoyMom 34:11

1+ y ago34:11

34:11

Recent data shows that in school, by almost every metric, boys of all ages are doing worse than girls. How did this happen, how can we thoughtfully approach it, and turn the situation around? Ruth Whippman, author of "BoyMom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity" joins us to talk about raising boys in the US — how our boys are b…

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The Science Sessions: Cultural Pride and Children's Health 32:22

1+ y ago32:22

32:22

Racism and discrimination affects the health of children, and can have lifelong consequences. Dr. Ashaunta Anderson, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Southern California and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, has been studying this, and in particular the concept of racial socialization. We discuss with her how 'positive childhoo…

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Squish the Peas: Life Lessons from Toddlers 33:56

1+ y ago33:56

33:56

Eat with the funniest person in the office; when you wake up, give yourself a high five; turn off screens one hour before bed, and demand a bedtime story. These are just a few of the secrets to a happier life that our guest, Dr. Hasan Merali, author of "Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish the Peas: Secrets from the Science of Toddlers for a Happier, Mor…

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Building Early Relational Health Ecosystems 1:11:42

1+ y ago1:11:42

1:11:42

In this special 'double feature' podcast recorded in front of a live audience, the Early Relational Health Funders Summit hear from four speakers with different experiences of building and maintaining a robust Early Relational Health ecosystem. We're looking at the practices, programs, and policies that need to work independently, and also together…

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Introducing 35 for 35 35:49

1+ y ago35:49

35:49

Thirty-five years ago, Reach Out and Read was founded in one clinic in Boston as a route to supporting shared reading with young children at home. Today, we're in all 50 states with 6200 program sites, comprising 8.8 million interactions through 7 million books. Marking that anniversary, and in partnership with Scholastic, we've created 35 for 35, …

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The Science Sessions: How Parenting Changes the Brain 30:29

1+ y ago30:29

30:29

We know that kids' brains change as they grow, but did you know that their parents' brains change too? Dr. Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist, professor and director of clinical training at the Department of Psychology, and the Principal Investigator of the NEST Lab (NeuroEndocrinology of Social Ties Lab) at the University of Southern California …

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Meg Medina, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature 36:43

1+ y ago36:43

36:43

Beloved author Meg Medina, current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and the first of Latina heritage in the program's history, joins us to talk about 'mirrors and windows' in children's books and why what kids hear coming off the page is just as important as what they see.

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Books Make Good Friends 30:29

1+ y ago30:29

30:29

"If you love a book, no doubt many other people love it, too. That shared love connects us and sparks that miraculous feeling of not being alone in the world." Jane Mount's illustrations of book spines, covers, beloved bookstores, fanciful libraries, and so much more, bring that world vividly to life and illustrate how, indeed, Books Make Good Frie…

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Kate DiCamillo on Reading, Writing, and Reading Aloud 37:31

1+ y ago37:31

37:31

Kate DiCamillo knows books. By far one of America's most successful children's writers (44 million books in print, translated into 41 languages), Kate joins us to talk about how reading – and reading aloud – has made her into the reader —and writer— she is today. We also learn — improbably — about how even sardine tins can be speakers of truth.…

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Meeting Reach Out and Read's 'Book Czar' 32:44

2y ago32:44

32:44

Reach Out and Read has been working on a remarkable new strategy around a key element of what we do: books! A strong approach is key to supporting our mission and as a sustainable part of how we work. Angela Cunningham, Reach Out and Read's National Director of Books Strategy and Partnerships, joins us to talk about how we approach books, and what …

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Lullabies and Language 28:37

2y ago28:37

28:37

Lullabies can not only help soothe a sleepy baby, they may also help them learn language. Dr. Giovanni Di Liberto of the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience at The University of Dublin, joins us to talk about his new study that challenges conventional understanding of early language acquisition in the infant brain.…