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 6 - Educational Epic Fails: Insane in the Brain
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What do Abraham Lincoln, a dead bird, and the local Fire Department have in common? Believe it or not—Suzanne’s teaching career.
In this episode, kid therapist and master teacher Suzanne M. Swain spills her epic teaching fails—the kind of stories you can only laugh at in hindsight. From leading a group of 10-year-olds astray in the U.S. Capitol, to accidentally becoming part of the Ford’s Theater tour (yes, involving projectile vomiting in the most historically inappropriate place), to clocking herself out cold during state testing and triggering a full-on firefighter rescue—Suzanne proves teaching is never boring.
Between shredded-money envy at the U.S. Mint, the quirks of middle schoolers, and teachers who either scolded or cracked up at her disasters, Suzanne shows how the wildest fails can turn into the best stories.
So buckle up, laugh along, and maybe even feel a little better about your own “oops” moments—because if Suzanne can survive them, so can you.
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 💜☂️
