Welcome to the Unlocking Childhood Podcast, where everyday individuals meet experts to discuss the quality of care when it comes to raising children. This podcast aims to dive deeper into early quality of care for children ages 0 to 5 years and the well-being of the caregiver, be it a mother or a father. In this podcast, you will be able to hear stories from real parents as well as expert advice from professionals within the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University. Each episode features a new topic: nutrition, emotional regulation, sleep, quality of care and caregiver wellbeing, and play. As a listener, you can expect to hear real testimonials of challenges parents face regarding these topics, expert advice when faced with and and overcoming parenting challenges, and feel relief in knowing you are not alone in these challenges.
Your hosts are Kelsie Muller from Purdue Extension Health and Human Sciences and German Posada with the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University. We look forward to furthering our discussion on early childhood care and hope that you join us in our journey!
At the end of each episode, you will find a link to a short evaluation. This evaluation will allow us to hear feedback from you, as the viewer, and allow us to evaluate our podcast. The first 50 respondents for each will receive a $20 gift card.
The final episode of the Unlocking Childhood Podcast, covering raising children and parent wellbeing, features an Expert and Department Head, Valerie Knopik, from the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, in conversation with Jordan Schoen, a mother of three. Valerie and Jordan discuss parental wellbeing and how parents can ensure the quality of care for their children by also prioritizing their own care. Topics such as sharing parental roles with your partner and co-parenting, self-care, regular routines, and expressing your emotions come up throughout this episode.
Please provide your feedback about this episode by completing a short evaluation (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKv2ZalPnufkRZI). The first 50 respondents to the evaluation will receive a $20 e-gift card. Offer stands until June 15, 2026.
https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKv2ZalPnufkRZI (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKv2ZalPnufkRZI)
Additional Resources:
Recharging your Patience (https://edustore.purdue.edu/hhs-843-w.html)
25 Mar 2026
Emotion Regulation: "Managing Big Feelings and Behaviors"
In this episode, you will hear a conversation between expert Dr. Leigha MacNeill from the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, Christopher Fogle, father of two, and Miranda Goetz, mother of two children. Dr. MacNeil and parents discuss how young children learn to regulate their emotions by first observing and experiencing how adults handle their own emotions. Expert Dr. MacNeill shares with parents that setting limits can be frustrating, but honing in on limit-setting and its crucial role in children's safety and well-being as they learn self-control and positive behavior. One major key concept discussed in this episode is how influential parent modeling is on children's emotional regulation. Children learn through observing and imitating caregivers' behavior. A child's emotion regulation is a product of caregiver emotion regulation. Furthermore, in this episode, you will hear a conversation between parents and an expert on tantrums, developmental considerations, age-appropriate expectations, emotional validation, and the balance between structure and emotional freedom.
Please provide your feedback about this episode by completing a short evaluation (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6FfvYUbzi5G7zGm). The first 50 respondents to the evaluation will receive a $20 e-gift card. Offer stands until June 15, 2026.
https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6FfvYUbzi5G7zGm (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6FfvYUbzi5G7zGm)
18 Mar 2026
Play: "Let's have fun: Spending time in play"
This episode features expert guest Dr. Sarah Eason from the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University and parent guest Chelsea Webb, mother of two children. In this episode, Dr. Eason and Chelsea discuss the overlap between play and how play influences children's ability to learn, connect, and grow. Expert Dr. Eason discusses how important it is for parents to insert themselves into their children's play, but knowing when and how is key. When parents engage in play, their role helps foster their children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth while enhancing brain development, building on social skills, promoting emotional regulation, and strengthening the parent-child bond.
Please provide your feedback about this episode by completing a short evaluation. (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a9U666xIZQQTe0m)The first 50 respondents to the evaluation will receive a $20 e-gift card. Offer stands until the first 50 respondents have been met or by June 15, 2026.
https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a9U666xIZQQTe0m (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a9U666xIZQQTe0m)
11 Mar 2026
Nutrition- "Bites and Tips: Feeding Children"
In this episode on children's nutrition, expert Dr. Kameron Moding from the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University sits down for a conversation with two mothers, Abby Morgan mother of two children and Molly Childers mother of one. The three discuss child nutrition and discuss key points, including food availability, mealtime environment, and the social aspect of nutrition as it pertains to a young child's life. Dr. Moding discusses the importance of proper feeding, nutritional needs, and healthy habits as it pertains to the nutrition of children. Parents discuss many concerns surrounding their children's nutrition, including one of the most common struggles, which is picky eating. This episode also includes a conversation on mealtime challenges and their connection to young children's behavioral health. A key concept touched on in this episode was the discussion of parents' roles in modeling healthy eating habits and routines as their child's eating habits change as they grow. Between phases of picky eating, fluctuating appetites, sensory/texture issues, and taste preferences, Dr. Moding emphasizes the importance of parents being patient, flexible, and offering a variety of foods by reducing the pressure many children experience surrounding mealtimes.
Please provide your feedback about this episode by completing a short evaluation (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6PTicYSpITeRiqG). The first 50 respondents to the evaluation will receive a $20 e-gift card. Offer stands until June 15, 2026.
https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6PTicYSpITeRiqG (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6PTicYSpITeRiqG)
Additional Resources:
Family Mealtime: Much more than just a meal! (https://edustore.purdue.edu/hhs-832-w.html)
25 Feb 2026
Children's Sleep
In this episode, covering children's sleep, you will hear a conversation between expert Dr. AJ Schwichtenberg, Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, and two mothers, Kirsten Koontz, mother of two and Aubrey Strasser, mother of three. Their conversation includes discussion on essential aspects of healthy sleep for children's overall development, as well as the negative effects of poor or insufficient sleep as it pertains to children. You will hear both parent's speak to their experiences with establishing healthy sleep schedules, worries and questions surrounding struggles with consistent bedtime routines, and first-hand accounts on the effects of their children's physical, cognitive, and emotional development when getting sufficient sleep versus insufficient sleep. Expert Dr. AJ Schwichtenberg speaks to the importance of parents' roles in supporting healthy sleep through establishing consistent bedtime routines, activities, and a safe, restful sleep environment.
Please provide your feedback about this episode by completing a short evaluation (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4zoo8KULfQi5bU). The first 50 respondents to the evaluation will be eligible for a $20 e-gift card, offer stands until June 15, 2026.
https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4zoo8KULfQi5bU (https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4zoo8KULfQi5bU)
Additional Resources:
Making a Safe Sleep Environment for an Infant (https://edustore.purdue.edu/hhs-819-w.html)
24 Feb 2026
Unlocking Childhood Podcast Trailer
The Unlocking Childhood Podcast features expert guests belonging to the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University and parent guests from Indiana. Parents and experts talk about young children's lives and parents' common challenges when it comes to raising young children ages 0 to 5 years. Each episode over a cup of coffee, guests dive into meaningful conversations that help us better understand what young children need to flourish. Listen in on topics about childhood nutrition, sleep, play, emotion regulation, as well as parents well-being and quality of care.
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