Parents of the Year co-hosts Dr. Caroline Buzanko and Andrew Stewart share their stories and expertise from their small closet recording studio. (Matt Grocock, CMRU.ca)
Knowing how to navigate parenthood is often a difficult task for any parent. Local parents of two, Dr. Caroline Buzanko and Andrew Stewart decided they wanted to help other parents through their journeys. The result was the start of the child and parenting-focused podcast Parents of the Year. Co-hosted by Caroline and Andrew, they share their experiences, knowledge, and expertise with parents who need advice. Created from their bedroom closet, the Parents of the Year podcast guides and inspires parents to be the best parents they can be and have fun doing it.
Co-host Dr. Caroline Buzanko is a registered psychologist who’s worked with children for 30 years. She provides insight into their goals, motivations, and struggles with the podcast, giving us a look behind the mic.
All parents can be Parents of the Year
The name Parents of the Year is meant to be ironic, as it’s a running joke between Caroline and Andrew. Caroline says, “it came from our experience being terrible parents, even as a parenting expert”. So the goal became to turn those flaws into advice that they can share with other parents. It’s not about making parents perfect but helping them be the best parents they can be.
Parents of the Year is unique in its approach to making an impact on others with their relatable, yet professional advice for parents who may be struggling. Podcasting is a way to provide free advice that’s convenient for people to listen to whenever. So choosing this outlet gave the Parents of the Year a way of making a positive impact in a way they could manage and enjoy.
Life and professional experience to guide parents
The Parents of the Year podcast blends a mixture of real-life experience with professional advice from the hosts and other professional guests. Dr. Caroline Buzanko says the podcast covers the whole journey from “prenatal, what to do before the baby is even born, to transitioning to adulthood”. Bringing on special guests with expertise also impacts listeners by giving them additional free, recent, and accurate information.
Parents of the Year covers a wide variety of topics over their almost 100 episodes and three seasons. Some of the topics they have already covered include:
- Emotions
- Preparing kids for the future
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Anxiety
- Child development
- Improving social skills
There are many more episodes covering everything from physical to mental health. Parents of the Year covers many of the questions and concerns parents have, saving parents from the Google rabbit hole.
Trying to balance while striving to inspire
Balancing work, family, and podcasting keeps Caroline and Andrew very busy. Managing it all is “a tricky one, just because there’s so many things”, says Dr. Caroline Buzanko. They still manage to get through with organization, sticky notes, and planning around what is important to them, like family.
Take a look behind the mic at the co-hosts of the Parents of the Year podcast.
Where to find the Parents of the Year
The Parents of the Year podcast puts out a new episode every Wednesday. You can find their episodes on platforms such as:
The podcast started as a project Caroline and Andrew could do together for fun. Now, they guide others through the ups and downs in the journey of becoming Parents of the Year.
Author Reflection:
When I found out I had to tell a story about a community partner making a positive impact, my mind went straight to charities or volunteers. Finding the Parents of the Year podcast was amazing because it felt like something different and showed a unique way of making a positive impact. It gave me a chance to delve into the people behind a podcast whose purpose was to help parents and children through information. It not only let me see what they were all about behind the scenes but also see how two regular parents can make such an impact from their home closet.
I think this project will have an impact even if it reaches only one new parent who needs a good source of advice. The heart of any positive impact will come from my community partner, the Parents of the Year podcast. I believe that even if a few people become better parents through advice, experiences, or a piece of wisdom they share, it makes a huge difference. You can tell through the feedback Parents of the Year receive that they undoubtedly make a positive impact on the larger community.
I learned a lot both about The Parents of the Year and storytelling in general through this project. I got the chance to find out more about the amazing people behind the podcast, Dr. Caroline Buzanko and Andrew Stewart. I learned that making a positive impact doesn’t always mean donating time or money, but sometimes it’s just being a free and trustworthy source of information. I feel that through the process of filming, interviewing, editing, and writing I have improved my ability to tell an impactful story.
Working with Parents of the Year’s Dr. Caroline Buzanko and Andrew Stewart for this project was great. Thank you to Caroline and Andrew for taking the time to talk with me and for the opportunity to showcase a bit of them behind the mic.
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