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The Parenting Brief

The Parenting Brief

By: Strong Families AZ
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Useful tips and advice for moms of children ages 0-5, delivered every other Wednesday by a mom who loves her job raising her own kids, Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez, an expert in early childhood development.2020 Strong Families AZ Parenting & Families Political Science Politics & Government Relationships
Episodes
  • Why Developmental Screenings Matter
    May 27 2026

    Are you wondering if your child is on track with their milestones?

    In this episode, host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is joined by Peggy Peixoto, Program Manager for the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program at the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). They cover what happens during a screening, why early intervention is key, and how Arizona parents can access these services.

    Host:

    Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

    Links:

    Guest: Peggy Peixoto

    CDC Milestone Tracker App

    ASQ: Ages and Stages Questionnaire

    Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP)

    AZ Strong Families Community Services

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    11 mins
  • Reading Ready Kids
    Apr 15 2026

    Today we’re talking about early childhood literacy AKA the difference between being able to sound out words and making context connections.

    In this episode of The Parenting Brief, host Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez sits down with Cynnamon Woodberry from Make Way for Books to discuss how Arizona parents can build foundational literacy skills through simple, everyday interactions like talking, singing, and playing.

    Host:

    Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

    Links:

    Guest: Cynnamon Woodberry

    Make Way for Books

    Harvard Center on the Developing Child

    Zero to Three

    The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

    First Things First

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    12 mins
  • Parent Shaming
    Mar 18 2026

    Ever feel judged for your parenting choices? We're talking with Dr. Charissa Chamorro about where parent shaming comes from and how to navigate the cultural shift toward "perfect parenting" in our hyper connected world.

    Host:

    Jessica Stewart-Gonzalez is the Chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She is married, has two young children, and loves reading (anything except parenting books!) and watching movies and TV. She enjoys spending time with her kids (when they aren’t driving her crazy) and celebrating all of their little, and big, accomplishments. Jessica has been in the field of family and child development for over 20 years, focused on normalizing the hard work of parenting and making it easier to ask the hard questions.

    Links:

    Guest: Charissa Chamorro, PhD

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    10 mins
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