Early childhood education helps kids develop social, cognitive, and physical skills. Whether that learning comes from a formal child care setting or a stay at home parent, this episode covers what you need to know about early learning experiences.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez talks with Ruth Ray, the Program Director of Early Learning Professional Support at Candelen, about how to support your child’s growth and development.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Ruth Ray

Candelen

Quality First

Arizona Child Care Resource and Referral

Returning to work after parental leave can be very emotional. From finding a day care you feel confident in, to trying to focus on work when you’re away from your new baby, this can be a stressful time.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez sits down with Michelle Saint Hilarie, the Senior Program Director for Child Care Resource and Referral at Child & Family Resources, to share practical tips to make that transition better for your entire family.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV.She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Michelle Saint Hilarie

Child & Family Resources

Arizona Child Care Resource and Referral

Child Care Information Line: 1-800-308-9000

How long should families wait after giving birth before getting pregnant again? There’s a lot to consider when making that decision- things like whether you’re ready to have more than one kid in diapers or the cost of childcare- but most importantly, there needs to be enough time between pregnancies for mom’s body to recover.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez sits down with Doctor Siobhan Dolan, an OB/GYN and clinical geneticist, to talk about how birth spacing keeps moms and their future babies healthy.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Doctor Siobhan Dolan

About one in five babies will experience colic, which means they may cry for three hours a day, at least three times a week, for about three weeks, even when they are perfectly healthy. With time, it goes away on its own but it’s important for families to get support while they’re caring for a colicky baby.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez talks about the challenges of colic and the importance of support networks with Adrienne Brotherton​​​​, a Birth to Five Helpline Specialist at Southwest Human Development.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Adrienne Brotherton​​​​

The Birth to Five Helpline

Southwest Human Development: Fussy Baby program

You know that moment when your kiddo’s holiday excitement turns into a meltdown? It’s a familiar scene for many parents— when holiday travel or celebration disrupts kids’ routines, it’s normal for little ones to struggle to manage their feelings.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez chats with Maria Lopez​​​​, the Senior Program Manager at the Birth to Five Helpline, about how parents can co-regulate by modeling healthy behavior for their children and ways to prepare your kiddo so the whole family can enjoy the holidays.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV.She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Maria Lopez​​​​

The Birth to Five Helpline

Every year, there are more and more single-father homes. These dedicated dads face unique challenges, including societal stereotypes and biases against fathers. Many navigate their parenting journey without the community support that mothers often receive.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez sits down with Sleepy Vildosola, a Family Involvement Center Parent Ally and father, to talk about the unique challenges single fathers face in today’s society and the benefits of father education.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Sleepy Vildosola

Family Involvement Center

Nurturing Fathers

Co-parenting your newborn is a challenge, but we’re here to confirm it can be done. In this episode, we dive into how to work with your co-parent to meet the needs of your little one while they grow up.

Host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez sits down with Billie Tarascio, an Arizona family law attorney, owner of Modern Law and co-owner of Win Without Law School. Together, they go over co-parenting an infant from a legal standpoint.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Billie Tarascio

Win Without Law School

Playdates are a great way for kids to have fun and develop social skills.. But before parents send their kids over to a friend’s house, it’s important to make sure that the environment they are playing in is safe by checking in with the parents. But this can be a tricky conversation to navigate.

Host Jessica Stewart Gonzalez sits down with Yomy Castillo, Injury Prevention Program Manager at the Arizona Department of Health Services. Together, they go through some methods for approaching these conversations with other parents.

Host:

Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

Links:

Strong Families AZ

Host: Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez

Guest: Yomy Castillo

AZ Dept. of Health Services- Prevention