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The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast with Suzanne Swain, EdS LMSW
Latest episode
49 episodes
The Masking Games: Your Girl on Fire Is Burning Out - Autism in Girls
11/01/2026 | 25 mins.She's not trying to win the games. She's just trying to survive them.🏹🪶
She's getting straight A's. She's smiling. She's saying all the right things. But behind that perfect performance, she might be falling apart.
Welcome to The Masking Games, where autistic masking in girls turns fitting in into a survival strategy—and the price of belonging can be exhausting!
This week on Middle School Mary Poppins, we're exposing the invisible world of autistic masking.
Why are so many neurodivergent girls overlooked? Why does appearing “normal” feel like a full-time job? And what happens when the girl everyone thinks is thriving is actually fizzling out?
Parents, teachers, and middle schoolers—this is one conversation you don't want to miss.
Because sometimes your girl on fire isn't shining. She's burning out.
💜 Fitting in should never mean disappearing.
🎉 THANK YOU, CLEVER FOXES!
Thanks to our incredible listeners, Middle School Mary Poppins reached #1 last week, and our new companion podcast, Bedtime Stories for Middle School Hearts, reached #2 in Kids & Family! Every listen, share, and review helps our clever little community grow, and we couldn't be more grateful.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-middle-school-mary-poppins-podcast--7467210/support.
☂️ CONNECT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™
Website • Episodes • Resources • More
https://msmarypoppins.com
🎧 Listen and follow The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ wherever you get your podcasts.
📺 YouTube
https://youtube.com/@middleschoolmarypoppinspodcast
💌 CONTACT
Media • Speaking • Sponsorships • Advertising • Brand Partnerships
suzanneswain@gmail.com
Listener correspondence & messages for Lieutenant Steve 🐾
dearstevemsmp@gmail.com
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is independently produced. Partnerships are considered based on mission alignment, relevance, and appropriateness for young people, families, educators, and schools.
Stop. Regulate. Listen. ☂️
Helping adults understand the kids in the middle.
© The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™Let the Joy Come Barging In: Consent, Boundaries & the Wholehearted Yes
10/27/2026 | 23 mins.What does consent actually mean for a middle schooler — and how do we teach boundaries without making the conversation scary?
In this episode of Middle School Mary Poppins, Suzanne M. Swain EDS LMSW explores consent, personal space, healthy boundaries, peer pressure, and the idea of a “wholehearted yes” — a simple way to help tweens recognize when something truly feels okay to them while learning to respect the boundaries of others.
Using the metaphor of a strong front door, Suzanne explains that healthy boundaries are not about shutting people out. They are about knowing when to open the door, when to keep it closed, and how to recognize the people who make you feel safe enough to be yourself.
We talk about the everyday situations middle schoolers already encounter: hugs, borrowing belongings, personal space, privacy, taking and posting photos, entering someone’s room, difficult conversations, changing your mind, and what it means to genuinely listen when someone says no.
There’s also a little middle school brain science about decision-making, belonging, peer pressure, and why a “wholehearted yes” can act like a small emotional speed bump — giving kids a moment to check in with themselves before simply going along with everyone else.
And, naturally, Lt. Steve provides his own highly dramatic demonstration of personal boundaries involving an itchy ear, unwanted medicine, the possibility of a bath, and one very suspicious formerly-white dog.
This is a gentle, family-centered conversation designed to give tweens and teens practical language for consent and boundaries while building confidence, empathy, critical thinking, self-awareness, and trust.
Your space matters. Their space matters. Your yes matters. Their yes matters.
And when something kind, safe, and good comes knocking?
Fling that front door wide open and let the joy come barging in.
🎧 More from Middle School Mary Poppins:
Our new storytelling series, Bedtime Stories for Middle School Hearts, is now available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — original stories created especially for older kids who may have outgrown traditional bedtime stories but definitely haven’t outgrown the comfort of being told one.
🏆 Middle School Mary Poppins is currently #1 in Apple Podcasts Parenting.Thank you!!
Visit msmarypoppins.com for more episodes, resources, downloads, and ways to connect.
Episode: Let the Joy Come Barging In: Consent, Boundaries & the Wholehearted Yes
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-middle-school-mary-poppins-podcast--7467210/support.
☂️ CONNECT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™
Website • Episodes • Resources • More
https://msmarypoppins.com
🎧 Listen and follow The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ wherever you get your podcasts.
📺 YouTube
https://youtube.com/@middleschoolmarypoppinspodcast
💌 CONTACT
Media • Speaking • Sponsorships • Advertising • Brand Partnerships
suzanneswain@gmail.com
Listener correspondence & messages for Lieutenant Steve 🐾
dearstevemsmp@gmail.com
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is independently produced. Partnerships are considered based on mission alignment, relevance, and appropriateness for young people, families, educators, and schools.
Stop. Regulate. Listen. ☂️
Helping adults understand the kids in the middle.
© The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™Talking in Your Sleep: Why Sleep Is a Middle School Superpower
10/20/2026 | 40 mins.Why can a middle schooler be wide awake late at night and nearly impossible to wake up in the morning?
Why does sleep matter so much for learning, memory, growth, mood, and emotional regulation? And what in the world is your brain doing when you dream?
In this episode of The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast, Suzanne explores what really happens in the adolescent brain and body during sleep.
We talk about circadian rhythms, why puberty can shift sleep timing later, how deep sleep supports growth and physical restoration, what REM sleep does, and why cutting sleep short can affect attention, memory, decision-making, and school performance.
We also get into dreams: why they can feel so real, why they can be completely bizarre, and why there is no scientifically proven dream dictionary where one symbol means the same thing for everyone. Instead, we look at the emotions inside dreams and what they may tell us about how the brain is processing experiences.
There are also practical ideas for families, including a simple “landing strip” before bed, the problem with social jet lag on weekends, and a seven-day Sleep Detective Challenge to help kids notice how sleep affects their own mood, focus, and energy.
And yes, Lieutenant Steve makes an appearance, along with his new best friend and preferred chin rest, Jimothy the raccoon.
Suzanne also introduces a brand-new companion podcast, Bedtime Stories for Middle School Hearts, featuring gentle, imaginative animal stories created especially for middle schoolers who still want comfort, humor, and a softer place to land at the end of the day.
Visit MsMaryPoppins.com for more episodes, resources, and updates.
Short description / summary:
What happens to the middle school brain during sleep? Suzanne explores circadian rhythms, deep sleep, REM, dreams, learning, memory, emotional regulation, and why quality sleep is one of the most underrated middle school superpowers.
Tags:
middle school, tween, teens, parenting, parenting tweens, parenting teens, adolescent development, sleep, sleep deprivation, teen sleep, tween sleep, circadian rhythm, melatonin, REM sleep, deep sleep, dreams, dream science, adolescent brain, brain development, learning, memory, emotional regulation
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-middle-school-mary-poppins-podcast--7467210/support.
☂️ CONNECT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™
Website • Episodes • Resources • More
https://msmarypoppins.com
🎧 Listen and follow The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ wherever you get your podcasts.
📺 YouTube
https://youtube.com/@middleschoolmarypoppinspodcast
💌 CONTACT
Media • Speaking • Sponsorships • Advertising • Brand Partnerships
suzanneswain@gmail.com
Listener correspondence & messages for Lieutenant Steve 🐾
dearstevemsmp@gmail.com
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is independently produced. Partnerships are considered based on mission alignment, relevance, and appropriateness for young people, families, educators, and schools.
Stop. Regulate. Listen. ☂️
Helping adults understand the kids in the middle.
© The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™MSMP Special: Bedtime Prayer for Bend, Oregon
10/16/2026 | 2 mins.A quiet bedtime prayer and audio hug for the children, families, educator, and community of Bend, Oregon. Tonight, we simply hold them close in our hearts and send love, comfort, and kindness.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-middle-school-mary-poppins-podcast--7467210/support.
☂️ CONNECT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™
Website • Episodes • Resources • More
https://msmarypoppins.com
🎧 Listen and follow The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ wherever you get your podcasts.
📺 YouTube
https://youtube.com/@middleschoolmarypoppinspodcast
💌 CONTACT
Media • Speaking • Sponsorships • Advertising • Brand Partnerships
suzanneswain@gmail.com
Listener correspondence & messages for Lieutenant Steve 🐾
dearstevemsmp@gmail.com
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is independently produced. Partnerships are considered based on mission alignment, relevance, and appropriateness for young people, families, educators, and schools.
Stop. Regulate. Listen. ☂️
Helping adults understand the kids in the middle.
© The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™2 Life Truths & a Lie: Critical Thinking Brain Training Game - Week 2
10/13/2026 | 32 mins.2 Life Truths and a Lie: Busting Cognitive Distortions - Critical Thinking Brain Training Pt. 2What if your brain is telling you a story that feels completely true… but isn’t?In Season 4, Episode 4 of The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast, we continue our Critical Thinking Brain Training series with a game of Two Life Truths and a Lie.
This week, we’re exploring some of the most common thinking traps middle schoolers face, including catastrophizing, mind reading, personalization, all-or-nothing thinking, emotional reasoning, and the spotlight effect.
We’ll also talk about why adolescence can make emotions and social situations feel so intense, how the developing brain processes those experiences, and how to slow down long enough to ask:
What do I actually know? What am I assuming? What evidence do I have? Could there be another explanation?
And of course, Lt. Steve is serving as our official lie detector doggie friend.
This episode is designed for tweens, teens, parents, educators, and caregivers who want practical ways to strengthen critical thinking, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.Next week: consent, boundaries, body autonomy, and respect.
Download This Week’s FREE MSMP Family Pack with a Leveled-Up Group Challenge:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16a_SMceMwZH5OL6pdbcvnz56Gtc1wQaf/view?usp=drivesdk
Visit msmarypoppins.com for more episodes & resources.
Email: suzanneswain@gmail.com
#MiddleSchoolMaryPoppins #CriticalThinking #CognitiveDistortions #MiddleSchool #Tweens #Teens #ParentingTweens #ParentingTeens #EmotionalRegulation #MentalHealthForKids #BrainTraining #GrowthMindset #SocialEmotionalLearning #SEL #MiddleSchoolParents #Teachers #Educators #TeenMentalHealth #TweenMentalHealth #PodcastForParents
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-middle-school-mary-poppins-podcast--7467210/support.
☂️ CONNECT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™
Website • Episodes • Resources • More
https://msmarypoppins.com
🎧 Listen and follow The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ wherever you get your podcasts.
📺 YouTube
https://youtube.com/@middleschoolmarypoppinspodcast
💌 CONTACT
Media • Speaking • Sponsorships • Advertising • Brand Partnerships
suzanneswain@gmail.com
Listener correspondence & messages for Lieutenant Steve 🐾
dearstevemsmp@gmail.com
The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is independently produced. Partnerships are considered based on mission alignment, relevance, and appropriateness for young people, families, educators, and schools.
Stop. Regulate. Listen. ☂️
Helping adults understand the kids in the middle.
© The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™
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About The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™The #1-charting podcast about the wonderfully complicated years between childhood and adolescence.Hosted by educator, educational technology specialist, and licensed social worker Suzanne M. Swain, EdS, LMSW, The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ has grown into an internationally listened-to platform for families, educators, counselors, and everyone helping young people navigate the middle.With more than 900,000 lifetime plays and downloads, 48,000+ Spotify followers, 8,000+ Spotify ratings with a 5.0-star rating, listeners in 135+ countries, and repeated #1 placements on Apple Podcasts—including #1 chart positions in Parenting and Kids & Family—MSMP™ has become a growing voice in the conversation about middle school development.But the numbers aren't the reason this show exists. The kids are.STOP. REGULATE. LISTEN. Middle school isn't simply an academic transition. It is a neurological, emotional, social, technological, and identity transition.MSMP™ explores what is happening underneath young people's behavior—and what the adults who love, teach, counsel, and care for them can do next.Episodes combine developmental science, educational practice, mental-health perspectives, neuroscience, technology, humor, storytelling, and more than two decades of experience working with young people.Topics include emotional regulation, executive functioning, critical thinking, anxiety, friendships, bullying, identity, resilience, motivation, school success, family communication, creativity, digital citizenship, social media, artificial intelligence, gaming, screen use, and the rapidly changing adolescent brain.NEURODIVERGENT BRAINS BELONG HERENeurodiversity isn't an occasional topic on MSMP™. It is part of the way we understand young people.The show regularly explores autism, ADHD, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, sensory needs, masking, executive-function differences, emotional intensity, communication differences, accommodations, regulation, and what happens when a child's brain doesn't fit neatly into the environment adults have created for them.Instead of beginning with:“How do we stop this behavior?”MSMP™ begins with: “What is happening underneath this behavior—and what does this young person need next?”—Looking for something a little softer at the end of the day? Check out Bedtime Stories for Middle School Hearts, a new Middle School Mary Poppins storytelling podcast filled with cozy mysteries, gentle adventures, familiar animal friends, and just a little bit of magic. It’s made for tweens, teens, families, and anyone who still loves being read to before bed. Just for tweens & teens. EDUCATION + TECHNOLOGY + MENTAL HEALTHSuzanne began her career with an unusual long-term plan: experience education from as many perspectives as possible before trying to tell anyone how schools should work.That meant teaching. Libraries. Curriculum. School administration. Higher education. Educational technology. And eventually mental health.Her Educational Specialist degree in Educational Technology informs one of MSMP's continuing conversations: what technology is doing FOR young people, what it may be doing TO them, and how adults can help adolescents develop healthy relationships with screens, social media, artificial intelligence, gaming, information, and emerging technologies.After decades in education, Suzanne returned to graduate school for social work and became a Licensed Master Social Worker because mental health cannot be separated from learning, relationships, behavior, or healthy adolescent development.A FREE PUBLIC DISSERTATIONSuzanne sometimes calls The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ her “free public dissertation.”The idea began taking shape in her early twenties: spend a career learning about young people from different corners of education and then bring those perspectives together somewhere useful.MSMP™ is that somewhere.Rather than examining adolescence through one professional lens, the show brings together lessons from teaching, school leadership, librarianship, curriculum, educational technology, higher education, mental health, research—and, most importantly, years spent listening to kids.The goal isn't perfect children.It isn't perfect parenting.And it certainly isn't perfect teaching.It's helping adults become more curious about the young people standing in front of them and helping those young people become competent, capable, connected human beings.Research matters here.Relationships matter.Humor matters.And ridiculous joy matters.THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARY POPPINS PODCAST™A ChalkSpace Media™ ProductionThe Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™ is the flagship program from ChalkSpace Media™, an expanding home for thoughtful, accessible programming about education, adolescence, relationships, emotional health, and the people who help young humans grow.COMING SOON FROM CHALKSPACE MEDIA™BEDTIME STORIES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL HEARTS™Stories, reflection, reassurance, imagination, and calm created for kids who aren't little anymore—but aren't quite grown either.THE PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD™Conversations built around curiosity about the people whose lives and work make our communities function—because understanding one another begins by listening to one another.For parents.For educators.For counselors and mental-health professionals.For caregivers.For neurodivergent families.For everyone who believes the middle years deserve to be understood rather than merely survived.And sometimes, for the kids listening along too.There is no instruction manual for the middle.But we can get much better at listening.STOP. REGULATE. LISTEN.™The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast™Helping adults understand the kids in the middle.A ChalkSpace Media™ ProductionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-middle-school-mary-poppins-podcast--7467210/support.
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