In this episode of Parent Teacher Interview, Yasmin Bastouil shares her journey from junior primary teacher to children’s book author, revealing how classroom chaos, empathy, and her own family inspired her stories.

Yasmin opens up about her early love of teaching, her time educating young children in France, and how those experiences guided her into writing books that centre on emotional intelligence and celebrating differences. She talks candidly about imposter syndrome, the challenges of self-publishing, and the powerful moment she realised her stories were impacting kids — including her own.

From laugh-out-loud classroom moments to heartfelt reflections on supporting children’s emotional development, this conversation is full of insight for teachers, parents, and anyone interested in children’s literature.

📚 Books by Yasmin Bastouil

(Great to link for listeners who want to explore the books discussed in the episode.)

• A Superpower Called Empathy - A heart-centred picture book about understanding emotions and embracing empathy.
  

• We’re Getting a New Baby - A lovely story about welcoming a new sibling and the emotions around that life change.
  

• Who Likes the Zoo? - A humorous classroom tale of show-and-tell chaos and celebrating community.

  
  

  📘 Available on Yasmin’s website: ⁠https://www.the-playground-diaries.com.au/⁠ — featured among her titles. ⁠The Playground Diaries⁠
  

🔗 About Yasmin Bastouil

• Author & Teacher — The Playground Diaries Website: https://www.the-playground-diaries.com.au/ — Yasmin is a South Australian junior primary teacher, mum of two and children’s book author whose stories focus on empathy, emotional literacy and connection. The Playground Diaries

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.playground.diaries/ — Follow Yasmin for classroom insights, writing updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses.

In this episode, Daniel Marshall shares his journey from an engineering career to becoming a financial coach. He discusses the pivotal moments that led him to discover personal finance and investing, and emphasises how our mindset and language around money can shape lifelong habits.

Daniel offers practical insights for parents on how to instil strong financial values in their children — from encouraging problem-solving to finding the right balance between chores and earning money. He highlights the role parents play in modelling generosity, gratitude and financial responsibility, and explores how open conversations about household finances can empower kids to build confidence and independence.

This episode is full of practical takeaways for families wanting to strengthen their financial foundations and create a healthier relationship with money.

🎧 Learn more about Daniel Marshall:

• Website: https://danielmarshall.com.au

• Podcast: Money Mastery with Marshy

• Newsletter: The Weekly Marshall

✨ Don’t forget to follow Parent Teacher Interview wherever you listen to podcasts, and check out our Instagram @parent_teacher_interview_pod for more conversations and behind-the-scenes moments.

In this episode of Parent Teacher Interview, Joshua chats with Anna O’Connor — a passionate kindergarten teacher, mum of two, and one half of the creative duo behind SoundSlam.

Anna shares how phonological awareness forms the foundation for early reading success and how she and her co-creator, Lucy, designed SoundSlam to make learning fun, engaging, and screen-free.

Together, they explore practical ways parents and educators can build literacy skills through everyday moments, the power of play in learning, and the story behind developing an educational game that’s already making an impact in classrooms and homes.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

SoundSlam

• 🌐 soundslam.com.au

• 📸 Instagram: @SoundSlamAU

Websites & Reading Resources

• Five from Five — Created by Dr. Jennifer Buckingham, focusing on the five pillars of reading.

• Reading Rockets — A U.S.-based resource offering practical tools and articles for parents and teachers.

Books & Authors

• Reading for Life by Lyn Stone

• Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg

• Research and work by Dr. Pam Snow and Dr. Jennifer Buckingham

Podcast

• 🎙️ Sold a Story by Emily Hanford — A deep dive into the science of reading and how children learn to read.