Dr. Huston on the Annenberg Learner Podcast: Helping Kids Navigate Global Conflicts
Some conversations feel almost impossible to start. When news of war, violence, or international conflict fills every screen in the house, how do you talk to your child about what they're seeing — without making things worse?
That's exactly the question Dr. Parker Huston, founder of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health, was invited to answer on Episode 39 of the Annenberg Learner Podcast, hosted by Nati Rodriguez. The Annenberg Learner Podcast, produced by the education division of the Annenberg Foundation, tracks the lived experiences of students, parents, and educators and elevates innovation and best practices in the field. Being invited onto this national platform to represent the perspective of a practicing pediatric psychologist is a meaningful recognition of COPBH's clinical expertise. SOM Salud Mental 360
▶ Listen to the full episode here
Key takeaways from the episode:
Kids are already seeing it — the question is context. Dr. Huston pointed out that children who have their own devices can consume media independently, without oversight or supervision — which means parents are often already behind the curve on what their child has seen, where they saw it, and how it was framed. Getting ahead of that, even imperfectly, matters more than waiting for the "right moment." psu
How a child sees and processes conflict shapes what they think about the world. Dr. Huston noted that how well children understand the context of what they're seeing can have a significant impact on what they think about specific groups of people, how the conflict relates to their own community, and their sense of identity. Without guidance from a trusted adult, children fill in those gaps on their own — and often not in healthy ways. psu
Technology requires adult guidance, not just restriction. Dr. Huston shared that while he's open to technology and even an early adopter himself, he understands that adults have far more context to judge when and how technology is useful — and children don't have that capacity up to a certain age. His view is that parents, teachers, and schools are there to help kids learn how to use technology effectively, not simply to take it away. Curabh
What adults without kids can do. The episode also addressed a question that doesn't often get asked: what responsibility do community members without children have during a mental health crisis among youth? Dr. Huston's answer reflects a core belief at COPBH — that children's mental health is a community issue, not just a parenting one.
A glimpse of the person behind the practice. In a lighter moment near the end of the interview, Dr. Huston mentioned that he coaches soccer for a U11 boys team in Columbus and is currently reading a book on coaching culture by Dr. Jay Martin of Ohio Wesleyan University, focusing on how to build a positive team environment and be a better mentor to the kids he works with. It's a small detail that says a lot: for Dr. Huston, the commitment to supporting kids doesn't clock out at the end of a therapy session. Copbh
COPBH is proud to contribute to national conversations about children's mental health — in clinical journals, on podcasts, in schools, and in the media. If you'd like to invite a COPBH clinician to speak at your organization, school, or event, we'd love to connect.