Miss Beth from Big City Readers reads Room On The Broom, our Halloween favorite! Julia Donaldson is one of the best authors we love to promote. Find more Halloween stories ⁠here⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/shop/bigcityreaders/list/28CPOTTKD7LP2?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_WYEA56NR5Q0NJ6YRSS14]!

And Follow on ⁠Youtube⁠ [https://youtu.be/WAFjxPt9e3Y] for more story time for kids!

Check out our ⁠on demand classes⁠ [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/] to raise readers- toddlers to third grade.

Story Time For Kids! Room On The Broom by Julia Donaldson

Welcome to Season 3 of Play On Words from Big City Readers! In this kickoff episode, Miss Beth dives into one of the most common challenges families face each fall: back-to-school anxiety.

If mornings feel chaotic, drop-offs end in tears, or your child worries about school all weekend, this episode is for you. Drawing from her years of working with families, Beth shares practical, playful, and totally doable strategies to ease anxiety and help your child feel confident about school.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

 * The Power of Routine: Why the same breakfast at the same time can reduce stress.
 * Connection Items: How a matching bracelet, heart doodle, or silly ritual helps kids feel close to you all day long.
 * Drop-Off Rituals That Work: From synchronized car door slams to secret handshakes, small traditions make big transitions smoother.
 * Practice Runs: How Saturday morning school visits (plus donuts!) can transform how your child feels about the building.
 * Timing Anxiety Talks: Why Saturday mornings beat Sunday nights for reading “first day of school” books and having big feelings conversations.
 * The Hardest Step for Parents: How to keep goodbyes short, sweet, and empowering—without feeding the worry loop.

Why It Matters

Instead of letting anxiety take over, these routines give kids jobs to do, helping them channel nervous energy into action. Parents and children become a team, turning the hardest part of the day into a moment of connection and pride.

✨ This episode isn’t just about managing anxiety—it’s about building confidence, connection, and joy around school routines.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Big Feelings Booklist [https://www.amazon.com/shop/bigcityreaders/list/3UGTRRVHOHMSU?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_C1CKDPJT27CADBN0WWRK]

Printable Routine [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/free-resources]

Read about it on the blog  [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/blog/drop-off-tears]

Season 3 Ep. 1: Back-to-School Anxiety: Parenting Tips & Morning Routines That Work

The principal is BACK. Part 2 or 2 with principal, educator and friend of the pod: Jon Arens. We are answering all ALL your questions about learning to read and starting kindergarten.

Questions YOU asked and we discuss in these two episodes:

🧠 Decision-Making Factors

 * What factors would make you consider redshirting as a good fit aside from age alone?
 * Is it better to make the decision based on academic readiness or emotional/maturity?
 * Does birth order influence the choice?
 * Does research show it’s better to hold back a boy vs. a girl?
 * Where do we draw the line? (March birthdays redshirted)
 * HELP! 4YO July Bday. Language/reasoning/comm 💯, Social-emotional 😱

⚖️ Pros, Cons & Impact

 * What are the top 3 signs to redshirt?
 * Long-term implications of 6–7-year-olds in K — does it raise expectations too much for 4–5-year-olds?
 * Is fear of “boredom causing behavior issues” a reason NOT to redshirt?
 * Can kids get bumped up a grade if it ends up not being a good fit?

💡 Situational Scenarios

 * My child is smart, early Aug birthday, but can’t sit still and struggles to participate.
 * My child can read since 2.5 and is advanced in math but struggles emotionally (Sept bday).
 * Late August birthday — can tell social/emotional differences but not academic ones.
 * Very extroverted, very tall, late July birthday, reading level H — teacher says she’s okay.
 * Twins with developmental delay — early intervention or more time?
 * Late birthday + IEP for ADHD — repeat K or will the IEP be enough for 1st?

📍 District/Policy Questions

 * Why don’t some schools (like CPS) allow redshirting?
 * Is it allowed in every school district? Is it really up to parents?
 * NYC with a Dec 31 cutoff — is that developmentally inappropriate?

🛠 Practical Tips

 * I’m holding my son back (Aug 17) and sending him to TK — tips for avoiding regression?
 * We’re redshirting KG but likely going to 1st — what should we focus on?
 * Should we repeat kinder in a multi-age class (K/1) or switch to a different class?
 * When would you do it?

😅 Other

 * I already did it. How do I explain it to him?
 * How common is this?
 * Did it — bad idea. Had to fight to skip ahead due to immature classmates.
 * My answers as a principal were easier than as a parent.

EP. 72: Kindergarten Redshirting Part 2: How Do I Know If I Should Delay Kindergarten?

The principal is BACK. Part 1 or 2 with principal, educator and friend of the pod: Jon Arens. We are answering all ALL your questions about learning to read and starting kindergarten. 

Questions YOU asked and we discuss in these two episodes:

🧠 Decision-Making Factors

 * What factors would make you consider redshirting as a good fit aside from age alone?
 * Is it better to make the decision based on academic readiness or emotional/maturity?
 * Does birth order influence the choice?
 * Does research show it’s better to hold back a boy vs. a girl?
 * Where do we draw the line? (March birthdays redshirted)
 * HELP! 4YO July Bday. Language/reasoning/comm 💯, Social-emotional 😱

⚖️ Pros, Cons & Impact

 * What are the top 3 signs to redshirt?
 * Long-term implications of 6–7-year-olds in K — does it raise expectations too much for 4–5-year-olds?
 * Is fear of “boredom causing behavior issues” a reason NOT to redshirt?
 * Can kids get bumped up a grade if it ends up not being a good fit?

💡 Situational Scenarios

 * My child is smart, early Aug birthday, but can’t sit still and struggles to participate.
 * My child can read since 2.5 and is advanced in math but struggles emotionally (Sept bday).
 * Late August birthday — can tell social/emotional differences but not academic ones.
 * Very extroverted, very tall, late July birthday, reading level H — teacher says she’s okay.
 * Twins with developmental delay — early intervention or more time?
 * Late birthday + IEP for ADHD — repeat K or will the IEP be enough for 1st?

📍 District/Policy Questions

 * Why don’t some schools (like CPS) allow redshirting?
 * Is it allowed in every school district? Is it really up to parents?
 * NYC with a Dec 31 cutoff — is that developmentally inappropriate?

🛠 Practical Tips

 * I’m holding my son back (Aug 17) and sending him to TK — tips for avoiding regression?
 * We’re redshirting KG but likely going to 1st — what should we focus on?
 * Should we repeat kinder in a multi-age class (K/1) or switch to a different class?
 * When would you do it?

😅 Other

 * I already did it. How do I explain it to him?
 * How common is this?
 * Did it — bad idea. Had to fight to skip ahead due to immature classmates.
 * My answers as a principal were easier than as a parent.

For more support visit bigcityreaders.com [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/]

EP. 71: Kindergarten Redshirting Part 1: Can You Learn To Read At Home Depot? 

The Psychology Behind Competitive Kids (and What Helps)

If your child is the kindest kid on the block… until they lose a game and suddenly you’re dealing with a rage monster - this episode is for you. Competitive kids often have big hearts and even bigger feelings. In this quick pep talk, I’ll walk you through what’s really going on beneath that explosive reaction, how to support emotional growth without crushing their drive, and my go-to book list that helps kids build resilience and empathy.

You’ll learn:

 * Why competitive kids sometimes struggle with losing
 * Simple strategies to talk about frustration and fairness
 * How to create a home culture that balances effort and empathy
 * My favorite children’s books that build emotional vocabulary and self-regulation

📚 Shop the book list here: 👉 ⁠Miss Beth’s Amazon Storefront – Competitive Kid Book List⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/shop/bigcityreaders/list/3UGTRRVHOHMSU?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_WFCFVVZ6341TP6P3KW1E]

💌 Want more like this? Follow⁠ @bigcityreaders⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bigcityreaders/] on Instagram for daily tips, free book recs, and support for raising strong, kind readers.

EP. 70 My Kid Turns Into a Rage Monster When He Loses

Ever find yourself standing in a daycare hallway thinking, “Wait… what exactly am I supposed to ask on this tour?” Same.

In this episode, Miss Beth is breaking it all down Big Sister style—whether you’re looking for daycare, preschool, or kindergarten. Inspired by a recent conversation from Alex Bennett on Two Parents and a Podcast, Beth is sharing real, practical tips to help you figure out what you actually want for your child (and what matters on a tour).

From the toddler room snack tables to the kindergarten playground, Miss Beth is giving you my insider advice on:

 * What to look for (spoiler: it’s not the fancy toys)
 * What to ask the staff
 * How to trust your gut
 * Why “socialization” might not be as crucial as you think for babies
 * And how to tell if the vibe is right for your family

Whether you’re a first-time parent or looking for your next school, this episode will help you feel more confident and less overwhelmed.

⁠Follow along on Instagram @bigcityreaders⁠ 

View more of  ⁠Miss Beth’s Tips⁠ [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/the-blog]

Ep. 69 What I’d Tell Alex Bennett on Her First Daycare Tour—And You Should Hear It Too

In this episode of Play On Words, Miss Beth is bringing the heat—and the research—on one of the most asked-about early reading topics: sight words.

What even are sight words? Should your child be memorizing them? Is there a better way? What do syllables have to do with all this? And what should you do if your child’s school is sending home flashcards and calling it a day?

Whether you’ve got a preschooler being told to memorize a word list or you’re just trying to figure out what “high frequency” really means—this one’s for you.

✨ We’ll cover:

 * The difference between sight words and high-frequency words (yes, there’s a difference!)
 * Why some approaches to teaching sight words are actually holding kids back
 * What you can do to help your child recognize words with confidence
 * Open vs. closed syllables (in a way that actually makes sense)
 * Miss Beth’s favorite sight word activities that don’t rely on memorizing

📩 A real parent question kicks things off:
“My child goes to a play-based preschool. I asked what their literacy goals are and they said they’re introducing memorizing sight words. Is this the right track?”

Spoiler: Miss Beth has thoughts. And she’s not afraid to say what’s helpful—and what’s just hype.

Grab your headphones, kiss your brain, and let’s talk about what really works when it comes to growing strong, confident readers.

Ep. 68 Sight Words: The Good, the Bad & the What Were They Thinking?!

Miss Beth from Big City Readers shares one of her favorite authors and her favorite story for spring: When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes.

Watch it here and read more about why this early childhood literacy specialist says this book checks off all the boxes for one she recommends!

More spring books ⁠here ⁠ [https://bigcityreaders.myflodesk.com/springbooklist]

Read about WHY this book checks off all the boxes for me as an early childhood literacy specialist on my ⁠substack [https://bigcityreaders.substack.com/p/the-picture-book-that-got-us-through?r=2k27xb]

Ep. 67 Story Time For Kids: When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes

Are you constantly wondering if you're doing enough as a parent? Do you feel pressure to “get it right” when it comes to your baby or toddler’s development? In this episode, I’m joined by Ayelet Marinovich, pediatric speech-language pathologist, parent educator, and founder of Learn With Less®. She’s the author of Understanding Your Baby and Understanding Your Toddler, two incredible resources that remind parents: you don’t need fancy toys or complicated activities—your everyday interactions are already powerful learning moments.

We talk about:
🧠 Why you don’t need more stuff to help your child learn
✨ How to feel confident that you’re doing “enough”
👶 The surprising ways babies and toddlers learn best
📚 Simple, evidence-based ways to support early development
🎵 Why everyday routines (yes, even diaper changes!) are packed with learning opportunities

If you’ve ever doubted yourself as a parent, this episode is your reminder: you are enough. 💛

📖 Resources Mentioned:

 * Ayelet’s books: Understanding Your Baby & Understanding Your Toddler
 * Follow Ayelet on Instagram: [@LearnWithLess]
 * Big City Readers Baby Course SALE  [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/sing-sign-grow]

🎧 Listen now & share with a parent who needs this reassurance today! #ParentingConfidence #EarlyLearning #LearnWithLess #BigCityReaders

Ep. 66 Am I Doing Enough? Understanding Your Baby & Toddler with Ayelet Marinovich @Learnwithless

Today’s episode is all about modern motherhood, community, and keeping things fresh! Beth Gaskill (Big City Readers) is joined by Jenny LeFlore, the powerhouse mama behind Mama Fresh, a movement dedicated to creating spaces where families—especially Black families—feel seen, supported, and celebrated.

We talk about:✨ The story behind Mama Fresh and why community is essential for moms✨ How Jenny balances social media with real-life parenting✨ The importance of representation in parenting spaces✨ Raising kids with confidence while honoring cultures and traditions✨ Her favorite family-friendly spots in ChicagoJenny’s energy is infectious, and this conversation will leave you feeling inspired to embrace the season of motherhood you’re in—without losing yourself in the process.

Resources & Links:

📍 Follow Jenny on Instagram: ⁠@ [https://www.instagram.com/mamafreshchi/]MamaFreshChicago⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/mamafreshchi/?hl=en]

📍 Learn more about Mama Fresh: ⁠mamafreshchicago.com⁠ [http://mamafreshchicago.com/]

📍 Connect with me on Instagram: ⁠@BigCityReaders⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bigcityreaders]

Mentioned in this episode: ⁠FIRST GRADE BOOTCAMP⁠ [https://www.bigcityreaders.com/first-grade-bootcamp]

If you loved this episode, be sure to rate, review, and share it with another mama who needs a fresh perspective! 💛

Ep. 65 Modern Motherhood: Confidence, Culture & Connection with Jenny LeFlore (Mama Fresh!)

Learning to read starts with learning to play. This is the podcast for parents and teachers of kids ages 0-8 who want to have FUN learning evidence backed early development and literacy strategies in a short amount of time. This is the podcast for the teacher who needs a bestie to ask questions to and the parent who wants to know the best developmental practices to implement in the 3 minutes a day they have. You're not alone. Ask your questions here. If I can't answer them, one of my friends will be on to help! There are so many confusing parts about the learning to read journey. Miss Beth is here to simplify it, affirm you are the best person to teach your child, and give you the confidence you need in the early childhood education years. This podcast is for fun, community and confidence making tough topics more bite sized for every parent teacher and child. 

play on words

miss beth's Show

parenting

Miss Beth is known across the globe as a reading rockstar, disrupter of the education system and "like Taylor Swift and Mr Rogers."

miss beth

Shows