What if the secret to raising resilient, emotionally healthy kids starts with intentionally creating your family’s culture?
In this heartfelt conversation, educators Nancy and Steven Shapiro share how families can move from parenting by default to parenting by design through simple daily practices rooted in shared values and connection. Drawing from nearly a century of combined experience in Education, the discussion explores how modeling behaviors like kindness, self-regulation, and empathy helps children build strong identities and meaningful Relationships. The episode also dives into the realities of blended families, Mental Health, and the power of creating a home where children always feel they belong.
Steven Shapiro and Nancy Shapiro Rapport are a brother-sister team with a combined 68 years of experience in public education. Their work as educators gave them a front row seat to the youth mental Health crisis and the enormous challenges of modern parenting. Steven and Nancy are committed to helping parents raise emotionally healthy kids in close knit, connected families through the creation of intentional family cultures rooted in parents’ deepest-held values.
Check out the groundbreaking mobile app, Our Family Culture. A one-of-a-kind, time-tested system that produces profound results for parents and kids alike. Nancy and Steven are currently offering a low cost Our Family Culture subscription as a welcome offer to new families. No code is needed! Parents can access the app and offer through the app store on their cell phone.
Want to take your parenting journey to another level? Book your complimentary connection call now!
May 21, 2026
Episode 329
Building Your Family Culture – Parenting On Purpose with Nancy and Steven Shapiro
About Your Host:
Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed. is a mom or three, early childhood author, parent educator, and founder of Core4Parenting. A former preschool and kindergarten teacher with degrees in ASL, Linguistics, and Education, she created the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™ to help parents, caregivers, and educators understand the power of intentional language in shaping a child’s identity, confidence, and future success.
As host of the top-ranking podcast Transforming the Toddler Years, Cara blends science and soul to show adults how to “talk to kids before they can talk back,” turning tantrums into teachable moments and everyday challenges into opportunities for connection. She is also the author of the new book Talk to Them Early and Often, a guide for raising emotionally intelligent kids who thrive in school and life.
Want to book Cara for your next speaking event? Find all the details here!
Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed is a Vermont based Early Childhood Educator, Collaborative Parenting Coach, and the founder of Core4Parenting,. She is the passionate mastermind behind the Collaborative Parenting Methodology, a birth-to-five, soul and science based framework that empowers parents to maximize their child’s early learning while raising fantastic human beings who succeed in school and life.
While teaching preschool and Kindergarten, she noticed her students knew their ABC’s and 123’s, but struggled with their social, emotional, and interpersonal skills. At drop off, parents would say, “We’re so glad that you are their first teacher”, but she knew she wasn’t -- their parents were! This realization led to her professional pivot as an online Early Childhood Parent Educator and Coach.
Cara has embraced her role as thought leader and fierce advocate for Pandemic parents raising the COVID Generation (GEN-C).
Through keynotes, teacher training, and her podcast, Transforming the Toddler Years, she’s teaching the 5 Executive Functioning Skills kids need to navigate our ever-changing world.
Cara has Bachelor degrees in American Sign Language (ASL) and Linguistics and a Master’s degree in Education. She lives in southern Vermont with her two nearly grown-and-flown daughters and a husband who is her biggest cheerleader. Ready to raise world ready kids who change the world? Visit www.caratyrrell.com/bio to begin your Collaborative Parenting journey!