The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
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, therapist, and educational sociologist with over 20 years of experience working with tweens, teens, and families.
Educated, trained, and classroom-tested in Tennessee, 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 the classroom to school libraries, administration, behavioral support, and emotional health, that journey eventually became the foundation of Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ — a warm, research-based approach to helping families navigate the emotional realities of adolescence.
Today, the podcast has grown into one of the top-ranked independent parenting podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with hundreds of five-star reviews and listeners across more than 100 countries.
Each episode blends 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.
Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is especially known for its “Emotional Critical Thinking” philosophy — helping families move beyond shame, punishment, and panic toward connection, regulation, resilience, and long-term growth using simple, practical tools families can actually use in everyday life.
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 this episode helped your family, classroom, or community, you can support the show and explore additional resources for parents and educators at:
msmarypoppins.com
🎤 Media inquiries, speaking engagements, educational consulting, and partnership opportunities:
suzanneswain@gmail.com
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 podcast dreams come true, visit:
stellamix.com 💜☂️
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
S2 EP 4 - Technology VR/ AI Killed the Radio Star
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
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
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
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, therapist, and educational sociologist with over 20 years of experience working with tweens, teens, and families.
Today, the podcast has grown into one of the top-ranked independent parenting podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with hundreds of five-star reviews and listeners across more than 115 countries.
Each episode blends 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.
🎤 Media inquiries, speaking engagements, educational consulting, and partnership opportunities, please visit the websites media page or suzanneswain@gmail.com
Special thanks to Janine Stella of StellaMix for supporting independent podcast production and creative production magic the scenes. To learn more about StellaMix or to help make your own podcast dreams come true, visit: stellamix.com 💜☂️