You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and I cannot wait for you to hear this episode. You’re about to get a preview of what’s coming in hot at our 2026 Seed Teacher Summit, happening March 10th through 12th. Each year, this summit is custom built with one goal in mind: to Transform Early Childhood and Elementary Education by supporting the adults who support kids. This year’s conversations feel especially timely-- and bonus, they're completely free.  In this episode, you’ll hear short clips from several summit interviews that touch on topics like supporting anxious kids in school, how to manage disruptive behaviors, and why CRAWLING (yes crawling) matters for kids down the road, in...

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we're going behind the scenes with two powerhouse early childhood educators who are working to shift school culture from the inside out. Kiley Linnell is the assistant director at one of Little Sprouts’ newest schools, and Alexandra Loos oversees systems-wide implementation across 41 programs. Together, we talk about what it really looks like to support teachers in real time—not just with one-off trainings, but with ongoing coaching and real tools that meet them in the moment.

We explore how to help educators regulate their own nervous systems so they can show up for kids with patience and connection, and what happens when programs ac...

Before we dive in: the breakdown of this episode includes a discussion of sexual assault, and briefly mentions the Epstein Files. Please take care while listening.

You’re listening to Voices of Your Village, and today’s episode is one that hits close to home for so many of us—whether you’re parenting a kid who’s struggling in school, teaching in a classroom where big behaviors are on the rise, or simply wondering why it feels like more kids aren’t okay right now. I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Dr. Ross Greene, clinical psychologist and author of The Explosive Child, Lost at School, and now his newest book, The Kids Who Aren’t Okay: The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, ...

You’re listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we’re talking about those spicy ones. The kids who are big in personality, big in emotion, and big in challenging parents. Maybe you're raising one—or maybe you were one. I’m joined by parenting coach and author Mary Van Geffen, whose book Parenting a Spicy One is part memoir, part survival guide, and completely validating for the parents who feel like they’re doing everything “right” and still getting steamrolled by meltdowns, back talk, and constant negotiating.

We talk about what it actually looks like to parent a strong-willed child, why traditional discipline often backfires, and how to stay connected even when your kid is pushin...

You’re listening to Voices of Your Village, and today’s episode is for the good kids—and the adults they became. I got to sit down with Maggie Nick, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist and founder of Camp Lovable, whose new book, Good Kids: Why You Suffered in Silence and How to Break the Cycle, dives into what it really means to be a “good kid”—and how that label can come with a cost.
We explored the nervous system responses behind compliance, how shame shows up for people-pleasers, and what happens when kids feel like they can’t have needs. Maggie brings such warmth and clarity to topics like fawning, neuroception, boundaries, and the grief that can come with realizing how early w...

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You’re listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we’re diving into something that might just change your day-to-day parenting rhythm: independent play.

If you’ve ever heard, “But I’m boooored…” and felt that mix of annoyance, guilt and overwhelm rise in your chest, this episode is for you. I got to sit down with Lizzie Assa, founder of The Workspace for Children and author of the new book But I’m Bored!: Discover the Power of Independent Play to Raise Confident, Resilient Kids.

This is not a “just send them to the playroom” kind of conversation. Lizzie shares what independent play actually looks like at different ...

Before we dive in: this episode includes a discussion of childhood mental health struggles and discusses suicidal ideation and self harm. Please take care while listening.

Synopsis:  When your child is struggling and you can’t fix it—what then? In this deeply moving episode, Alyssa sits down with bestselling author and speaker Kristina Kuzmic to explore what it means to parent through a child’s depression. Kristina opens up about her son’s mental health journey and what it looked like behind the scenes: from the early signs that whispered before they screamed, to the moments where connection—not control—made all the difference.

Together, Alyssa and Kristina unpack the stigma around ment...

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated with the help of AI and may contain minor errors or inconsistencies. Please refer to the audio for the most accurate representation of the conversation.

Alyssa: [00:00:00] You're listening to Voices of your Village, and I am so grateful to be sharing this conversation with you. If you are raising bigger kids, those school age humans navigating a world full of messages about what they should look like, eat, wear, and do with their bodies. This episode is for you. Today I'm joined by Doctor Whitney Casares, pediatrician, author, and mom of two, to talk about real body confidence. Not just the love yourself kind, but the kind rooted in science, self...

Alyssa: [00:00:00] You're listening to Voices Of Your Village, and today's episode is one so many of you have asked for how to navigate the rocky transition back to school after the holidays, and not just for our kids, but for ourselves too. I'm joined by my friend Laura Petix, also known as The OT Butterfly. She's a pediatric occupational therapist, a neurodivergent mom raising a neurodivergent kid, and the author of a kid's book about neurodiversity. This convo is a mix of validation, strategy, and yep, me too moments you're going to want to come back to. We talk about how to actually support regulation in those first few weeks back, whether your kid is a sensory seeker or sensory se...