Welcome to Reimagine Childhood brought to you by Early Childhood Christian Network—where we equip you with the tools you need so you can confidently care for and teach young children.
We know early childhood is prime time for all development and, yet, we often overlook our critical role in providing optimal learning experiences. In every episode, you'll find seasoned experts sharing their passion and expertise in a way that is easily applied to everyday experiences in the classroom and anywhere else you're involved with young children. We want to protect and celebrate early childhood in all its wonder and imagination, rather than rushing through it to get "prepared" for the next stage.
So….how will you reimagine your approach to early childhood? We'd love to invite you on this journey with us!
Ep. 97 The 5 C's of Discipline: Connection-First Strategies for Preschoolers with Cara Tyrrell
In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer talks with Cara Tyrrell, relationship-based communication expert, former preschool and kindergarten teacher, host of Transforming the Toddler Years, and author of Talk to Them Early and Often, about reframing discipline as teaching internal self-management rather than punishment. Cara shares her collaborative discipline framework—the five C's: Connect, Communicate, Collaborate, Compromise, and Celebrate—emphasizing that connection and trust must come before correction. She explains intentional communication that aligns words, tone, and body language, and offers practical classroom and home examples for holding firm boundaries while sharing power through choices, natural consequences, and supportive cleanup. The conversation highlights building empathy in peers through narration, celebrating effort (not just outcomes), and reimagining early childhood by observing each child's unique learning style to support child-led learning.
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
02:10 Redefining Discipline
09:21 Connection First Classroom
17:46 Five Cs Communication
23:15 Connect Then Set Timer
25:10 Compromise Cleanup Choices
30:34 Boundaries With Shared Power
37:56 Reimagine Childhood Wrap Up
Connect with Cara on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/caratalkstoddler/
On her website - https://www.caratyrrell.com/speaker or https://www.core4parenting.com/
You can get her new book Talk to Them Early and Often on Amazon!
AND she has a podcast too! Subscribe today to Transforming the Toddler Years and share it with all the toddler parents in your circle.
5 Oct 2026
Ep. 96 Spotting Early Learning Differences with Grace: Dyslexia, Autism, Speech/Language, and ADHD with Lisetta Layer
In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer welcomes Lysetta Layer, a qualified instructor and certified academic language therapist, educational diagnostician, and preschool minister at Park Cities Baptist Church, to discuss early childhood learning differences and how educators can notice and support them without diagnosing. Lysetta explains dyslexia as a neurobiological difference with early indicators (e.g., spelling and word retrieval challenges, inconsistent retention, letter/number reversals), and emphasizes the value of early remediation. The conversation also touches on autism spectrum indicators, speech and language (expressive vs. receptive) concerns, and the limits of identifying ADHD in preschool. They highlight documenting observable facts, partnering with parents compassionately, and using resources like Child Find and Texas Early Childhood Intervention (birth–36 months) and public school evaluations to access support, stressing that all children are made in God's image and can meet their potential with appropriate help.
00:00 Welcome and Mission
00:49 Meet the Expert Guest
06:04 Noticing Without Diagnosing
09:42 Dyslexia and Autism Signs
30:35 Spectrums and Diagnosis
31:53 Speech Language Basics
39:04 ADHD and Early Intervention
45:07 Resources and Closing Charge
Lots of resources for this one:
ChildFind in Texas: https://www.spedtex.org/resources/child-find-frequently-asked-questions
Early Childhood Intervention in Texas - https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/early-childhood-intervention-services
International Dyslexia Association
https://dyslexiaida.org
Understood – For Learning and Thinking Differences
https://www.understood.org/
Stand Up LD: Supporting Learning Differences
https://standupld.org/
Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity
http://dyslexia.yale.edu/
Autism Speaks
https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
Ages & Stages Questionnaire -super helpful — https://agesandstages.com/
ECCN Course Bundle - Support Children with Special Needs and Their Families - https://earlychildhoodchristiannetwork.com/groups/supporting-children-with-special-needs-and-their-families/
21 Sept 2026
Ep. 95 Consumers vs Creators: Technology Education for Young Children with Dr. Kayla Abshire
In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer interviews Dr. Kayla Abshire, director of innovation and learning at San Marcos Academy, about developmentally appropriate technology education for young children. They distinguish passive screen time from intentionally teaching technology as a productivity tool, addressing concerns such as delayed language development, reduced social-emotional skills, sleep disruption, and physical impacts. Dr. Abshire shares practical, mostly hands-on strategies for pre-K, including mouse and keyboard skill-building, letter recognition, unplugged coding with movement-based sequencing games, early robotics with Bee-Bots and coding mice, and scaled-down digital citizenship focused on device care, safe clicking, and kind communication. The conversation also covers parent and teacher pushback, the need for professional development, and the goal of helping children create with technology rather than only consume it.
00:00 Welcome to Reimagine Childhood
00:50 Meet Dr Kayla Abshire
03:02 Screen Time Risks Explained
07:07 Teaching Tech Without Screens
14:12 Unplugged Coding and Robotics
20:46 Digital Citizenship and Parents
28:43 Creators Not Consumers Wrap Up
Who has been a guest on Reimagine Childhood
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jean Thomason
Dr Tyler Groves
LeRay Havard
Ruthie Havard
Jennifer Pickett
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100
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