Podcast Learning: Education Tips for Parents

1. The Parent's Journal with Bobbi Conner

Author and parenting expert Bobbi Conner hosted The Parent's Journal, an award-winning public radio program, for 24 years. Now available as a weekly podcast, the program helps parents with kids from infancy through the college years understand and help their children. Recent podcasts covered discovering your child's strengths, helping teens cope with stress and teaching preschoolers better attention skills.

2. The Parent's Plate

Hosted by Brenda Nixon, this podcast is centered on the idea of empowering parents with knowledge and confidence. Topics have included encouraging reading, boosting your child's brainpower and interpreting learning disability diagnoses. New podcasts are released every Tuesday.

3. A Parent's Reality

A Parent's Reality is a podcast focused on common parenting issues for different types of families, including single parents, step parents and grandparents. Led by Parent Coach Terryl Ebony, the podcast addresses issues that affect parents, like returning to work and controlling finances, and students, like healthy habits and peer pressure. Podcasts focused on education have included a discussion on how to get more involved with your child's school and an exploration of proposed changes to education regulations.

4. Home School Heartbeat

This 2-minute podcast is produced by the Home School Legal Defense Association. It covers a variety of topics that are relevant to all parents, whether they home school or not. For example, a recent series of podcasts covered how to get your child interested in learning history.

5. Building Confidence in Young Athletes

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio produces this podcast, which helps parents navigate the complex world of student athletics. The podcast often features interviews with people like Twan Russell, a former Miami Dolphins player who currently directs the Dolphins' youth programs. Education-related topics have included the need for homeschooling certain kids due to the demands of athletics and how to find the right college for sports-focused kids.

6. Family Confidential: Secrets of Successful Parenting

Hosted by Annie Fox and produced by Electric Eggplant, this podcast offers practical parenting tips through discussions with writers, teachers and therapists. Episodes have featured literacy tips, advice on fitting in and overcoming resistance to going to school. The podcast has also addressed social issues parents face, such as the sexualization of young children.

7. Parent Sharing

Created by parents for parents, Parent Sharing is a podcast devoted to parents sharing what they've learned to help each other. Topics related to education include choosing after school activities and sports, parent and teacher communication and handling homework issues. The podcast also featured a 6-part series on bullying.

8. The Parent's Lounge

The Parent's Lounge features a variety of guests covering parenting news, interviews and more. For example, Jyoti Yalagalawadi of Lekha Publishing discusses improving children's writing skills in one podcast. In another, Linda Wilmshurst and Alan Brue, the authors of The Complete Guide to Special Education, discuss learning disabilities and special education.

9. The Evolving Parent Podcast - The Family You Want

This podcast is produced by Lorraine Pursell, who is both a parent and a Board Certified Educational Therapist with a master's degree in counseling. Her podcasts cover topics designed to bring harmony to families. Education-themed podcasts have covered organizational skills for kids and tips for keeping kids' minds sharp during summer vacation.

10. Let's Talk Kids!

Paul Smolen, M.D., provides this podcast for parents of babies, toddlers or even teens. Bringing his 25 years of experience to the podcast, Doc Smo, as he's known, covers both pediatric and parenting topics. Topics related to education have included Attention Deficit Disorder and the possible pitfalls of participating in too many sports.