TPP 101a: TV Creator Angela Santomero on Her New Book "Preschool Clues"

Angela Santomero is also an author, and one I had the chance to work with very closely over the past two years, as she asked me to be her co-author for her new book Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World, which comes out one week from today! Preschool Clues shares the secret sauce behind Angela’s shows’ powerful, transformative results in the form of eleven research-based, foundational “clues” to ensure that preschoolers flourish academically, socially, and emotionally during this critical time.

In this episode, Angela and I talk about the book—what it’s about, who it’s for, and how it supports parents in parenting their preschoolers and beyond. Though the book isn’t written specifically for an audience of parents raising differently wired kids, the “clues” we share are relevant for any parent of any child. And the bonus? I was able to bring my unique lens as the mother of an atypical kid to the project, and so we took special care to ensure the book is inclusive of every type of child.

 Angela Santomero is the creator of many preschool TV shows including Blue’s Clues, Super Why, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Creative Galaxy, and Wishenpoof, and was the host of The Parent Show with Angela Santomero on PBS. She has a Master’s degree in Child Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University with a sub-concentration in Instructional Technology and Media. Find out more at Angela’s website, Angela’s Clues.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The story behind the book Preschool Clues
• The importance of a healthy media diet and choosing high-quality programs for our kids
• How Angela defines the ingredients of a high-quality program for preschoolers: educational, interaction, and engagement
• How parents can use the “power of the Pause” in their every day life
• The importance of celebrating the small things
• How parents can embrace media as part of their parenting toolkit
• How programs like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood help kids learn through social stories

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Angela’s Clues (Angela’s website)
• Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World by Angela Santomero and Deborah Reber
• Blue’s Clues (Nick Jr.)
• Super Why (PBS Kids)
• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS Kids)
• Daniel Tiger Becomes a Boy with Autism’s Guide to Social Life (article from New York Times’ Motherload)

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