Episodes

  • Episode 14: Meaningful Play Starts at Home: A Montessori Approach

    Episode 14: Meaningful Play Starts at Home: A Montessori Approach
    Jul 1 2025
    What if helping your child thrive didn’t require fancy art projects or constant entertainment? In this episode, parenting expert and Montessori guide Anya Garcia shares how to create meaningful play experiences at home using simple materials, clear boundaries, and a whole lot of intention. We explore what Montessori really means, how to set up your space to support independence, and why that matters so much for your child’s development. Plus: you’ll get access to a free downloadable sensory bin play guide, a high impact way to spark creativity and connection without the overwhelm.

    Anya Garcia, founder of Montessori From The Heart® and the host of The Anya Garcia Show

    Anya Instagram https://www.instagram.com/montessorifromtheheart/

    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MontessoriFromTheHeart

    Podcast https://eschool.montessorifromtheheart.com/anya-garcia-purposeful-parenting-podcast

    Anya Garcia Show YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AnyaGarciaShow

    Website: https://eschool.montessorifromtheheart.com/

    The Ultimate Sensory Bin Play Recipe Guide: https://eschool.montessorifromtheheart.com/ultimate-sensory-bin-play-recipe-guide
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    49 mins
  • Episode 13: Not Just Story Time: Building Meaning with Play and Parsha

    Episode 13: Not Just Story Time: Building Meaning with Play and Parsha
    Jun 24 2025
    What if Torah study started with a dance, a question, or a cardboard box?
    In this episode, Jonathan Shmidt Chapman, educator, theater artist, and author of Let There Be Play, invites us into a world where young children don’t just hear the story of the Parsha, they experience it. We explore how he’s transforming sacred texts into playful, immersive experiences that are both joyful and deeply meaningful. If you’ve ever wondered how to bring Torah to life for young children, this conversation is a must-listen.

    To purchase Jonathan's book, Let There Be Play: Bringing the Bible to Life with Young Children, click here. To learn more about K'ilu, click here.
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    39 mins
  • Episode 12: Shifting Into Summer: Structure, Sunshine, and Sanity

    Episode 12: Shifting Into Summer: Structure, Sunshine, and Sanity
    Jun 4 2025
    Summer promises sunshine, freedom and a whole lot of unpredictability. In this episode of Stream of Dreamearly, Alana is joined by clinical social worker, Rebecca Jerozolim, to explore how families can move from school year structure to summer mode without losing their minds (or their routines). They unpack how to reframe boundaries, ease parent anxieties, and foster independence in children through simple, meaningful summer shifts. From negotiating the ice cream truck to communicating with teen counselors, this episode offers real life problems and strategies for a smoother, saner summer. It’s a must listen for any parent hoping to trade the summer scramble for a season of intention and joy. Visit Rebecca's website at https://www.rebeccajerozolim.com/.
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    49 mins
  • Episode 11: Misfit or Missed Fit: Shifting Our Thinking To Help Kids Thrive, Especially When They’re Outside The Box

    Episode 11: Misfit or Missed Fit: Shifting Our Thinking To Help Kids Thrive, Especially When They’re Outside The Box
    May 6 2025
    In this episode, Sam Archibald shares his deeply personal story of being a kid whose strengths didn’t fit into the typical school mold. While classrooms left him feeling boxed out, Sam reflects on the talents and perspectives he carried all along and how they’ve shaped his work and parenting today. Now a professional who creates environments where others can thrive, Sam talks about what he wishes adults had known back then, and how we can unlock the potential of kids who don’t fit the mold. Whether you’re a parent, or teacher, this conversation will help you see struggle through a new lens; and recognize the brilliance that lives beyond the box. To learn more about the magnetic jacket Alana and Sam discussed, and to truly understand what we mean when we say "Click Clack Just Like That," click here.
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    38 mins
  • Episode 10: Sense & Sensorybility: Raising Regulated, Focused & Balanced Neurodivergent Kids

    Episode 10: Sense & Sensorybility: Raising Regulated, Focused & Balanced Neurodivergent Kids
    Apr 1 2025

    What do you do when your child melts down over a sock seam? Or can’t sit through a story, much less a school day? In this episode, we chat with the amazing Lisa Chan (@lisaparentcoach), a pediatric occupational therapist and parent coach, who specializes in helping families support neurodivergent kids struggling with sensory processing, executive function, and emotional regulation. Lisa shares the tools, mindsets, and magic moments that help kids feel safe in their bodies, manage big feelings, and build the skills they need to thrive at home and school. Whether your child is constantly on the move or emotionally stuck, this conversation is packed with real talk and real strategies.

    You can learn more about Lisa Chan at https://www.thelisachan.com/.
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    52 mins
  • Episode 9: Decoding the Struggle: Supporting and Unlocking the Potential of Kids with Language-Based Learning Disabilities

    Episode 9: Decoding the Struggle: Supporting and Unlocking the Potential of Kids with Language-Based Learning Disabilities
    Mar 11 2025
    Language-based learning disabilities can make school a daily struggle but with the right support, children can thrive. In this episode, I sit down with Ilana Ruskay-Kidd and Rebecca Ritter, founders of the Shefa School, to explore how to identify these challenges early and what truly works in supporting kids with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. We discuss the power of specialized instruction, fostering confidence, and how parents and educators can create environments where every child can succeed.

    Plus, I’m joined by my daughter Rosie, who has a diagnosis of dyslexia, to share her own insights on what helped her overcome challenges and grow into a confident learner. Her firsthand experience offers an inspiring perspective for families navigating similar journeys.

    Tune in for an insightful conversation filled with expert guidance, real life experiences from a student with a language based learning disability, actionable strategies, and a hopeful vision for all learners.

    Shownotes: understood.org Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz
    The Shefa School website: https://www.shefaschool.org/ Instagram accounts: @theshefaschool @theshefacenter
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    55 mins
  • Episode 8: Toddlers, Trust & Tiny Yeses: Building Real Relationships with Kids

    Episode 8: Toddlers, Trust & Tiny Yeses: Building Real Relationships with Kids
    Feb 11 2025

    In this episode, Alana chats with Dr. Noah Hichenberg about his new book and how we can build reciprocal, trusting relationships with toddlers. Noah challenges the traditional adult-child dynamic, emphasizing collaboration over control and the power of being an ally in a child’s world. They explore how small shifts—saying “yes” instead of “no” and truly listening—can foster connection, trust, and social growth. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or caregiver, this episode offers practical strategies to deepen your relationship with young children.

    To get in touch with Dr. Noah Hichenberg, to read his Substack, or to order his book A New Vision for Early Childhood: Rethinking Our Relationships with Young Children, go to noahhichenberg.com. To order Julie Lythcott-Haims's book, How to Raise an Adult, click here. Claire Lerner's article, "How 'Two Great Choices' Prevents Power Struggles" can be found here.
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    45 mins
  • Episode 7: Habit Hackers: Mastering the Art of Family Routines

    Episode 7: Habit Hackers: Mastering the Art of Family Routines
    Jan 24 2025

    January is the perfect time to refresh your family’s routines! Whether you’re returning from vacation or reflecting on habits that didn’t quite stick, this episode is here to help. Join host Alana Rifkin Gelnick and social worker Yael Shayne as they explore the benefits of routines for young children, and offer practical strategies for committing to new habits or recommitting to the ones that have fallen by the wayside. From morning madness to bedtime battles, you’ll gain tools and insights to create routines that bring more ease and connection to your family’s daily life.

    You can find Carol Gray Social Stories here.

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    43 mins