The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
ALERT: 🍎🎙️The Apple Podcast listing was hacked in July & given numerous 1 star reviews, bringing the show’s rating from 4.9 to 3.1. 😭. Apple is investigating, but any star rating help to bring MSMP back up would be truly appreciated! Thank you! Suzanne & Steve
💜 The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™
Parenting a middle schooler doesn’t come with a manual—but this podcast comes pretty close.
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ helps parents, educators, counselors, and caregivers better understand tweens and young teens during one of the most important—and misunderstood—stages of childhood. Nonprofit independent self-funded podcast, so your support is appreciated!
Hosted by Suzanne M. Swain, EdS LMSW—educator, therapist, former multi award-winning middle school teacher, school librarian, administrator, professor, and educational sociologist—each episode blends brain science, practical parenting strategies, emotional regulation, executive functioning support, and a little ridiculous joy to help families thrive. Suz has done it all - all by design to create this show for you!
Topics include anxiety, ADHD, autism, executive functioning, emotional regulation, friendships, bullying, motivation, screen time, school success, neurodiversity, family communication, and adolescent development.
Downloaded more than 725,00 in 130countries, with 6,500 + five-star Spotify ratings and multiple #1 Apple Podcasts rankings in Kids & Family and Parenting, the podcast has become a trusted resource for families and educators around the world.
Whether you’re raising a middle schooler, teaching one, counseling families, or simply trying to better understand the adolescent brain, you’ll find practical strategies, encouragement, and a little ridiculous joy along the way.
💜 Stop. Regulate. Listen.
🎙️ Listen wherever you get your podcasts—and now you can watch the conversation on YouTube! Subscribe for full episodes, video shorts, parenting tips, and exclusive content.
🌐 Learn more: https://msmarypoppins.com
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@middleschoolmarypoppinspodcast?si=Nn12Fq5dMpaoallA
Produced and edited by the incredibly talented Janine Stella of StellaMix.com, whose creativity helps bring every episode to life.
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
S2 EP 11 - Ridiculous Joy: It's a Beautiful Life
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Middle school can feel weird, overwhelming, awkward, emotional, and completely ridiculous sometimes… so maybe the answer is learning how to hold onto a little “Ridiculous Joy” to help us cope with the difficulty.
In this episode of The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast, Suzanne M. Swain, EdS, LMSW introduces the heart behind the show and the mission driving these conversations: helping kids, families, and educators better understand each other through neuroscience, emotional critical thinking, humor, and honest dialogue about what it actually feels like to grow up in today’s world.
“Ridiculous Joy” is Suzanne’s favorite phrase, and will be the title of her upcoming parenting book. It is through finding silliness and ridiculous joy in life that we are able to build up these experiences to remind us that life is full of wonder and excitement if we’re just strong enough to get through the darker days.
Drawing from years of experience as a middle school teacher, school librarian, administrator, professor of Education, and licensed master social worker working directly with students and families, Suzanne explores the complicated emotional world middle schoolers live in every day. Kids today are constantly moving between different environments — school, home, social media, peer groups, extracurricular pressure, and adult expectations — often without the emotional tools to fully process all of it yet.
This episode explores why communication between kids and adults can break down so easily, how cognitive distortions shape the way we interpret situations, and why emotional regulation has become one of the most important life skills we can teach. Suzanne also introduces the idea that joy itself can become an act of resilience — especially for neurodivergent kids, anxious kids, overwhelmed kids, and the adults trying to support them.
Blending humor, brain science, real classroom stories, and heartfelt honesty, Ridiculous Joy: It’s a Beautiful Life sets the tone for the entire MSMP podcast experience: compassionate, practical, slightly chaotic, and deeply hopeful.
💜 ND Friendly Listening Note: MSMP is designed with neurodivergent listeners in mind. Ads and interruptions are intentionally kept to a minimum and placed thoughtfully for continuity and emotional regulation support.
☂️ Visit msmarypoppins.com for resources, updates, and ways to support the show.
Produced by StellaMix Podcast Productions
🌐 stellamix.com
Stay clever, little foxes!🦊
