As we say goodbye to 2022 and hello to a new year, let’s take a look back at the good things that happened this year! At MetroFamily, we are so privileged to journey through each year with you and your family, bringing you the good news happening in our communities every month.

Here are 22 of our favorite articles and blogs of 2022, plus our top podcast.

1. Raising Resilient Children – While there are many skills parents long to instill in their kids, one quality that can carry them through life’s ups and downs is resilience. Find tips and resources for building resilience in kids.
2. Tips for taking your family overseas – Traveling is where we recharge and invest in each other; it’s also how we connect to the world and get outside our comfort zones. Local mom of two Kristy Blosch shares her strategies for traveling internationally with kids.
3. Ways for Parents to Boost Well-being – When we flourish as people, we flourish as parents. If our kids see us engaging in healthy, energizing activities, they’ll follow our lead. Michael Dickerson offers three tips for sustainable personal growth.
4. Teacher Burnout – How we got here and what it will take from the community to move forward? Our editor, Erin Page, looks at the challenges teachers face and collaborative solutions to address the teacher shortage.
5. Diversity pipeline addresses representation, teacher shortages – The Bilingual Teacher Pipeline Program addresses one of OKCPS greatest needs: a shortage of bilingual teachers amidst a growing Hispanic student population. Learn how the pipeline supports bilingual students and professionals.
6. Brain Power: Assessing and harnessing neurodiversity – Founder and CEO of Integrated Brain Health, Leesa Lacey shares her family’s experience with brain health, the prevalence of ADHD, overall brain health and the power of neurodiveristy.
7. Making, learning, sharing: Makerspaces in the metro – A makerspace is a collaborative, modern workshop. Depending on your child’s interests, there are a variety of makerspaces your family can visit within the Oklahoma City metro.
8. The Childcare Challenge – At the height of the pandemic when many families were sheltering together at home, working parents across the metro discovered with renewed understanding just how much they rely on childcare. Our editor, Erin Page, looks at the problems facing childcare centers in Oklahoma and how the community can help.
9. Mom Talk: Raising a teen with special needs isn’t all that “different” – Sarah Soell, mom of three and the executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, shares her experience raising a teen with Down syndrome.
10. Eat healthy on a budget: 7 ways to cut costs on your grocery bill – As prices soar due to record inflation, families are feeling the pinch, especially at the grocery store. Find tips from Shape Your Future to eat healthy and stick to your budget.
11. Nature Nurtures – A growing body of scientific research indicates that time spent in nature positively impacts psychological health, physical health and the ability to learn. Find ways to spend more time outdoors.
12. Stressed? 5 coping strategies for overwhelmed parents – Feeling stressed, anxious, burned out or overwhelmed (or all of the above)? You aren’t alone. Licensed mental health therapist Katrina Leggins shares strategies to cope with stress and anxiety.
13. Quartz Mountain State Park 2.0 – Read about the newly renovated Quartz Mountain State Park and things to do nearby.
14. Discover OKC on a family Scavenger Hunt – Experience our city in a new way this year by using this scavenger hunt to take a deeper look at our favorite attractions, parks and communities. Who knows what exciting and unexpected things you might find?!
15. 5 Lesser-Known Oklahoma State Parks Worth Exploring – Oklahoma holds some of the most diverse terrain mile for mile in our nation. Learn about five state parks all under three hours from Oklahoma City.
16. Reimagining an Icon: Myriad Gardens’ Crystal Bridge Conservatory reopens to the Public – After closing to the public in 2021 for a $9.7 million renovation, the 13,000-square-foot glass tube reopened as an icon reimagined in November.
17. Expansion of Scissortail Park Brings More Fun to Downtown OKC – The lower half of the park opened in September, doubling its size. The new section features two basketball courts, a soccer field, futsal court and four pickleball courts, as well as a sports pavilion, small performance area and nature playground.
18. Embracing Neurodiversity in the Classroom – Neurodiversity encompasses atypical ways in which brains can function. Local experts shares how all kids benefit from inclusive classrooms.
19. Money Matters: Financial Literacy Conversations for Families – Healthy money relationships begin with piggy banks, good habits and open discussions about earning, saving and growing money. Find conversation starters for families, information about financial literacy graduation requirements and resources to learn about the digital dollar.
20. Talking to Kids about Gender Diversity – Dr. Ronneal Matthews, with Thrive OKC, leads readers on a learning journey answering common questions parents might have about gender diversity and tips on how to navigate these conversations with kids.
21. Music Heals: Positive benefits for mental health – According to the work and research of famed author and neurologist Oliver Sacks, music 20 to 30 networks in the listener’s brain. Learn about the healing power of music from two local experts.
22. Daily Positive Affirmations – Local mom, certified holistic nutritionist and creator of The Purposeful Food Journal, Lindsey Conway shares her experience exploring a positive affirmation practice.

Bonus: Now finishing our third season, Raising OKC Kids: Conversations with MetroFamily video podcast series provides content and resources parents need from local experts, highlighting a variety of important topics.

Here are our top 10 video podcasts from our third season:

1. New Year’s resolutions (or anti-resolutions) for every Enneagram type – Ep. 3.1
2. The Importance of Play – Ep. 3.3
3. Empowering, Inspiring Moms Who Work – Ep. 3.9
4. Navigating Museums with Kids: Building Creativity and Empathy – Ep. 3.11
5. Dental Depot’s “WHY” behind the smiles – Ep. 3.13
6. Answering Parent Questions: Talking to Kids About Sexual Health and Puberty – Ep. 3.29
7. Outdoor Play-Based Learning – Ep. 3.38
8. Operation Conversation: Talking to Kids about Mental Health – Ep. 3.42
9. The Family Dinner Project – Ep. 3.47
10. Developing Emotional Intelligence Alongside our Kids – Ep. 3.52