Worried about your child's risky play?

Dr. Joanna Spotts joins me in this conversation to talk about the benefits of risky play and why it is essential for development. We also discuss ways to safely provide opportunities for risky play.

Joanna Spotts, EdD has been an educator for over 20 years. Dr. Joanna discovered her passion for risky play during her doctoral journey and seeks to use her voice to help others find the joy of risky play. Join her monthly newsletter to stay up to date!

Ready to Adopt the 4 C’s of Collaborative Discipline?⁠⁠⁠⁠

Grab your free download and embrace connection before correction! Get it ⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠

November 27, 2025

Episode 294

The Power of Risky Play (Why Your Child Needs It) with Dr. Joanna Spotts

About Your Host:

Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed. is a mom or three, early childhood author, parent educator, and founder of Core4Parenting. A former preschool and kindergarten teacher with degrees in ASL, Linguistics, and Education, she created the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™ to help parents, caregivers, and educators understand the power of intentional language in shaping a child’s identity, confidence, and future success.

As host of the top-ranking podcast Transforming the Toddler Years, Cara blends science and soul to show adults how to “talk to kids before they can talk back,” turning tantrums into teachable moments and everyday challenges into opportunities for connection. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Talk to Them Early and Often, a guide for raising emotionally intelligent kids who thrive in school and life.

Be the First to Know When Talk to Them Early and Often is Available For Preorder. Get on the list ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠!⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Interested in being a guest on the podcast? We'd love to hear from you! Complete the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest Application form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

How can we help little ones feel genuine gratitude?

In this Thanksgiving episode, I explore how to nurture the inner core of a child so they can receive with grace, kindness, and confidence. This episode shows parents how to model thankfulness and guide little ones toward a lifelong habit of heartfelt appreciation.

Parenting is hard – support shouldn’t be. Get my weekly dose of encouragement & strategies. Sign up⁠ here!⁠

November 25, 2025

Episode 293

What Are Toddler's Grateful For? A Thanksgiving Episode

About Your Host:

Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed. is a mom or three, early childhood author, parent educator, and founder of Core4Parenting. A former preschool and kindergarten teacher with degrees in ASL, Linguistics, and Education, she created the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™ to help parents, caregivers, and educators understand the power of intentional language in shaping a child’s identity, confidence, and future success.

As host of the top-ranking podcast Transforming the Toddler Years, Cara blends science and soul to show adults how to “talk to kids before they can talk back,” turning tantrums into teachable moments and everyday challenges into opportunities for connection. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Talk to Them Early and Often, a guide for raising emotionally intelligent kids who thrive in school and life.

Be the First to Know When Talk to Them Early and Often is Available For Preorder. Get on the list ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Interested in being a guest on the podcast? We'd love to hear from you! Complete the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest Application form⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

Feeling like you're struggling as a working parent?

In this special episode, I share my guest interview on the Mindful Mama Mentor podcast with Hunter Clarke-Fields.

We discuss mindfulness, parenting as leadership, and the impact of language on a child's identity. I also share practical strategies for emotional awareness, connection, screen time management, and reframing parental guilt.

Ready to take the next step?

Check out my short video training, where I guide you through the process of writing your personalized mission statement for raising and to teaching extraordinary human beings. Find all the details⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.⁠

November 20, 2025

Episode 292

Being a Better Working Parent with Hunter-Clarke Fields

About Your Host:

Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed. is a mom or three, early childhood author, parent educator, and founder of Core4Parenting. A former preschool and kindergarten teacher with degrees in ASL, Linguistics, and Education, she created the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™ to help parents, caregivers, and educators understand the power of intentional language in shaping a child’s identity, confidence, and future success.

As host of the top-ranking podcast Transforming the Toddler Years, Cara blends science and soul to show adults how to “talk to kids before they can talk back,” turning tantrums into teachable moments and everyday challenges into opportunities for connection. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Talk to Them Early and Often, a guide for raising emotionally intelligent kids who thrive in school and life.

Be the First to Know When Talk to Them Early and Often is Available For Preorder. Get on the list⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Interested in being a guest on the podcast? We'd love to hear from you! Complete the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest Application form⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠