The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
💜☂️ The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is a chart-topping parenting and education podcast hosted by Suzanne M. Swain, EdS LMSW — former middle school teacher, school librarian, administrator, professor of education, therapist, and educational sociologist with over 20+ years of experience working with tweens, teens, families, and school systems.
👩🏫📚🎓 Educated, trained, and classroom-tested in Tennessee (UT🧡), Suzanne taught 5th, 7th, and 8th grade while becoming deeply determined to understand every layer of the middle school experience in order to better serve kids. From classrooms and school libraries to administration, behavioral support, higher education, and emotional health, that journey eventually became the foundation of The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ — a warm, research-based approach to helping families navigate the emotional realities of adolescence.
💕 ND-Friendly: MSMP is designed with neurodivergent listeners and families at the heart of the show, keeping distractions, abrupt interruptions, & excessive ads to a minimum for continuity & regulation. Any carefully selected, relevant sponsors will be limited and placed primarily at the beginning or end of episodes.
✨ Today, the podcast has grown into one of the top-ranked independent parenting podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, reaching listeners in more than 115 countries and earning over 4600 + five-star Spotify reviews.
🍎 Apple Podcasts (May 3-11, 2026):
#1 in Kids & Family
#1 in Kids & Family: Parenting
🏆 Spotify:
4,600 + five-star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Each episode blends years of classroom experience, humor, neurobiology, emotional regulation tools, school culture insight, and real-world support for parents, educators, and caregivers navigating the beautiful chaos of adolescence. Topics include anxiety, autism, ADHD, screen time, emotional resilience, executive functioning, family systems, neurodivergence, and the emotional realities of modern parenting.
📚 The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is especially known for its “Emotional Critical Thinking” educational theory developed by Swain, (ECT) is based in systems theory and is focused on helping families move beyond shame, punishment, and panic toward connection, re/regulation, technology resilience, and long-term self-recognized growth using simple, practical tools families can actually use, with technology as a constant thread.
👏 The show proudly remains independently produced and intentionally selective about sponsorships and featured partnerships. Companies and organizations highlighted on the show are carefully vetted for alignment with the podcast’s mission, values, and commitment to supporting children and families ethically. If you are interested in speaking engagements or advertising, email: suzanneswain@gmail.com
🦊 If this episode helped your family, classroom, or community, you can support the show and explore additional resources for parents and educators at:
msmarypoppins.com. Help spread the word by offering some stars or a review! Thank you for supporting grassroots podcasting!
Coming Soon:
Downloadable Survival Guides & More
🎤 For media appearances, conferences, speaking engagements, educational consulting, or partnership opportunities:
suzanneswain@gmail.com
💜 Extra special thanks to Janine Stella of StellaMix for supporting independent podcast production and creative collaboration behind the scenes. To learn more about StellaMix or to help make your own podcasting dreams come true, visit: stellamix.com
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
S2 EP 4 - Technology VR/ AI Killed the Radio Star
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In this jam-packed, joy-filled episode, Suzanne Swain dives headfirst down the digital rabbit hole to share her lifelong love of tech—and how it’s changing the game for kids and families alike. From her first VGA monitor to today’s AI-powered tools, Suzanne walks listeners through fun, interactive ways to turn screen time into meaningful play and connection. She explores how to use AI to generate personalized coloring pages, DIY Pokémon cards, and even full-on board games. She explains how Trello can help kids (and parents) stay organized with fun, drag-and-drop checklists. Suzanne shares how virtual reality has transformed her therapy sessions, offering virtual vacations, roller coasters, and meditations in space. And don’t miss her tips on using apps like ChatGPT and Claude to write stories, emails, or even bedtime tales—plus why Google Drive is her brain’s second home. She even encourages families to create mood-based Spotify playlists together, build apps with Appy Pie, and make movies using AI.
Whether you’re a parent hoping to reduce Roblox time, a teacher looking for creative tools, or just a curious fox ready to explore, this episode is a treasure trove of tech tips that promote creativity, emotional wellness, and family connection—all served up with Suzanne’s signature mix of heart and humor.
Contact Suzanne Swain:
Email: suzanneswain@gmail.com
Facebook: Suzanne Swain
Produced By: StellaMix Podcast Production
