{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Teaching Kids to Think Critically and Ask Questions","description":"In this episode, Jed welcomes back Angela Santomero, beloved creator behind Blue\u2019s Clues, Daniel Tiger\u2019s Neighborhood, and now the Princess Penelope\u2019s Purse of Preposterous Things book and YouTube series. Angela shares how Princess Penelope\u2019s adventures are designed to build critical thinking skills, kindness, and problem-solving in young kids\u2014while still being totally silly and \u201cpreposterous.\u201d She explains how careful research with children helps her team make sure the stories are both educational and genuinely funny, and why using \u201cbig\u201d words like preposterous can be a powerful way to grow kids\u2019 vocabularies when adults read aloud. Angela also talks about her philosophy of \u201cradical kindness\u201d in leadership and parenting\u2014being warm and empathetic, but also clear about boundaries, accountability, and high standards. She and Jed dig into bullying, power, and why \u201cnice\u201d and \u201cstrong\u201d are not opposites. In the second half, Jed is joined by Dr. Rachel Wheeler, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and author of the picture book Did You Ever Wonder Why? Rachel\u2019s book is built around open-ended, childlike questions\u2014designed not to give answers, but to spark conversations, curiosity, and imagination between kids and caring adults. She shares how wondering together can reduce anxiety, build insight, and help children make sense of big, mixed-up feelings. Jed and Dr. Wheeler also talk about AI, why it\u2019s here to stay, and how that means we must teach kids to question, investigate, and think for themselves. Rachel describes using AI\u2014carefully and creatively\u2014to help illustrate her book, and explains why she\u2019s donating 50% of the net proceeds to dementia research in honor of her parents. ","author_name":"Reading With Your Kids Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/readingwithyourkids.libsyn.com\/site","html":"