Parents of the Year

Roblox isn’t just a game—it’s one of the most active online spaces kids are spending time in right now.
In this episode, Andrew and Caroline get real about what’s happening behind the screen. With over 150 million daily users—many under 13—this platform has become a digital playground where kids are interacting, spending money, and forming connections… sometimes with people they don’t actually know.
They break down how features like chat and in-game currency (Robux) are being used to build trust, how conversations move off-platform, and how quickly things can shift from harmless to risky.
You’ll also hear the uncomfortable truth many parents wrestle with—choosing convenience today while ignoring what it might cost later.
If your child is gaming online, this episode will change how you think about supervision, boundaries, and your role in it.

Homework for Parents

Bring devices into shared spaces
 No bedrooms. No closed doors.
Turn off chat features
 If it’s not needed, it’s off.
No headphones during gameplay
 You should hear what’s happening.
Check spending together
 Walk through how in-game purchases connect to real money.
Ask one simple question daily
 “Who did you play with today?”
Watch for behaviour changes
Closing screens quickly
Getting gifts they can’t explain
Being secretive
Urgency to get back online
Create your own account
 Spend 20 minutes inside the game. See what they see.

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This episode pulls apart one of the biggest fears circulating among parents right now: plastics and microplastics.
Andrew and Caroline sit down with scientist Dr. Chris DeArmitt, who has reviewed thousands of studies to separate what’s actually proven from what’s being repeated online. The conversation moves from social media backlash and parenting pressure to a deeper look at how fear spreads—and what the science actually says.
You’ll hear why many widely shared claims about microplastics don’t hold up under scrutiny, how media messaging shapes what families worry about, and why some well-meaning environmental choices may have unintended consequences.
There’s also a grounded discussion about parenting: how kids learn through consistent consequences, why follow-through matters more than lectures, and how small daily habits shape long-term behaviour.
This episode is for parents who are tired of guessing, tired of conflicting advice, and ready to make calmer, more informed decisions for their families.

About Dr. Chris DeArmitt
Dr. Chris DeArmitt helps parents cut through the noise and fear surrounding plastics and microplastics by replacing sensationalism with evidence. He offers a cross-disciplinary view that helps families make smarter, lower-impact choices based on real science rather than common myths. Dr. DeArmitt is a Global Authority on Plastics, Microplastics, and the Environment. He is a Materials Scientist, Author, and Founder of the Plastics Research Council.
List of books: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/15512220.Chris_DeArmitt
Email - [email protected] 
website - https://plasticsresearchcouncil.com/ 
LInkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdearmitt/

Homework for Parents 

1. The “Follow-Through Test”
Pick one rule at home (bedtime, screen time, chores)
Apply the same response every time for one week
No warnings beyond what you set
Track what changes
Resource:  Simple tracker (notes app or printed chart)
2. The “Pause Before Panic” Habit
When you hear a scary headline (plastics, food, tech):
 Ask:
 → Where did this come from?
 → Is this media or actual research?
Wait 24 hours before changing behaviour
Resource: Bookmark 1–2 trusted science-based sources
3. Device-Free Micro Moments
Pick one daily interaction (meals, bedtime, feeding younger kids)
No phone during that time
Observe connection and engagement
Resource: Set phone to Do Not Disturb during that window
4. Praise What You Want Repeated
Catch your child doing something right
Respond immediately with specific praise
Keep it short and genuine
(“You waited your turn—that was respectful.”)
5. Family “Stuff Audit”
Count how many reusable items you actually use
Remove duplicates or unused items
Keep what’s practical, not what feels “guilty to throw away”
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What helps kids feel safe, motivated, proud, and ready to try hard things?
In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Caroline sit down with Matt Kaufman—camp director, author of The Campfire Effect, and lifelong summer camp leader—to talk about what camp gets so right about child development, belonging, and confidence.
Matt breaks down five brain chemicals that shape how kids grow: oxytocin, dopamine, cortisol, serotonin, and endorphins. Andrew and Caroline explore how emotional safety comes first, why kids need meaningful goals, how managed stress helps them grow, and why joy and play matter far more than many families realize.
You’ll hear practical ideas parents can use right away at home: simple rituals that build connection, better ways to praise kids, how to help children stretch outside their comfort zone, and why screens can make motivation and problem-solving harder for both kids and adults.
This is a warm, funny, useful conversation about raising children who feel like they belong—and who believe they can do hard things.
In this episode:
How emotional safety shapes learning, confidence, and connection
Why rituals help calm the nervous system
The difference between shallow dopamine and earned dopamine
How to support kids through stress without removing every challenge
Why kids need many paths to feel capable and valued
How play, laughter, movement, and silliness refill the tank
What parents can borrow from camp, even without a cabin, campfire, or ropes course
Perfect for parents of kids and teens who want to build resilience, belonging, motivation, and stronger family connection.
About Matt Kaufman
Matt Kaufman has spent most of his life at summer camp, but not because he lacked options. In school, things came easily. He moved quickly through classes and eventually graduated from Cornell University with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, finishing his master’s program as valedictorian. Camp was different. He was the quiet kid who had to push himself to talk to people, try things that felt uncomfortable, and work through everyday conflicts in a place where no one cared about grades. That early contrast—school rewarding his mind and camp reshaping his whole self—never left him.
Connect with Matt:
Website: https://www.ilove.camp/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjkaufman/

Homework activities for adults to support children and teens, plus resources needed
1. Create one family ritual this week
Pick one small moment you can repeat every day: a bedtime phrase, a goodbye hand squeeze, a six-second hug, or a check-in question at dinner.
Purpose: build safety and connection
Resources needed: none, or a sticky note reminder on the fridge
2. Practise “describe, label, praise”
Catch your child doing something well and respond like this:
 “You put your dish in the sink. That’s being helpful. Great job.”
Purpose: make praise specific so it actually sticks

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What helps kids learn, keep trying, and bounce back after a hard moment?
In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Caroline sit down with educator, author, speaker, and chess coach Kevin Cripe to talk about what truly helps children thrive at school, in sports, and at home. With more than 27 years in education, Kevin shares what he learned from teaching in high-mobility classrooms, building an after-school chess programme for students from low-income communities, and helping kids grow through encouragement, challenge, and steady support.
This conversation gets into why children learn better when they feel safe and relaxed, why praise for effort and improvement matters more than constant focus on results, and how parents can respond when kids lose, struggle, or shut down. Kevin also shares powerful stories from the classroom and from chess tournaments that show what can happen when adults stop pushing for perfection and start making room for growth.
You’ll hear practical ideas for supporting children and teens through school stress, competition, mistakes, and self-doubt, plus a refreshing reminder that kids do better when they know they are valued no matter the outcome.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
how emotional safety affects learning
why effort, improvement, and success all deserve recognition
how to help kids after a loss without making things worse
why some children learn more slowly at first, then take off
how teaching others helps kids learn better
why pressure around grades can damage connection at home
how parents can support resilience in children and teens
About Kevin Cripe
Kevin Cripe is a motivational speaker, author, and educator with more than 27 years of experience supporting students, teachers, and communities. As an elementary school teacher in Modesto City Schools, he created an after-school chess programme that changed the lives of hundreds of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. His work centres on helping students succeed without frustration and building compassion across diverse communities. He has spoken internationally, including at the Innovative Schools Conference in Atlanta and the Chess in the Schools Conference in London.
http://kevincripemotivationalspeaker.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.cripe.31
https://kevincripemotivationalspeaker.com/#books

Homework activities for adults to support children and teens

1. Notice effort out loud for one full week
Replace result-based praise with comments about persistence, courage, preparation, recovery, and trying again.
Say:
“I noticed you stuck with that even when it got frustrating.”
“You kept going.”
“You handled that hard moment really well.”
“I saw how much effort you put in.”
Resource needed:
 A notes app or small notebook to track what you noticed each day.

2. Practise the “say less” response after a hard moment
When your child loses, freezes, cries, or shuts down, do less talking. Sit nearby. Offer a hug if they want one. Let them settle before
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When a child says, “This is who I am,” what does a supportive parent do next?
In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Caroline take on a topic many families are trying to understand with more care and less fear: gender identity, sexual orientation, pronouns, transition, and the language kids and teens may be using right now.
This conversation starts the way real parenting conversations often do — with jokes, peanut butter confessions, hummingbirds, and everyday life — then moves into something many parents are quietly wrestling with: how to respond when a child, teen, friend, teacher, or family member shares something personal about who they are.
Caroline walks through key terms like cisgender, transgender, gender identity, gender expression, agender, bisexual, pansexual, Two-Spirit, transition, and more, using a resource called the Gender Unicorn and materials from Trans Student Educational Resources. Andrew brings the parent lens many listeners will relate to: wanting to be respectful, wanting to understand, and wanting to get it right without pretending to know everything.
This episode is a reminder that kids do not need a perfect speech from us. They need openness. They need respect. They need adults who can pause, stay curious, and listen without shutting them down.
If you’ve been trying to support a child or teen through questions around identity, or you want better language for conversations at home, this episode will help you start.
In this episode:
the difference between gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation
why validation matters so much for kids and teens
how parents can respond with curiosity instead of panic
why respect matters even when a parent is still learning
resources that can help families keep the conversation going

Homework activities for adults 
1. Practise the pause
When your child says something surprising, don’t rush to correct, debate, or explain. Take a breath and answer with calm interest.
Try saying:
“Thanks for telling me.”
“I want to understand.”
“Tell me more about that.”
“What would feel supportive from me right now?”
Resource needed:
A short list of go-to response lines saved in your phone or written on a note in the kitchen.

2. Learn the basic language
Pick 10 terms from this episode and learn what they mean. Not to sound polished. Just to be less reactive and more informed.
Start with:
 gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, cisgender, transgender, transition, agender, bisexual, pansexual, Two-Spirit
Resource needed:
Gender Unicorn
Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER) glossary or terminology page
3. Ask your child what respect looks like to them
Not every child wants the same kind of support. Some want privacy. Some want language to help them talk. Some want you to use a different name or pronouns. Some just want you not to panic.
Try asking:
“What would help you feel supported by me?”
“Is there anything you want me to say differently?”
“Who knows, and who would
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