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On the finale episode of Finger Painting the Future Season One, our esteemed hosts thought it was only fitting to do an episode about empty nesting. We wanted to round out Season One with a big & fun celebration — and thanks to this week's guest, we realized that it makes sense for all empty nesters to do the same!  Join Florence Ann & Joe as they chat with Chicago Tribune writer, and father of 4 young adults, Jerry Davich, about his personal experience going through two rounds of children flying the coup and why he decided to celebrate it the second time. About our guest: Jerry Davich’s writing career began in 1995 as a freelance journalist and political cartoonist for The Times Newspaper of Northwest Indiana. One story led to hundreds, then thousands. In 2006, he was offered a position he couldn’t refuse – full-time metro columnist for The Post-Tribune, the same newspaper he delivered as a boy. As a columnist, Jerry has always shined a light on society’s darkest corners while offering a voice to the voiceless. He has written about every imaginable issue and situation – including the last days of a woman with terminal cancer in a hospice; flying upside down in a U.S. Thunderbirds fighter jet at 9.2 G’s; visiting New York City’s Ground Zero just days after the terrorist attacks in 2001; witnessing a coroner perform an autopsy; and jumping out of a perfectly fine plane with a recorder in hand. Along the way, Jerry has won more than 50 state or national awards from various journalism organizations while now writing for Chicago Tribune Media. He also writes freelance stories for various magazines while completing four books: “Connections: Everyone Happens for a Reason,” “Lost Gary, Indiana: Rusted Landmarks of the Steel City,” “Crooked Politics of Northwest Indiana” and the history of Andrean High School. Jerry is in the business of connecting people, asking unpopular questions, and provoking a needed dialogue. He is the father of two children, ages 36 and 35, and also the dad to two stepchildren, ages 21 and 19. Jerry cruises the Chicago area on a daily basis, never leaving home without his notebook, his iPhone and his curiosity. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know that out of the 35 million mothers in the US, 9.8 million of them are suffering from burnout due to the pandemic? With everything that moms are being forced to juggle nowadays, how can they overcome and work through this exhaustion? On this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann and Joe speak with the host of Morning Beats TV and auntie to three wonderful daughters, Ashley Larsen, about mom exhaustion, mommy guilt, and more. Listen as Florence Ann and Ashley bond over being aunties to their friends' and sisters' children. They chat about how common it is for mommies to feel guilty for asking for help — and how they've been able to make their loved ones feel more comfortable doing so. Joe also shares why he believes husbands and fathers have a duty to help their spouse out and how men should go about doing that. About our guest: A Louisiana native, Ashley is an MFA-trained actor, screenwriter, and producer. Since childhood, Ashley has been on stage and backstage with experiences ranging from plays, short films, movies and commercials. She is currently the host, producer, and writer of Morning Beats TV, a positive and inspiring morning show that airs on national television and digital streaming. It airs on The Heartland Network, The Family Channel and Retro TV Network. When Ashley isn’t in front of the camera, she loves to sing, read poetry and write music. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In the age of the pandemic, it's inevitable that screen time has gone up for all of us — including children. But how has all of this extra exposure to technology and media affected kids? Has it had a positive or negative impact? Is it altering the way they view relationships and has it affected the nature of their relationships with family and friends? Listen as Florence Ann and Joe discuss this topic with Julia Dennison, Digital Content Director of Parents.com. Julia opens up with our hosts about how she is navigating her daughter's exposure to media as a single mom and what patterns she and her colleagues are seeing at Parents. About our guest: Julia Dennison is Digital Content Director for the Parents brand, which includes heading up the content for Parents.com and its social platforms. A single co-parenting mama to 4-year-old Esme, she’s been writing and editing in the parenting space for over 13 years (an editor in general for more than 16 years), with a passion for covering all the wonderfully unique ways people parent and form families. She’s been a co-host of the podcast Pregnancy Confidential, and now of the new podcast We Are Family with ShaunT, all about the diversity of family life in America today. She has also appeared as a panel moderator and expert on the parenting beat for various events and TV segments, including those for Good Morning America, CNN/HLN, Yahoo and local news networks. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann Romano touches on her three rules she lives by — build your village, let love in, and ask for help! Building your village starts within your heart. Who do you love and trust? Your village doesn't have to be confined to your immediate home either. Second families are a great way to build your village! This can be the blending of two separate marriages, your close friends you trust with your kids, or even living in a multi-generational home! Listen as Florence Ann and Joe Fatheree talk about the importance of second families. Building your village is important, especially during COVID. Overnight we saw things change drastically — schools were closing, daycares were gone, nannies left the home, and it seemed as if parents were left with almost no village to lean on. 2020 left parents realizing the importance of the second family. Our great hosts offer concrete tips for parents on how they can build and maintain their village and lean on their second families during this time. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know as early as 6 months, a baby's brain can notice race-based differences? Children learn about these racial biases and racial differences early on from their first teachers--their parents--and how to deal with and react to them. Our special guest, Jemelleh Coes, Georgia's 2014 Teacher of the Year, gives parents and teachers advice on how to guide our children to stand up against racial bias. We are back on another episode of Finger Painting the Future to revisit the topic of biases and racial equity and how they affect children at a young age. We learn from Jemelleh that building up our children's confidence levels gives them the courage to stand up for themselves and for others. Tune into this episode as she gives us helpful tips on how to navigate this hard topic with our children and ourselves in our everyday life.  About our guest: Jemelleh Coes was named Georgia's 2014 Teacher of the Year. She is the daughter of immigrant parents and a first-generation university graduate. Jemelleh earned her Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Practice. She is a professor at the University of Georgia and Mount Holyoke College where she teaches current and future educators along with future professionals dedicated to disability advocacy. Her work has a laser focus on equity and disrupting traditional ways of engaging in education. She believes that equity is the thread that runs through everything!  Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Mental health has become a bigger topic as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise. And with an ever-changing environment, kids today have to understand the various emotions that surround the current situation. Parents and educators everywhere are seeking ways to address these issues with children. In today's episode of Fingerpainting the Future, we talk with middle school teacher Jess Guidroz about implementing social-emotional learning in the classroom and how parents can bring this practice home. As we continue navigating the pandemic and online learning, it's important for teachers to take a closer look at the mental well-being of their students to ensure they are as successful as possible. Tune in to this week's episode to find out how to incorporate social-emotional learning into your child's everyday life. About our guest: Jess Guidroz is a middle school teacher who specializes in social-emotional learning and teen leadership. He has been an educator for more than 6 years and is currently teaching at William S. Hart Union High School District in Santa Clarita, CA. He has been awarded the Santa Clarita 40 Under 40 Award previously. Jess is also the founder of Santa Clarita Valley VEG FEST, an annual vegan-themed festival that aims to educate on the benefits of plant-based living. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In today's stress-packed world, more and more people are looking for easy ways to relieve their stress and anxiety. A great place to start is to practice mindfulness — not only ourselves but our children as well. Being mindful means focusing on the present to find inner peace. What is something you love that brings you peace? It could be listening to your favorite music, going outside, or even meditating! Whatever it may be, it's so important to make sure we take five minutes out of our day with our kids to practice mindfulness. In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann and Joe speak with Adam Avin, teen mental health education advocate & founder of Wuf Shanti Children's Wellness Foundation, about how we can practice mindfulness with our children. Tune in to hear how thinking well can positively impact our lives. About our guest: Adam Avin is a teen mental health education advocate and is the youngest meditation instructor at Yoga International. He created the Wuf Shanti Children's Wellness Foundation, which teaches mindfulness and social-emotional learning to kids. Adam also has been in many publications and gave a TEDxYouth Talk about getting mindful and social-emotional learning programs into our education system and using our voice to make a positive difference in the world. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Everyone has their own biases, but how do they affect our children? With all of the current events taking place in our society, like the recent Capitol bombing, it's so easy to be angry at everything — however, it's worth noting that our anger can negatively impact the behavior of our children. So how do we approach such a hard topic with our children? In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, our special guest, Dana Boyd, 2007 Texas Teacher of the Year, speaks on the effects of biases and racial equity among young children. As teachers and parents, it is our duty to exhibit the type of behavior we want our students and children to have. The first step is acknowledging it within ourselves. Tune in to hear how we can effectively tackle this topic with our kids.  About our guest: Dana K. Boyd is an influential leader with over twenty years in education. She has been a principal for 10 years and is currently the principal of Parkland Elementary School in El Paso, Texas. Dana has been awarded many accolades, including the 2007 Texas Teacher of the Year. She believes in creating and establishing a culture of success through relationships with students, faculty, and families. Dana is a self-reflective leader who strives to use lessons learned to strengthen stakeholders in education.  Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Bullying doesn't end at school – cyberbullying still happens after 3 PM. With the COVID-10 and remote learning, kids are experiencing more bullying online than ever before. While teachers are trained on how to identify and deal with bullying in the physical classroom, how can parents and teachers prevent/stop it during remote learning? On this episode of Finger Painting the future, Florence Ann and Joe speak with 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year, Kareem Neal on the topic of bullying. Kareem gives helpful insights on how we can be a safe space to talk with our children when it comes to dealing with bullies. As parents, it is very important that we build strong relationships with our children in order to create that safe space. Tune in to hear how you can tackle this hard topic with your kids. Not only will you learn how to help your children deal with bullying, but also how to deal with it in your own adult life! About our guest: Kareem Neal is a recipient of 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year award and has taught students with cognitive delays for 23 years! He received an honorary doctorate from NAU for his contributions to special education in Arizona — and is also a 2019 Understood Teacher Fellow. Kareem has a passion for connecting all students and is currently the restorative justice trainer for the Phoenix union High School District. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

COVID-19 quickly moved our children into virtual learning this year and it's safe to say it was NOT an easy transition. For kids, staring at a screen all day isn't as exciting as being in a classroom with their friends! On today's episode of Finger Painting the Future, special guest Dyane Smokorowski, 2013 Kansas Teacher of the Year, gives parents and teachers advice on how to set children up for success and help them deal with failure. Whether it's picking something your students are passionate about or helping them ask their teacher for resources, we adults must ensure we are working to bridge the parent-student gap. Your takeaways for this episode: Reach out & talk to your students' teacherShare your students’ interests with your teachers Teach your students to self-advocate About our guest: Dyane Smokorowski is a 2019 National Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee, 2013 Kansas Teacher of the Year, and is currently serving as the Coordinator of Digital Literacy in the Wichita Public Schools. Mrs. Smoke, as she’s known to her students, believes in a project-based, student-centered classroom that helps students build skills in communication, planning, research, and project implementation. Additionally, Dyane thrives on the mission to create active and engaging teacher professional learning opportunities. She wants her students and teachers to develop a love for innovation, communication, and technology, but also to understand how to use that love and passion to advance their own futures, as well as that of the global community. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

2020 has been a crazy year of ups and downs for all of us, but we shouldn't let COVID-19 take over that love that we have for each other. In this week's holiday episode of Finger Painting the Future, Florence Ann and Joe offer up some easy-to-implement tips for helping your kids seek out joy. There's no better time to start teaching your children — and maybe even yourself — to find joy in life than right now.  Tune in to hear all about the hosts' family traditions and how you can solidify them with your own family. You'll learn all about how Florence Ann savors life's pleasures and how Joe and his family live their lives with meaning. And from all of us at Finger Painting the Future, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know that nearly 1 in 3 children in America is overweight or obese? And this statistic has only risen now that everyone is self-quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On today's episode of Finger Painting the Future, Joe and Florence Ann speak with top Chicago-based Certified Integrative Nutritionist and Celebrity Health Coach, Karina Heinrich, about the importance of nutrition — not just for ourselves — but for our kids. Karina gives helpful tips on picky eaters, gives us the inside scoop on her High Low Lean No philosophy, and how to have a healthy relationship with food. Listen now! About our guest: Karina Heinrich is the top Chicago-based Certified Integrative Nutritionist and Celebrity Health Coach. Her breakthrough nutrition movement, The Karina Method has helped dozens of Ford models, professional athletes, celebrities & high profile CEOs, reach optimal wellness and weight loss.The Karina Method, or TKM for short, was most recently placed on Modern Luxury CS magazine's distinguished "IT LIST" for "The Best Health Plan for 2020." Karina is constantly sharing her expert wellness content with incredible outlets and partners worldwide and has released multiple best-selling downloadable guides. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

COVID-19 has put us all through a loop this year — and there's no other group who is feeling the grunt of the pandemic more than parents. All you moms and dads out there have had to take on a much larger role this year. Joe and Florence Ann are here to help! On this special episode of Finger Painting the Future, Joe shares his in-depth, exclusive techniques for how and why parents should start "Thinking Like a Teacher". Your takeaways from this episode: Adjust your attitudeChanging habits is difficult, but not impossibleSet expectations for student, parent, and teacherCreate a routine and consistent learning environmentAdults and children alike need to blow off steam! Head to the Resources Page on our website to download Joe's helpful "Think Like a Teacher" Guide today! Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

This week, Joe and Florence Ann speak with the VP of Development at Sesame Workshop, Chava Kallberg, about teaching children philanthropy. The three discuss what parents can do to start these lessons young and how these values should be implemented in the entire home. Your takeaways from this episode are: You don’t have to be wealthy to make a difference.Ask yourself what you can do to be helpful.Never underestimate what a young person can do. About our Guest: Chava Kallberg is the Vice President of Development at Sesame Workshop. Along with her colleagues at Sesame Workshop, Kallberg works to a create a community built on diversity, equity, and inclusion — one where creators, educators, partners, and unforgettable characters come together on a mission to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. To learn more, visit sesameworkshop.org. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

On this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Joe and Florence Ann chat about the importance of teaching empathy in the home at a young age and how they have implemented this practice into their own lives.  The current climate of our country makes it a perfect time to speak about this topic. Parents, make sure you allow your children to feel comfortable talking about these issues and questions with you! Those conversations will open them up to a world of possibilities. Your key takeaways from this episode are: Parents, practice what you preach!Feel open to talk about failure.Have an accountability partner.Acknowledge your child’s feelings & ask them what they did to make someone’s life better today. “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” - Maya Angelou Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

In this episode of Finger Painting the Future, our hosts, along with esteemed Clinical Forensic Psychologist, Dr. John Huber, tackle the tough topic of grief and helping a child cope with the loss of a parent. Florence Ann shares a personal story about grief and how she helped a friend cope with the loss of a parent at a young age. Dr. Huber shares some great insight into how parents and caretakers can navigate this subject with children and offers specific tips to practice. Your key takeaways from this episode are: Remember that it’s their (the child) level - not yours.Play in the sandbox with them.Make sure you take care of yourself first. “Life's too short not to have something to laugh about every day.” - Dr. John Huber About our guest: Dr. John Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist and Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. Dr. Huber is also a university professor that has been in mental health for over twenty years. His experience began as a School Psychologist. Today, he is a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals. In addition, he is a professor and teaches undergraduate and graduate psychology at Texas State University. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know that 17% of children aged 3–17 years are diagnosed with a developmental disability? Florence Ann and Joe touch on this topic with Neil Romano, Chairman at The National Council on Disability. The three discuss how the world currently puts limitations on these children and why we should be focusing more on their potential instead of their expectations. Both Florence Ann and Joe share personal stories of their experiences with differently-abled children and how those experiences have affected them in the most beautiful ways. Your takeaways from this episode: (1) focus more on what differently-abled children CAN do, not what they CAN'T do; (2) there is on manual for caring for children with disabilities, but take advantage of the resources out there; (3) get rid of your expectations of children, look at their potential About our guest: Neil Romano is the Chairman at The National Council on Disability. He has dedicated his career to the marketing of ideas and messages to help save lives and promote public policy. Romano's extensive professional background includes tenure as director of communications for the White House Office of Drug Abuse Policy. In 2007, Romano was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As head of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Romano advised the Secretary of Labor and worked with all DOL agencies to lead a comprehensive and coordinated national policy regarding the employment of people with disabilities in the United States.  Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

Did you know that suicide is the number one cause of death among those aged 10 to 14? On this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Joe and Florence Ann tackle the tough topic of teen suicide and open up about their own stories surrounding this topic. Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Disaster Mental Health Professional, Jennifer Bohr-Cuevas, helps to shed light on how parents and caretakers can have those tough conversations with teens about mental health. About our guest: Jennifer Bohr-Cuevas has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Disaster Mental Health Professional for over twenty five years with a private practice on Long Island, NY. She specializes in treating children, adolescents, and their families for psychological trauma and is a Disaster Mental Health Worker with the Red Cross. Jennifer is part of an elite group of mental health clinicians that respond to both man made and natural disasters on the regional and national level and has provided psychological analysis on various TV shows including Newsmax, News 12, Law and Crime, etc. Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

On this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Joe and Florence Ann speak with Jay Oliver, LI News Radio's morning show host, about how to pick role models for your children. What can parents and caretakers do to ensure their child has great role models surrounding them? How can parents be the best role model for their children? The group discusses this and more! Your three takeaways from this episode: (1) Evaluate your moral code; (2) ask your children about their moral code; (3) ask your kids who their role models are and why. About our guest: Jay Oliver has firmly established himself as one of the most recognizable voices on Long Island, NY. For 5 years Jay hosted and produced Long Island’s only news and information radio show in the morning on WRIV’s “Dawn Patrol”. Acting as News Director as well, Jay wrote news stories, interviewed politicians, teachers, parents, entertainers, authors, athletes, and more importantly delved into issues that had plagued Long Islanders forever. The C.W. Post Graduate resides on Long Island with his wife Peggy, and their three children, Matthew, Justin, and Kimberly.   Get in touch with us: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!

On this episode of Finger Painting the Future, Joe and Florence discuss how moms are being pushed out of the workforce. So many parents are being forced to choose between taking care of their children or going to work and leaving them without childcare in this current crisis. There is so much stress, mom guilt, and just a general feeling of being worn out. Listen as you learn that you are not alone and discover what you can do to change the situation.  Your three takeaways from this episode: (1) The good that has come from COVID; (2) How you can reach out to your policymakers to invoke a change.; (3) What it's like to have access into your child's classroom.   Follow us on social media: @fingerpaintingthefuture on Facebook & Instagram @FPTFpodcast on Twitter or visit our website at fingerpaintingthefuture.com!