In this episode, we speak with early childhood educator, Lucy Chen, about the challenges of separation anxiety during the start of school. We explore how separation begins as early as infancy with object permanence and continues to evolve as children enter preschool and beyond. Lucy emphasizes that separation is not "one and done" but an ongoing process tied to trust, attachment, and new environments. Teachers play a key role in creating safe, predictable routines, building relationships, and honoring the wide range of ways children express their emotions—whether outwardly through tears and tantrums or inwardly through silence and withdrawal. The conversation also highlights the dual experience of parents navigating their own feelings of letting go, balancing expectations, and supporting their children while giving themselves grace. With strategies like modeling confidence, slowing down schedules, and fostering consistent routines, the episode underscores that separation is developmental, relational, and best approached with patience and compassion.

In this episode, we sit down with Naaz Nichols of Care.com to discuss the growing pressures on working parents, especially those in the "sandwich generation" caring for both children and aging parents. Nichols highlights alarming trends, including a sharp decline in mothers' workforce participation driven by return-to-office mandates, high childcare costs, and limited flexibility. She underscores the urgent need for affordable childcare and senior care, workplace equity policies, and cultural shifts that normalize flexibility and caregiving support. The conversation explores the financial and emotional toll of caregiving, from families patching together multiple care arrangements to the staggering stress levels that leave many parents feeling isolated. Nichols shares personal stories, Care.com's new senior care offerings, and advice for caregivers: prioritize self-care, build support systems, and advocate openly for help. The episode closes with sobering insights on declining interest in parenthood, shaped by the high costs of caregiving

In this last episode of our back to school series, we speak about starting a new school from the perspectives of parent and child. We draw on our own personal experiences, as well as research in this conversation. We pay special attention to the role of social capital in the transition to a new school year. We also speak on best practices for speaking with our children about how their day went and what they have learned beyond just asking "How was school today?".