Sarah Gonzales

Halloween is coming and people young and old are looking forward to dressing up and pretending to be something else for a day. Make believe is fun, silly, freeing and it's also important to a young child's development. Many say that “Play is a child’s work” so just how do pretending, playing and imagining play a part in helping us grow up? Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio are Dr. Robert Capuozzo, a Early Childhood Development professor at UAA as well as a parent educator at Providence Medical Center, and Shona Strauser, Education Director at Perseverance Theater in Juneau. KSKA: Tuesday, 10/25 @ 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm

On this episode (our 50th!) we're exploring the education of Alaska's brightest youth. Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio to discuss how gifted and talented kids are identified, tested and educated are Peter Ljubicich, director of the Anchorage School District's Gifted Program; Annie Bill, director of the Mat-Su Borough's Talented and Gifted Program; and Susan Dulong Langley of the Nat'l Association for Gifted Children in Massachusetts. Plus - Dr. Carol Dweck says don't tell kids they're smart; minorities in G&T; a teen tells us why he's proud to be a "nerd". KSKA: Tuesday 10/18 at 2pm and 7pm

A new baby is a reason to celebrate but the time after birth can bring with it a wealth of conflicting emotions that sometimes go beyond typical "baby blues". What does everyone need to know about recognizing and treating postpartum depression, and supporting those who are suffering? KSKA: Tuesday 10/11 at 2pm and 7pm

Parents dread it and kids would rather hear it from strangers, yes, we're talking about the sex talk. But did you know - caregivers who learn how to speak with their children are helping their kids to be healthier individuals. Research has found that more teens would prefer to get information about contraceptives from their parents than from a health center, class, hospital, media or friends, and studies show that adolescents who feel open to discussing sexual health with their parents are more likely to delay initiating sexual intercourse. Our guests help caregivers learn how to talk the talk! KSKA: Tuesday 10/4 at 2pm and 7pm

Young artists abound in the 49th state and next time on Kids These Days! we're celebrating the singing, painting, acting, sculpting, poetry-slamming, music-making, writing, dancing lot of them! Throughout the hour we'll meet a few of Alaska's talented young people while our guests, Annie Calkins and Suzie Gaffney from the Alaska Arts Education Consortium, fill us in on the state of the arts in our state. KSKA: Tuesday 9/27 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

When a child tests into or is placed in special education parents will have a lot of questions about navigating the system, planning an IEP (Individual Education Plan) with their child's educators, and they'll wonder what is the long term outlook for their child's schooling? Teresa Holt, operations manager from the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education and Julie Broyles, a local high school resource teacher who's son has Down Syndrome join us to discuss the basics of navigating the special education system in Alaska's schools. KSKA: Tuesday 9/20 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Are today's young women under so much pressure to be beautiful, to succeed at school and sports and to be sweet and nice that they are becoming depressed earlier in life? One new book thinks so. "The Triple Bind: Saving Our Teen Girls from Today's Pressures" presents an interesting look at how the pressure on young girls can take a nasty toll. So, where's the balance and what can be done? KSKA: Tuesday 9/13 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Boys will be boys - but why exactly? We ask what makes adolescent boys 11-14 unique and what changes are their bodies - and their minds - going through at this developmental stage? Do boys and girls really learn differently? And what is necessary to help a boy become a good man? Michael Gurian author of "The Minds of Boys" is our guest. KSKA: Tuesday 9/6 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Tuesday, August 30 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Not everyone has kids. Deciding not to become parents can be just as big of a decision as opting to start a family. On this episode of Kids These Days! we speak with two authors who are childfree about why they made the difficult choice to live life without littles and how it impacts their current lives. Plus, a Pew Research study linking higher rates of childlessness with more tolerant social attitudes, and growing old without children.

Tuesday, August 23 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm We've talked a lot about raising kids on this show, but what about having them in the first place? On this episode of KTD! we’re talking about fertility and preconception care with healthcare professionals, plus we're exploring the emotional side of readying one’s home, and relationship, for a new bundle of joy!

Tuesday, August 6 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Summer vacation is coming to an end and with kids K-12 returning to the classroom it means the whole family will be readjusting daily routines. We're talking about establishing good schedules for: sleeping, eating, homework, after-school activities, weekend chores, family time, sports or music practice, church and of course, getting to school on time. Whew!

Tuesday, August 9 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Imagine having to leave your home, your friends, your job and your country – taking everything you can carry and moving from camp to camp until starting over in a foreign country. Now imagine doing this and having to start school, meet a whole new set of peers and do homework in a new language, too. That’s the reality for the some children in refugee families who resettle in Alaska and our two guests are helping to smooth the transition for these newest residents.

Tuesday, August 2 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Babies can sign before they speak, and many parents are helping their little ones to communicate in this way with the aid of educational resources like the popular series, Signing Time! Guest Rachel Coleman designed this fun, musical program in response to learning that her own daughter was profoundly deaf. Today, learn Rachel's story and how Signing Time! is helping families with deaf children talk to one another.

Tuesday, June 28 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Independence Day is just around the corner and so we're asking: what does the American Kid look like these days? How much health care does she receive, how often is he graduating from high school, with how many parents does she live and do those parents work, and on which side of the poverty level does he live? Researchers from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count project join us to discuss the latest data that points towards the well-being of children nationwide... and statewide.

Tuesday, June 21 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm Watery eyes, runny noses and inflamed sinuses got your family inside during the summer? Does your family go out to eat, on playdates or to birthday parties with an EpiPen at the ready? And is asthma management a major concern in your home? Dr. Thad Woodard is our guest on the program to talk about all things allergy and asthma.

Tuesday, June 14 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm It's all dads, all hour this week on Kids These Days! for a special encore broadcast just in time for Father's Day. Host Shana Sheehy is joined by three local fathers - Kurt Bunker, Krestia DeGeorge and Jason Hilde. From staying at home with the kids to enduring long business trips away - these men say being a dad these days is all about determining what is best for your family and making it work.

What’s your parenting style – laid-back or helicopter? Do you let the kids run free or do you hover? Where do you draw the lines between cautious and fearful; encouraging and pressuring; and healthy exposure and over-protection? Research shows that kids these days are safer and healthier than in other time in history – so why all the worry?