Begin, the award-winning early learning leader behind Learn With Sesame Street, Little Passports, HOMER, and codeSpark Academy, announces the launch of its latest resource for parents: the Let’s Begin podcast.

Hosted by Jenna Arnold — celebrated activist, best-selling author, educator, and mother of two — Let’s Begin is an eye-opening podcast series that delivers authentic conversations, expert guidance, and realistic strategies to support parents in the complex journey of raising children and growing alongside them in today’s world.

Recently named in TIME’s list of “World’s Top EdTech Companies of 2024”, Begin’s mission is to ensure every child is well-prepared for the future and no parent feels line they’ve fallen short. At the heart of that mission and this podcast are The Milestones That Matter, Begin’s ground-breaking, research-backed approach which reframes learning by focusing on the life skills and milestones hat matter most for our children’s future. 

This holistic framework includes an emphasis on well-being versus a narrow focus on outdated benchmarks and grades — and like this podcast, accounts for parent’s strained mental load in their attempt to support their child’s unique learning journey.

“We, the caregivers of this era, refuse to let our children resent learning. Instead, we’re dedicated to nurturing their self-worth decades ahead of our own timelines,” says Jenna Arnold, Host of Let’s Begin. “We are inundated with (oftentimes unsolicited, unverified, and contradictory) information that overwhelms, sets unrealistic expectations, and creates a culture of toxic comparison. The outcome is what we see all around us: another generation of stressed out parents worried for their child’s future, and another generation of children who lack the necessary skills, resilience, confidence, and intrinsic self-worth to thrive in our ever-changing world.”

Let’s Begin includes a diversity of well-known and expert voices including the brilliant minds behind Sesame Street, actress Kristen Bell, therapist Kier Gaines, and activists like Valarie Kaur and Reshma Saujani, who offer insight related to the distinctive parenting challenges of our time: How to navigate the headlines, centering curiosity in a world full of ‘know-it-alls’, fostering self-worth when we fail to model it ourselves, and selling resilience when we’re all … exhausted. Knowing that parents are seeking both relatability and data-driven expertise, Begin’s Chief Learning Officer, Dr. Jody LeVos, offers research-backed insights and actionable takeaways for parents at the end of each episode.

“At Begin, our mission extends beyond providing play-based learning programs that enrich how children learn and explore the world; we are equally committed to equipping parents with the tools and knowledge to nurture their children’s emotional and intellectual development at home,” says Abby Weinstein, President and COO of Begin.

“As child development experts, educators, and parents, we’re hyper-aware for the stress and uncertainty we feel individually — and per the most recent Surgeon General Report, collectively feel when it comes to raising kids today. This podcast was created to address this very dilemma, helping parents focus more on what matters for their kids to thrive, and less on what doesn’t.”