I am on NPR!

So yesterday I got to do probably the coolest thing I've ever done because of this blog.  I got to tape a segment for NPR.

Now back in the day when I could listen to what I wanted in the car I was something of an NPR junkie.  Now I mainly get my fix through our alarm in the morning and the "hourly news" app on my phone.  Not quite the same but I'm still a big, BIG fan.  So to be on air was something of a dream for me.

I was on the Regina Brett show.  In addition to hosting a radio show, Regina Brett is the author of 2 books and is a columnist for the Plain Dealer.  My mom is a HUGE fan as Regina's grand-kids are almost exactly the same age as my kids.  So their experiences over these last 5 years or so have been very parallel - right down to their first grandchildren not calling them Grandma (my girl called my mom GA for a loooong time.)

The show I'm on is about Summer Fun the Old Fashioned Way.  I was asked to give perspective about what summer is like for kids now.  Also to give some tips on local adventures for families - I had a whole list of fun ideas some of which were pulled from my List of Things to do with Little Kids in Cleveland.

I was in the studio with Daniel Porter, author of the book "'Til the Streetlights Came On:  Lessons Learned from Neighborhood Games" and chatted over the phone with Dave Shiflett.

And Regina, of course.

Summer has changed quite a bit over the last few generations.  My summers growing up were very different then the summers described by the other guests, and my children's summers are different still.  But some things remain the same.  Playing in water to keep cool, summer reading, bike riding, running at full speed, playing games with peers (both organized and unorganized), and spending as much time OUTSIDE as possible.  These are eternal.

My brother, me, and my dad fishing in 1985

But just because things have changed doesn't mean they have changed for the worse.  Video games, social media, safety equipment, sunscreen, organized activities, etc. might be new (er) but that doesn't mean they are bad.  What's more important is a sense of adventure and a desire to experience the world.

My kids and my husband last weekend. 

Bottom line?  It's awesome to be a kid in the summer.

The Popsicles kids eat today may be made with real fruit and coconut milk instead of corn syrup and red dye but they are still ridiculously good on a hot day.

We talked quite a bit about sounds bringing back memories.  So I HAD to include this sound byte in this post:

Instantly transports me to childhood... you?

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Anyways the show will air this Saturday, August 3 at 3:00 p.m. on 89.7 WKSU and on all of the repeater stations throughout Northeast Ohio.  It will re-air Sunday, August 4 at 6 a.m.  You can listen live online at www.wksu.org.  The archived full show audio will be available after the show airs at www.reginabrettshow.org.  You can find more information about Regina and The Regina Brett show at the website www.reginabrettshow.org. The show is also available in podcast form - the link is through her website.

Forgive my first few responses.  I was SO nervous and I'm sure the shakiness came through in my voice.  But this was my first time doing something like this so it took a little bit to shake off the nerves.  Once I got rolling the experience was very fun - and something I would absolutely do again.

Let me know if you listen!

Edited to Add:  Here's where you can listen to the show I was on via the internet:

Old Fashioned Summer Fun

Or the link to the podcast for the Regina Brett Show.


You should be able to be able to listen to my episode either way.