But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

Vermont Public

About

But Why is a show led by kids. They ask the questions and we find the answers. It’s a big interesting world out there. On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world. Know a kid with a question? Record it with a smartphone. Be sure to include your kid's first name, age, and town and send the recording to questions@butwhykids.org!

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229 episodes

What is a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse is coming to North America on April 8, 2024. The moon will line up perfectly between the Earth and the sun, blocking out the sun’s light and casting a shadow that will pass over parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada. People in the path of totality will experience a few minutes of darkness during the day as the moon perfectly covers the sun. Those not in the path of totality in those countries will still experience a partial solar eclipse. In this episode, we’re answering questions about the eclipse and talking about how to keep your eyes safe if you’re watching it! We speak with Bridgewater State University solar physicist Martina Arndt, Fairbanks Museum planetarium director Mark Breen and Thomas A. Hockey, author of .  Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/05/a0/378b548440f993be0b06fb6f1d38/what-is-a-solar-eclipse.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uDDSoRQgH8FKMl-IzGYNYS4-NPV_26GE8fixym2AoHk/copy

29m
Mar 22
How do invasive species take over?

Why are there Burmese pythons and chameleons in the Florida Everglades? We might not know how those animals arrived but they are causing damage to the natural ecosystem. An invasive species out competes native plants and animals in an ecosystem. So how does this happen? travels to the Everglades to learn more about how and why species end up in places they shouldn’t. Plus, why are we sometimes told to kill invasive insects like the spotted lanternfly? Download our learning guides: Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/ff/c9/f349b1e042509886c35877b97fd5/butwhy-invasives-ep228-transcript.pdf

28m
Mar 08
Can snowstorms have thunder?

How is snow made and what’s it made out of?  Why is it white and sparkly?  Why do snowflakes look different? Can snowstorms have thunder? Why do some places, like mountains, get more snow than others? Answers to all of your questions about snow, with Seth Linden, who works for the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. Plus we hear what it’s like to live at the top of Mount Washington, famous for its extreme weather, from Alexandra Branton, a meteorologist who works at the observatory at the top of the mountain, even during the frigid winter. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/40/59/7cc7e1af4372b08d260bfcd7e3af/can-snowstorms-make-thunder.pdf | Google Slides https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18yLKFIyaFI-gKG2IOFBs7daoENPs_qvx0hRf3g164AY/copy

32m
Feb 23
Why do we need glasses?

How do glasses work? Why do some people need glasses and other people don’t? Why do we have different eye colors? We answer your questions about glasses and eyes in the second of two episodes with Dr. Sujata Singh, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center. And we hear from Maggie, a kid with low vision, about what it’s like to need glasses.  Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/fc/77/5036f97a4d79b209c3329fa33490/why-do-we-have-two-eyes-if-we-only-see-one-image.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1D_GjKj2okVJTubEPkTh7DTw8kxQaKkIx4ZLypTxf0fo/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/cf/d2/728d32c74b178258af6d43ee7a05/butwhy-glasses-ep226-transcript.pdf

26m
Feb 09
Why do we have two eyes if we only see one image?

What shape are our eyes? What are they made of? How do they work? What’s the point of having two eyes if we only see one image? Why do we blink? What’s the point of tears and why are they salty? We answer your questions about eyes in the first of two episodes with Dr. Sujata Singh, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

29m
Jan 26
What if the world started spinning backward?

We’ve collaborated with our podcast friends at to bring you the first (and only) episode of… In this episode we jointly answer some “what if” questions. What if cereal could talk to us? What if dinosaurs didn’t lay eggs? What if the world started spinning backwards? Take a listen to this curious collaboration. Download transcript https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/dovetail.prxu.org/_/326/deb0a803-6eaa-4942-ac05-c19fc5fd2024/ButWhy_WhatIf_Ep224.mp3

24m
Jan 12
What makes you happy?

For our last episode of each year, we often like to ask our listeners around the world to send us something fun. This year, we wanted you to tell us what makes you happy and you had a lot to share on that topic! Our listeners find happiness in spending time with friends, family, and pets and in doing activities they love: playing with friends, toys, arts and crafts, participating in sports, watching movies, and riding bikes. Two people say the special sandwiches their adults make them are what bring them happiness. And some kids told us learning new skills is especially exciting for them. In this episode: a happiness bonanza with all the responses we got. Plus we talk with a happiness expert: Gretchen Rubin https://gretchenrubin.com/. She’s the author of the Happiness Project and host of a podcast called Happier with Gretchen Rubin.  Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/11/ef/c907d2714761be0939467c2913e9/what-makes-you-happy.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WOjuxA7rnDXtoLDH_wuNs_4JoFAOcJG7yJdSF5-4mi0/copy

53m
Dec 29, 2023
What's it like to be bilingual?

Almost half the people in the world speak at least two languages. And, it turns out, that includes a lot of listeners! In this episode we talk about what it’s like to speak multiple languages and kids from around the world share phrases in many different languages so we can all learn something new! Plus, linguist and professor Anna Babel answers questions we’ve gotten about languages, including: What does it mean to be bilingual? Why do some people speak two or three languages? How many languages can someone learn? Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/01/9b/a0fbb2bf4b11bc8d9bf15da97222/whats-it-like-to-be-bilingual-1.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15DvZ8D-L_MhLqu7A3URm7A0g0YdcrU5k-t7-C8MNuNs/copy

34m
Dec 15, 2023
How are electric guitars made?

How are electric guitars made? How are guitar strings made? And how, exactly, do guitars work? We’re answering questions about electric guitars with local luthier (guitarmaker) Lea in Burlington, Vermont. Creston gave us a tour of his studio–including his custom glitter room, to help us understand what goes into making an electric guitar. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/bf/44/31afcd414ff8a971882ce1d4c859/how-are-electric-guitars-made.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rekKnxstsP8YutRqxgUOTWdnW_st0lOxWPy4_bERGkk/copy

24m
Dec 01, 2023
Why are pandas black and white?

For the past 50 years, visitors to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. were able to see giant pandas. But recently, China asked for those pandas back. (Technically, all pandas in the United States are considered “on loan” from China.) With pandas in the news, we’re bringing back the episode from our 2022 field trip to the zoo. Zookeeper Mariel Lally answered all of your panda questions. Among the questions we tackled: Why do animals live in the zoo? Why are pandas black and white? Do pandas hibernate? How can we save the pandas? Check out our social media pages for lots of pictures! Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/69/a0/f8e2567340dfbede08121acaa59a/why-are-pandas-black-and-white.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10b9rUjqDWF4yDe-N27X3-vjZEF8a1aiQ0Ai6GNQ2iCQ/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/54/72/49964e6d47b2b57486ebadb51109/butwhy-220-pandas-repeat-transcript.pdf

25m
Nov 17, 2023
Why do we celebrate birthdays?

Why do we celebrate birthdays? Why do we have birthday cakes? Why do we blow out candles on our birthdays? Why are our birthdays on the same date but a different day of the week each year? This episode has answers to all of your birthday questions - plus we hear about unique birthday traditions sent in by our listeners!  Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/ce/c5/618feef84e5a9102cfc4eeb2d851/why-do-we-celebrate-birthdays.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19Q7rXK1NasX76Y5G2ZPVIuMaj8XR1OFb_0uaHtbEyPw/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/e5/74/7b6941814c789adb879397538934/butwhy-birthdays-ep219-transcript.pdf

17m
Nov 03, 2023
Why do we like being scared?

Why do some people like haunted houses and scary movies? What is fear? Why do humans have fear! Why do we get goosebumps, blink a lot and scream when we’re scared? Why are some of us afraid of what’s in our closet or under the bed at night? We look at fear, and the fun side of fear with Marc Andersen, who co-directs the Recreational Fear Lab https://cc.au.dk/en/recreational-fear-lab/ at Aarhus University in Denmark. He studied fear and play and how they intersect. Turns out, moderate and controlled fear can actually have benefits to our mental health! Download our learning guide: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/a9/5b/2197ba4c40bbb7a98b4e95ce9732/why-do-we-like-being-scared.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aQbVXAaX_ezPO8LqyMpqJFQ3_2sTK-vHvBQseJ4VwRo/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/f0/93/85f557574342a830a6a3fb129679/butwhy-funfear-ep218-transcript.pdf

25m
Oct 20, 2023
How is meat made in a lab?

How is meat made in a lab? That’s what 10-year-old Nate in New Jersey wants to know! Scientists have figured out how to grow meat in laboratories. Some hope lab-grown meat will be able to help address issues like global food insecurity, agricultural pollution and animal cruelty. But 5-year-old Lorenzo in California wants to know why people have to eat meat anyway? visits scientist Rachael Floreani of the Engineered Biomaterials Research Laboratory at the University of Vermont to learn more about how and why lab-grown meat is being developed. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/7a/da/fcbd86d844a0a494bafebc778621/how-is-meat-made-in-a-lab.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UXCyPY6iAV32vfLjydMS5SLySlk8qoCLfeO5ArFZEGU/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/50/82/ff6229d4439fa500d5a7e5269cc8/butwhy-labmeat-ep217-transcript.pdf

20m
Oct 06, 2023
Why do people get older?

Younger people have lots of questions about older people, like: Why do we age? Why do people get gray or white hair? Why do older people have wrinkles? Why do older people have veins that stick up? Why are older people more tired? Why do some people get shorter as they get older? Dr. Suvi Neukam, a geriatrician at Oregon Health and Sciences University, answers kids’ questions about aging in this episode. Download our learning guide: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/2d/25/ecae12f5433698db2178225bf88b/why-do-people-get-older.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10V4inJSGwAGRYrohosDzPM1H6umEeCWXjWVYCGMbN_c/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/98/68/b55c8e224e4399902003c16dc832/but-why-216-aging-transcript.pdf

26m
Sep 22, 2023
How do birds fly?

Why do birds fly? How do raptors soar? Why do some birds fly in the shape of a V? Why can’t some birds, like penguins, emus and ostriches fly? Why do hummingbirds fly so fast? We answer all of your questions about birds and flight with help from Anna Morris of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science https://vinsweb.org/ and Bridget Butler, the Bird Diva https://www.birddiva.com/. And we get a preview of our new education series . EDUCATORS: LEARN MORE https://www.vermontpublic.org/but-why-adventures ABOUT AND SIGN UP https://www.vermontpublic.org/but-why-adventures FOR FREE ACCESS TO THE SERIES! Download our learning guides: Video https://youtu.be/sxnj2HLmUvs |  PDF https://assets.vermontpublic.org/files/butwhy/3-November-But_Why_Soaring_Lesson_Plan.pdf | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/c1/70/070365994bf1921d8b853d44da1f/but-why-215-birdsfly-transcript.pdf

24m
Sep 08, 2023
What are sun bears?

We’re thinking about bears! Actually one specific type of bear: sun bears! Have you heard about this type of bear? They’re the smallest of the world’s bears, about half the size of a black bear. They live throughout southeast Asia and have a yellow or white crescent-shaped marking on their chests. We learn about sun bears with Wong Siew Te, a scientist and researcher who runs the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre https://www.bsbcc.org.my/ in Malaysia. Also in this episode: Do bears live in caves? Why do they climb trees? Why do bears hibernate in winter? Naturalist Mary Holland answers questions about hibernation. And we are treated to A Bear Song https://youtu.be/47DCpGxrv6o by Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke! Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/d7/d6/b6b250a0497aa7ff85609cbb3a9f/what-are-sun-bears.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1durDthpQAZFC-V05dgDav2thUmWe0wQvTNgcnxjqb0M/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/b9/2e/e5e1bf554bf88c08d68af2ded95d/what-are-sun-bears-transcript.pdf

21m
Aug 25, 2023
Why don't bicycles fall over?

It's all about bikes in this episode of How come bicycles stay up when you're riding, but fall over once you stop? We turn to Andy Ruina, professor of engineering at Cornell University, for the scientific answer. We also learn how a bike chain works and Olympic mountain biker Lea Davison tells how to get started when riding. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/7a/31/211ee40f41eeb02c757028e98dd9/why-dont-bicycles-fall-over.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1S2DmPdhvPkM-otK0t9FawHL116GLwYHMGJxyK2mndL0/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/4d/56/f130233d427d997cb80a9b876a9d/butwhy-213-bikes-transcript.pdf

21m
Aug 11, 2023
How do we learn to read?

11-year-old Alaska (from Colorado) wants to know: why do some kids love reading while others don’t? We know there’s a lot of debate lately about the best ways to teach kids how to read. But in this episode we leave the pedagogy to adults and let kids share with one another why they love to read and their best tips for kids like them, who may be struggling to learn (and love) to read. Plus, guest Fumiko Hoeft, medical doctor and professor at the University of Connecticut and at the University of California San Francisco, lifts the lid on our brains to explain what’s happening inside us when we learn to read. Dr. Hoeft runs a brain imaging research program and a lab called BrainLENS https://www.brainlens.org/home-page. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/04/5d/ad772c2946809a3cb287c3073966/how-do-we-learn-to-read.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cDrolW7ugJKMEVBNlL18BrEm1FM8z_tD50L9C08gTMQ/copy

35m
Jul 28, 2023
How are crickets so loud?

How are crickets so loud? Why do they chirp at night? How are they different from grasshoppers? We’re talking crickets today with Karim Vahed, a cricket and katydid expert and entomologist (bug scientist) in England who works with BugLife, the Invertebrate Conservation Trust. In this episode, Professor Vahed takes on some of pressing general insect questions as well: Do insects have bones? What do baby bugs like to do? Do insects drink water? Why are bugs so important? Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/ec/3d/97ad2a0a40ca92e624e99ffdee69/why-do-crickets-chirp.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1j84okY8898CXMjD8q1CE_yYNQO3s4qFPnZIaeDS1nKE/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/30/75/91f1aca64e9a981cfbd3a4e0a124/but-why-185-crickets-transcript.pdf

26m
Jul 14, 2023
Why do we have allergies?

Why is it that some people have allergies when others don’t, even if they’re in the same family? How do allergies work? Can you be allergic to water? Why are some people allergic to cats and dogs? Can you grow out of your allergies? We’re joined by pediatrician and allergy researcher Dr. Ruchi Gupta https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=17229 to answer the dozens of questions kids have sent us on this topic. Plus we learn about promising treatments being developed to help relieve allergy suffering.

30m
Jun 30, 2023
What are eels?

What are eels? And why are some eels electric? We head to Poughkeepsie, New York to learn about eels with Chris Bowser, Hudson River estuary educator with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Plus we learn about electric eels. Electric eels have captured the imagination of many people, but they’re not actually considered eels by the scientific community. They’re a type of knife fish, more closely related to catfish and carp. But they electric! So we’ll tackle why they’re electric and how they create electricity. David de Santana, of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, tells us what it’s like to study electric eels in the Amazon.  Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/05/aa/caf85faa43ff85adc036429f4545/what-are-eels.pdf | Google Slides https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kerTCQKoEJkdG4ceSc-u5ZPfeimtVrl3Y9e2K_PhQN0/copy

23m
Jun 16, 2023
Why is social media so addictive?

Why do people spend so much time on social media? answers kids' questions about social media and screen time and we learn about how to be a good citizen online with Devorah Heitner, author of and coming in September. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/ce/78/fec4f36843739e127e9fc33c66c2/why-is-social-media-so-addictive.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FXa1QraPbZZt8tf2pvfg9W3UR1l5eFuDoIlMyIhOPKw/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/b2/33/12fd988a42bf8929b61880c99b19/butwhy-socialmedia-ep208-transcript.pdf

19m
Jun 02, 2023
Why do wolves howl?

Why do wolves howl at the moon? Do wolves have different howls? How were wolves domesticated into dogs? How do wolves run fast for so long? What kind of habitats do wolves prefer? Why are people scared of wolves? Do they eat people? How do we protect them? visits the Wolf Conservation Center https://nywolf.org/ in South Salem, New York, where education director Regan Downey answers kid questions about these apex predators. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/3b/59/a8578fd14c4db803387a6a3a4822/why-do-wolves-howl.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ngEyJnJJS35pN0hh_71JFpu8TKUU_0mOxU8UKHuaODI/copy | Transcript  https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/7e/bb/1a3ac5be427cb80dd18366cb3b26/butwhy-wolves-ep207-transcript.pdf

27m
May 19, 2023
Nine questions about nature in cities

Do bears ever live in cities? Why do so many crows gather together on winter nights? How many raccoons are there in cities? What’s the deal with so many maple trees in Vermont? Why are flowers different colors? How are snakes born with venom? Why do some foxes turn white in the winter and others don’t? Where is a good place to observe wildlife? How do urban wild places support wildlife in cities? Naturalist Teage O’Connor answers questions from Burlington classrooms in this special live episode of .  Download our learning guide: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/45/66/3c54b0de40c59b467b56e6ef524d/nine-questions-about-nature-in-cities.pdf| Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uAfwWYN2RE6soSe1pDnqjVUG1nUjftK0ZmZdk_CgM6o/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/22/50/4f8b04234ca0b8345008750cab07/butwhy-c206-citynature-transcript.pdf | Scavenger Hunt https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/a7/58/e83a065943749d3e4847797a3b73/website-explore-your-backyard.pdf

28m
May 05, 2023
Why aren’t babies just little adults?

Why are babies small and grownups big? Why are babies so helpless, instead of little versions of adults? Do babies know they're babies? How do babies grow? How do babies learn to talk? Kids have been sending us lots of questions about babies! This week we're learning more about the development of the human brain with Celeste Kidd, professor of psychology and primary investigator at the Kidd Lab at the University of California Berkeley. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/2c/6d/c3e338fb4249aebc40955eab095d/why-arent-babies-just-little-adults.pdf | Google Slides https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s5-JGMQG_TdBY3QOxTeVRJao6njNPJGfd14wzpn89xc/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/64/99/92ed9cad46f99dcb216116d69f8b/butwhy-ep205-littleadults-transcript.pdf

28m
Apr 21, 2023
Why do we donate blood?

One of the things that makes blood so special is we can share it with other people! Scientists and doctors have figured out safe ways to take the blood from one person and put it into the body of a different person who needs it. That’s called a transfusion. Why would someone need more blood? Doctors use blood transfusions to help people who have been in accidents and to treat people with certain kinds of cancer, sickle cell disease and other conditions. But if you’ve never heard about this before, it can sound kind of strange and alarming to think about giving away something that is so necessary to your life! In our second blood-related episode we’ll tag along with Jane as she donates some of her own blood. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/db/40/f03c22ae4033b2becc8f4e1e94dd/why-do-we-have-blood-and-what-does-it-do.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UrIUS-FGy60KX_aCKizxdIYudhV8XllVsQGwfbnvyOE/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/55/ff/9343880043be92c75dffd2b04a7b/but-why-204-blood-donation-transcript.pdf

13m
Apr 07, 2023
Why do we have blood and what does it do?

Why do people have blood, what is it, and what does it do? How do our bodies make new blood? Is it red or blue? Why does blood taste like metal? And why do we have different blood types? Our listeners have a lot of questions about blood. We learn about blood with UVM Medical Center and Larner College of Medicine pathologist Dr. Sarah Harm.  Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/db/40/f03c22ae4033b2becc8f4e1e94dd/why-do-we-have-blood-and-what-does-it-do.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UrIUS-FGy60KX_aCKizxdIYudhV8XllVsQGwfbnvyOE/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/c5/34/641085234877bb7eaeab4cd2adf1/butwhy-blood-ep203-transcript.pdf

32m
Mar 24, 2023
How do water slides work?

How do water slides work and how are they built? Why do you have to be a certain age or height to go down a water slide? Where does the water in water parks come from? And which is easier to design and build: a water slide or a roller coaster? First we did a little research of our own at Jay Peak Pump House Water Park. (And by “research” we mean “going down the water slides.”) And to teach us more about what’s actually happening when you take your thrill ride, we talked with water slide engineers Songyi Moon and Kelly Sall at WhiteWater West. Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/0b/02/1c4b3ae24534a97ea6069cc4126b/how-do-water-slides-work.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17ycGvw0ZmFU3gpUGkWvw-cPifoO8-omm1U4SkS0GfaA/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/3c/e4/5eafe396471982cd3334f269ef78/but-why-202-waterslides-transcript.pdf

18m
Mar 10, 2023
Carrots give you night vision! And other things adults say

In this episode: part two of parentisms- you know, the things adults like to say that may or may not be true. So many of these sayings have to do with food: Eating carrots will improve your vision.  Drinking coffee will make you shorter. Don’t swallow watermelon seeds or they’ll grow in your stomach. We do a little fact checking on this generational eating advice with Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin of the Mayo Clinic. And we explore a few other sayings you sent us, like why do parents always say, “Next time” when they really mean “No”? And what the heck does it mean to keep your eyes peeled? Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/33/c4/31a5e1254a0580b5ad91d498a5b2/dont-swallow-gum-and-other-things-parents-say.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AXtU4kwblnuanM-H6Ac_c7eXloXF0xkI5MAmn7nXCDo/copy | Transcript https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/21/3b/d8a931a649fc9e9f1e5e89cc4123/but-why-201-moreparentisms-transcript.pdf

43m
Feb 24, 2023
Don’t swallow gum! And other things parents say

We wanted to hear about the conventional wisdom, parenting myths, and downright folksy falsehoods adults pass down to kids, and boy did we get a big response! We heard from over 100 of you about everything from “Don’t swallow gum because it will stay in your stomach forever” to “Slouching will crush your organs” to “If you don’t take a shower after swimming in the pool, your hair will turn green.” In this episode (the first of two), with the help of pediatrician Nusheen Ameenuddin of the Mayo Clinic, we put these “parentisms” to the test! Find out if there’s any truth to the idea that TV will turn your brain to mush, you’ll catch a cold if you go out with wet hair, and it’s dangerous to take a shower during a thunderstorm. Oh, and by the way, this is our 200th episode!!! Download our learning guides: PDF https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/33/c4/31a5e1254a0580b5ad91d498a5b2/dont-swallow-gum-and-other-things-parents-say.pdf | Google Slide https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AXtU4kwblnuanM-H6Ac_c7eXloXF0xkI5MAmn7nXCDo/copy

34m
Feb 10, 2023