Middle School Mary Poppins
New here? Start with “Ridiculous Joy: It’s a Beautiful Life.” It captures the heart of the show — helping middle schoolers (and the adults who love them) navigate emotions, pressure, and growing up with warmth, humor, & honesty. —————————— A podcast for the kids who don’t fit the mold—and the adults who care about them. Maybe even ARE them still. What if middle school wasn’t something to survive… but something to unlock? Welcome to Middle School Mary Poppins—a smart, playful, research-informed podcast reimagining the most misunderstood years of human development. Think Mary Poppins 2.0 meets Mr. Rogers, with a splash of 80s–90s nostalgia, a dash of divergent thinking, and a whole lot of heart for kids navigating adolescence in 2026. Hi! I’m Suzanne M. Swain, EDS LMSW—veteran middle school teacher, child therapist, educational sociologist, and proud advocate for kids who think differently. I live and work near rural, rapidly growing Tennessee, where I’ve spent over two decades inside classrooms, counseling offices, and school systems watching one truth play out again and again: Everything important starts in the middle. Middle school is where identity forms, emotions intensify, creativity explodes—and where far too many kids are misunderstood, mislabeled, or managed instead of taught. This podcast exists to change that. Each episode blends real classroom stories, clinical insight, and pop-culture joy to explore how creativity, emotional regulation, neurodiversity, and mental health intersect during the tween and teen years. We talk autism, ADHD, anxiety, executive functioning, and emotional overload—not as deficits, but as signals of untapped potential. My work is deeply influenced by thinkers like Howard Gardner, Carol Dweck, Jean Piaget, and Erik Erikson—but this is not an ivory-tower podcast. This is theory translated into real-life tools for families, educators, and kids who are tired of being told they’re “too much” or “not enough.” 🎮 Expect: Gamified thinking, imaginative worlds, and creative metaphors kids actually remember Practical strategies for parents and educators supporting divergent learners Honest conversations about post-pandemic brains, emotional overload, and school culture Humor, warmth, and a retro remix that makes learning feel human a gain At its core, Middle School Mary Poppins is about flipping the script. What if the traits we’re trying to suppress are actually superpowers in disguise? What if arts-based education and emotional literacy were foundational, not optional? What if preventing school violence, burnout, and disconnection really does begin here? We’re here to prove it does. So grab your metaphorical quarters, hop in the arcade, and join us on a multiverse ride through the messy, magical middle years. We can do this. We’re the Goonies, after all. 🎧 It’s time for a retro remix of middle school. Ready, player one. 🎉💕🐶🤩🩷🥳⭐️👍☕️ If this episode helped your family or classroom, you can support the show at msmarypoppins.com → Support the Show.
Episodes
Heroes aren’t always loud—and they don’t always wear capes.In this episode of Middle School Mary Poppins, Suzanne M. Swain explores what heroism really looks like in the real world: persistence, joy, empathy, and showing up as yourself—even when it’s hard.Inspired by the Winter Olympics, beloved pop-culture heroes, a surprising animal rescue, and the power of team culture, Suzanne reframes heroism for kids, parents, and...
Bullying in middle school isn’t always loud or obvious—and that’s what makes it so confusing and harmful. In this episode of Middle School Mary Poppins, child therapist and educational specialist Suzanne M. Swain, EDS, LMSW explores the subtle, strategic, and emotionally manipulative forms of bullying that often get overlooked by adults but deeply affect kids’ confidence and sense of safety.
You’ll learn how power, group dynamics, h...
Ever wonder why your child completely melts down the second they walk through the door after school? In this episode, veteran middle school teacher and child therapist Suzanne M. Swain, EdS LMSW breaks down what’s really going on in neurodivergent brains—and why it’s not defiance, manipulation, or “bad behavior.” It’s exhaustion.
Suzanne connects the dots between ADHD, autism, sensory overload, food struggles, anxiety, and emotional...
In Part II of the Food for Mood series, Suzanne explores how the Inside Out socially-based emotions like anxiety, embarrassment, envy, boredom, & ultimately motivation quietly influence behavior, mood, and emotional regulation. Kids, teens, and neurodivergent individuals all can benefit from knowing triggers in the body and ways to re-regulate through nutrition.
Building on the foundation from Part One, this episode blends acc...
It’s a new year, so let’s talk about food and feelings—because they’re way more connected than we realize. In this episode, we break down how what you eat can either calm you down or completely throw you off, without diet rules or restriction.
This episode dives into the four core emotions—joy, sadness, anger, and fear—and how each one shows up in your body. From why joy just wants to be savored, to why sadness loves soup, why anger...
Happy holidays from Middle School Mary Poppins! In this heart-centered episode, Suzanne M. Swain, EdS, LMSW—your friendly neighborhood kid therapist—dives into a powerful holiday homophone: presents vs. presence. One is wrapped. The other is felt.
Suzanne explores why time, attention, and shared experiences often mean more to kids than expensive gifts—and how families can use the holiday season to build gratitude, empathy, and real ...
Sharing a little bit of holiday cheer with you by creating a poem about life in middle school during the holiday season. Hope you enjoy it and happy holidays andMerry Christmas to you all.
Send Suzanne a Question or Comment:
If this episode helped your family or your classroom, you can support the work behind Middle School Mary Poppins by visiting msmarypoppins.com and clicking Support the Show.
Your support helps kee...
Joy isn’t a reward — it’s a skill.
In this episode, Suzanne explores why joy matters for middle schoolers navigating big feelings, growing brains, and constant pressure. Not toxic positivity — real, grounding joy that supports regulation, resilience, and connection.
A warm, practical conversation for parents, educators, and families learning how to make space for joy during the messiest years of growing up.
Hey y’all & happy Thanksgiving, everyone! As we all know, this can be a stressful time of year for some individuals who may be struggling. I wanted to take a moment today to give you a list of some conversation, starters and questions that you could bring up at the dinner table that would help to encourage conversations to get to know the kids and each a lot better.Hope you enjoy the episode and all the best for a blessed Thank...
In this thoughtful and essential episode of Middle School Mary Poppins, Suzanne M. Swain, EDS, LMSW—Education Master & Specialist as well as working school-based Child Therapist introduces a new concept she believes every family, teacher, and community needs right now: Elementary Empathy-Based Learning (EEBL).
Suzanne dives into why today’s youngest learners—especially those who experienced early childhood during the pandemic—ne...
In this episode, child therapist and master teacher Suzanne M. Swain, EDS LMSW, dives into a topic that makes many of us squirm—money management for neurodivergent kids. Whether your child has ADHD, autism, or another form of neurodiversity, Suzanne shares practical ways to help them build a healthy relationship with money, understand value, and learn how effort connects to reward. From creating chore charts and setting short- and...
In this heartfelt and necessary episode, Suzanne dives into the topic of masculinity and emotional safety, exploring how adolescent boys communicate, why they struggle to open up, and how we can help them feel seen and supported. With warmth and humor, she shares classroom stories, insights on nonverbal communication, and practical ways to nurture emotional intelligence in young men.
If you’ve ever wondered how to help the boys in y...
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 vom...
Welcome back to the chaos and charm of back-to-school season! In this episode, therapist and former middle school teacher Suzanne M. Swain (EDS, LMSW) dives into one of her most requested topics—ADHD. Suzanne flips the script on the usual narrative, showing why ADHD isn’t a deficit but a secret superpower packed with bravery, creativity, and genius.
From hilarious back-to-school night stories to clever tips on organization and copin...
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 Po...
At 3:18 AM, Suzanne Swain found herself wide awake, anxious, and overwhelmed. In this heartfelt episode, she shares how a late-night rewatch of Labyrinth became the unexpected comfort she needed.
Blending nostalgia, humor, and reflection, Suzanne explores the film’s timeless message of resilience and imagination—offering listeners a gentle reminder that even on the hardest days, there’s always light ahead.
Contact Suzanne Swain...
What’s the grandest thing you’ve ever done? Built a treehouse? Made a birthday cake from scratch? Raised a child… twice? In this heartwarming episode, Suzanne Swain (aka your favorite rural kid therapist) dives into the grand world of grandparents—from Rockettes at Radio City to blueberry summers in Alabama.
With stories that range from Purple Hearts and polio to blueberry bushes and Jeopardy nights, Suzanne shines a light on the ...
Welcome back, clever little foxes! Season 2 of The Middle School Mary Poppins Podcast is officially here, and Suzanne M. Swain—your go-to guide for all things educational, emotional, and real—is kicking things off with a deep dive into test anxiety. This episode is packed with practical tips, thoughtful encouragement, and just the right amount of sass to help students (and their grown-ups) face testing season with confidence.
Suzann...
Normieville Middle School’s eighth graders have taken entrepreneurship to a whole new level—by launching a booming Blow Pop business that’s causing a stir. Suzanne Swain steps in to unravel the sticky situation, using her background in behavioral psychology and leadership to guide these young hustlers toward a smarter, more ethical approach. With the help of Dr. Daria Morgan and Nanny the beloved school mascot, Suzanne taps into wo...
Ever thought about how traffic jams and middle school classrooms have more in common than you’d expect? In this episode, we dive deep into the power of perception—how it shapes our experiences, learning, emotions, and even society’s view of teachers. From navigating California freeways to the emotional chaos of adolescence, we explore why mental health and education must go hand in hand and why teachers are the unsung heroes battli...
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