Lessons Worth Keeping

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SUMMER BREAK IS HERE — AND WHILE KIDS ARE READY FOR A BREAK, MANY PARENTS WORRY ABOUT KEEPING THEM LEARNING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. IT’S CALLED THE SUMMER SLIDE — WHEN KIDS CAN LOSE SOME OF WHAT THEY LEARNED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. BUT PREVENTING IT DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN TURNING YOUR HOME INTO A CLASSROOM. IN THIS RE-RELEASED RAISING ME EPISODE — HOST ADRIENNE STEIN TALKS WITH DR. MELINDA BUTLER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE ABOUT SIMPLE, LOW-STRESS WAYS TO KEEP KIDS READING, THINKING, AND STAYING CURIOUS ALL SUMMER LONG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Adrienne is speaking with Dr. Jeremy Heffner about AI and Mental Health with Kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're revisiting our popular skincare episode as we prepare for a beautiful SUNNY summer. As social media trends continue to shape beauty routines, many parents are left wondering how much of the viral skincare advice flooding TikTok and Instagram is beneficial for their teens and tweens. With products promising “perfect” skin, it’s easy for young people to get carried away in the excitement—but experts urge caution. Often, less is more. So this week, Adrienne speaks with Holly Morris, a board-certified physician assistant with more than 15 years of experience in dermatology and medical aesthetics. Morris shares her expert advice on the viral trends and how tweens and teens can best take care of their skin. She also shares the products she recommends for kids struggling with acne, and what parents can use to help take care of their own skin, including dark spots and fine lines. As social media continues to influence beauty standards, Morris encourages parents to help their teens develop a realistic understanding of skincare. For parents looking to develop good skincare routines for their teens, Morris’s advice is clear: keep it simple, stay consistent, and always consult a professional if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many parents give their child a phone for practical reasons—safety, schedules, school—but then realize the harder part comes next: figuring out the rules, routines, and check-ins that keep kids healthy and safe. On the latest episode of Raising Me, host Adrienne Stein speaks with Rebecca Hoffmann, Senior Director of Clinical Innovation and Training at MaineHealth, and a longtime mental health and family therapist. Hoffmann shares how to know if a child is ready for a phone—and what parents can do when the phone is already in the child’s hands and boundaries need a reset. Hoffmann shares practical guidance on setting guardrails before a phone is introduced, as well as realistic steps families can take afterward, like adjusting routines, setting expectations around nighttime use, and keeping communication open. The conversation also touches on watching for changes in mood, sleep, and mental health, and how parents can respond without turning every day into a power struggle. The episode offers parents a clear message: you don’t need a perfect plan to start. You can begin with one boundary, one routine, and one check-in—and build from there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Mary Dyer, Finance Authority of Maine (F.A.M.E.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrienne Stein interviews Rebecca Hoffman about "big feelings" that can happen at every age - what they mean and how we can all manage to find a balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sleep. It can feel so elusive at nearly all stages of parenting. In this previously released episode of Raising Me, Adrienne explores the importance of sleep and how to get better quality of sleep for your whole family with guest Dr. Kristy Perkowski, DO. From the middle of the night little visitor who wants to cuddle into your bed, to teens who have trouble putting away their phones to catch enough z’s, pediatrician Dr. Perkowski provides practical and simple solutions for your family. About the guest: Dr Kristy Perkowski, DO, is a pediatrician with the Dr. Harry E Davis Pediatric Center in Portland, Maine. It is her goal to be an approachable, empathetic pediatrician who uses current recommendations and science to care for the children in the community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manners can feel complicated in today’s world—especially when parents are juggling busy schedules, big feelings, and constant communication through screens. On the latest episode of Raising Me, host Adrienne Stein speaks with Daniel Post Senning of the Emily Post Institute about modern etiquette and how parents can teach manners in a way that feels practical, warm, and realistic. Post-Senning, the great-great-grandson of etiquette icon Emily Post, shares guidance on what etiquette really means today, how parents can correct behavior without shaming kids, and why modeling respect at home matters. The conversation also touches on modern “hot spots” like phones at the table and navigating social situations with kindness and confidence. The episode offers parents simple strategies they can use right away—helping kids build social skills that work in real life, online and off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever wondered whether your child is meeting age-appropriate milestones — or questioned if something might be “off” — you’re not alone. Developmental delays can be difficult to recognize, and parents often aren’t sure when to wait and when to seek support. On the latest episode of Raising Me, host Adrienne Stein speaks with Jen Wirt, founder of Coral Care, about developmental delays in children, early signs parents can look for, and why early intervention can make a meaningful difference. Wirt discusses common areas where delays may show up, including speech and communication, social interaction, motor skills, and everyday routines. She also explains how parents can talk with their pediatrician, what an evaluation may look like, and how in-home therapy can support progress in a child’s natural environment. The episode is designed to help parents feel informed — not overwhelmed — and encourages families to trust their instincts, ask questions, and seek guidance when concerns arise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices