S2E364: Are You Coddling Your Kid? Signs and Fixes From a Veteran Educator

Many parents worry about whether their kids are developing the character, resilience, and adaptability needed for a fast-changing world. In this episode, Mackenzie sits down with Chauncey—a former Teach for America core member, NYC Department of Education leader, Goldman Sachs talent executive, and current Alpha School guide. Chauncey shares how combining high standards with high support creates the ultimate mentor mindset, and how parents can bring these exact frameworks into their homes. Chauncey breaks down why most life lessons are "caught, not taught," how to decouple age from learning stage so kids master concepts without shame, and practical ways parents can step into their child’s world to unlock quiet or anxious kids.

National reading scores are plummeting, yet many schools are still using reading programs that completely ignore basic learning science. In this episode, Mackenzie sits down with curriculum expert and learning scientist Karen Vaites to unpack the national literacy crisis and expose what most schools get wrong about teaching kids to read. Karen unveils the 5 non-negotiables every parent must evaluate their child’s elementary reading curriculum for. She exposes why traditional classrooms are failing young readers and gives parents an actionable 5-step checklist—covering phonics, progress screening, knowledge-building, reading volume, and writing—to ensure their child gets the reading education they deserve.

Many kids today are struggling to think independently, handle high-pressure moments, and make strategic choices on their own. Terrence McMullen—a Harvard MBA graduate and Dean of Parents at Alpha—is on a mission to fix that. Having spent 15 years teaching advanced business acumen and negotiation to K-12 students, Terrence has built programs alongside Goldman Sachs and partnered with over 20 top independent schools across New York. In this conversation, Terrence shares how adapting the Harvard Business School case method equips parents to build deep critical thinking, refine real-world communication, and raise adaptable children who know how to analyze complex situations on the fly.

What does it actually take to keep kids healthy, active, and out of the emergency room? In this episode, MacKenzie sits down with Dr. Viveta Lobo—a Stanford ER physician, professor, Alpha parent, and mother of three—to unpack a practical, preventive approach to childhood health, physical fitness, and nutrition. In this conversation, Dr. Lobo breaks down commonly asked questions in a compilation of essential, doctor-approved best practices for parents.

What actually happens when you leave traditional careers to build an alternative school from scratch? In this episode, MacKenzie sits down with fellow alternative school founders Gillian Berard (former public school teacher) and Jenna Baggott (former NICU nurse) to unpack the practical realities of launching Infinity Academy, a project-based microschool on 17 acres in Ontario. From navigating local zoning laws using yurt classrooms to balancing AI-powered personalized academics with outdoor life skills, it’s a candid, unfiltered look at the practical realities of launching an alternative school today.