It’s back-to-school week for many students in Connecticut. Parents — are you ready for the upcoming school year?

The Connecticut State Board of Education is urging all schools to implement cellphone restrictions. We hear how school districts are tackling this and how it will be enforced.

Do you want to see a cellphone ban in your school district? Email us at wherewelive@ctpublic.org.

Plus, confusion around childhood vaccines continues. The Trump administration has issued an executive order calling for fewer vaccines. We learn what parents need to know.

Guests:
Dr. Melissa Held: Infectious Diseases physician at Connecticut Children's; professor of pediatric infectious diseases and senior associate dean of medical student education at UConn School of Medicine
Theo Peck-Suzuki: education reporter at the Connecticut Mirror
Joslyn DeLancey: Vice President of the Connecticut Education Association
Rachel Besharat Mann: Assistant Professor of Education Studies at Wesleyan University

It&rsquo;s back-to-school week for many students in Connecticut. Parents &mdash; are you ready for the upcoming school year?
The Connecticut State Board of Education is urging all schools to implement cellphone restrictions. We hear how school districts are tackling this and how it will be enforced.
Do you want to see a cellphone ban in your school district? Email us at wherewelive@ctpublic.org.
Plus, confusion around childhood vaccines continues. The Trump administration has issued an executive order calling for fewer vaccines. We learn what parents need to know.
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Held-Tobin-Melissa">Dr. Melissa Held:</a>&nbsp;Infectious Diseases physician at Connecticut Children's; professor of pediatric infectious diseases and senior associate dean of medical student education at UConn School of Medicine</li>
<li><a href="https://ctmirror.org/author/tpecksuzuki/">Theo Peck-Suzuki:</a>&nbsp;education reporter at the Connecticut Mirror</li>
<li><a href="https://cea.org/joslyn-delancey-bio/">Joslyn DeLancey:</a>&nbsp;Vice President of the Connecticut Education Association</li>
<li>Rachel Besharat Mann:&nbsp;Assistant Professor of Education Studies at Wesleyan University</li>
</ul>

Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

Where We Live

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Back to school in CT: Cellphones, vaccines and more

School is back in session! That means calendars are filling up, and suddenly there’s always somewhere to be and something to do.

But what if the problem isn’t that there isn’t enough time — it’s that we’ve become a little too good at filling every minute of it?

This hour, we explore what our chronically hurried culture is doing to our minds, bodies, families and children.

We’re joined by a psychotherapist, a neuroscientist and a Zen Buddhist monk priest. They teach us how to step off the treadmill – even when life won’t slow down.

Guests:
Bryan Robinson: Psychotherapist, author of “Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Work-Life Balance”
Rajita Sinja: Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine
Venerable Shim Bo: Zen Buddhist Monk-Priest who serves as the Abbot and Spiritual Director of White Lotus Haven Zen of Connecticut, Inc. 

School is back in session! That means calendars are filling up, and suddenly there&rsquo;s always somewhere to be and something to do.
But what if the problem isn&rsquo;t that there isn&rsquo;t enough time &mdash; it&rsquo;s that we&rsquo;ve become a little too good at filling every minute of it?
This hour,&nbsp;we explore what our chronically hurried culture is doing to our minds, bodies, families and children.
We&rsquo;re joined by a psychotherapist, a neuroscientist and a Zen Buddhist monk priest. They teach us how to step off the treadmill &ndash; even when life won&rsquo;t slow down.
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bryanrobinsonphd.com/">Bryan Robinson</a>:&nbsp;Psychotherapist, author of &ldquo;<a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479818853/chained-to-the-desk-in-a-hybrid-world/">Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Work-Life Balance</a>&rdquo;</li>
<li><a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/rajita-sinha/">Rajita Sinja:</a>&nbsp;Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine</li>
<li>Venerable Shim Bo:&nbsp;Zen Buddhist Monk-Priest who serves as the Abbot and Spiritual Director of&nbsp;<a href="https://wlhz.org/">White Lotus Haven Zen of Connecticut, Inc.&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

Back-to-school season can feel like a sprint. What if we slowed down?

Chris Bohjalian is the author of over twenty books, but his latest novel “The Amateur” pulls on his own lived experience working as a golf caddy.

The story follows Mira, an 18-year-old golf prodigy. One afternoon, while practicing at her prestigious country club, she hits a stray ball right into the temple of her classmate’s head, killing him almost instantly.

Where We Live host Catherine Shen recently hosted a conversation with Bohjalian at the Westport Library. We spoke about his new book, his writing routines and "exercising his demons" through writing this highly autobiographical novel.

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Chris Bohjalian is the author of over twenty books, but his latest novel <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-amateur-a-novel-chris-bohjalian/0dd009b354f6622f?ean=9798217347049&amp;next=t&amp;&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=dsa_nonbrand&amp;utm_content={adgroupname}&amp;utm_term=aud-2151538068632:dsa-19959388920&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=12440232635&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACfld425vRtci3_foN-CPafw7zX9g&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjws_DTBhB_EiwAXZknGa3hJPDlZI5WulYXZD664hJ4n3Ngq9EugUC5CimtA2RDFM20f2IEChoCog4QAvD_BwE">&ldquo;The Amateur&rdquo; </a>pulls on his own lived experience working as a golf caddy.
The story follows Mira, an 18-year-old golf prodigy. One afternoon, while practicing at her prestigious country club, she hits a stray ball right into the temple of her classmate&rsquo;s head, killing him almost instantly.
Where We Live host Catherine Shen recently hosted a conversation with Bohjalian at the Westport Library. We spoke about his new book, his writing routines and "exercising his demons" through writing this highly autobiographical novel.
Where We Live&nbsp;is available on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-we-live/id706066099">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0j08SgnZIU5BmjDyHbgjgP">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/43f3a507-ebfa-4876-b34a-030759a8924c/where-we-live">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/Where-We-Live-p1207905/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/where-we-live-connecticut-public-radio-lz9NAwSEexh/">Listen Notes,</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Author Chris Bohjalian on his writing routines and his latest novel “The Amateur”

Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic: Do those words ring any bells? Maybe from that old earth science class? Don’t lose your marbles! Today, we’re talking about rocks.

Did you know that Connecticut now has a new state rock? Housatonic marble has officially received this prestigious title of Connecticut’s state rock. Today, we learn how it all happened.

Later, science educators talk about using the earth sciences as a foundation for science literacy.

Guests:
Robert Thorson: Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Connecticut
Louis Goffinet: STEM Enrichment Teacher at Mansfield Middle School
Todd Campbell: Department Head of Science Education at the Neag School of Education at UConn
Violet Andrews: recent UConn graduate

Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic: Do those words ring any bells? Maybe from that old earth science class? Don&rsquo;t lose your marbles! Today, we&rsquo;re talking about rocks.
Did you know that&nbsp;<a href="https://today.uconn.edu/2026/07/designating-the-state-rock-a-dazzling-educational-experience/">Connecticut now has a new state rock?</a>&nbsp;Housatonic marble has officially received this prestigious title of Connecticut&rsquo;s state rock. Today, we learn how it all happened.
Later, science educators talk about using the earth sciences as a foundation for science literacy.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Robert Thorson: Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Connecticut</li>
<li>Louis Goffinet:&nbsp;STEM Enrichment Teacher at Mansfield Middle School</li>
<li>Todd Campbell:&nbsp;Department Head of Science Education at the Neag School of Education at UConn</li>
<li>Violet Andrews: recent UConn graduate</li>
</ul>

Back to school in CT: Cellphones, vaccines and more

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