Parenting podcasts rarely get the same spotlight as true-crime thrillers or celebrity interview shows, but TOOTRiS Talks just proved that conversations about raising children can stand alongside the biggest names in audio. The series took home two honors at the 5th Annual Signal Awards, not for viral moments, but for something far more lasting: helping parents see how music and self-expression shape a child’s identity.
Music, self-expression, and helping children discover their potential take center stage in award-winning conversations
One voice fills concert venues. The other brings stadiums to life. On TOOTRiS Talks, both became part of a conversation closer to home: helping children discover their own potential.
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TOOTRiS Talks, the parenting podcast from TOOTRiS, earned silver and bronze honors in the Individual Episodes division of the 5th Annual Signal Awards for conversations featuring GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and legendary public address announcer Alan Roach. The recognized episodes explore how music and self-expression can help children discover who they are and shape who they become.
The podcast now shares a 2026 winners class with heavy hitters like Amy Poehler, Anderson Cooper, and Kevin Hart, as well as productions from NPR and Audible — a sign that parenting content is being taken seriously at the highest levels of the industry.
Hosted by Jeff McAdam, a two-time Emmy Award-winning television reporter and father of two, TOOTRiS Talks connects parents with experts, artists, and unexpected perspectives that make everyday parenting challenges feel more manageable. McAdam’s background in journalism brings a reporter’s curiosity to each episode, asking the kinds of questions parents actually want answered.
Mraz, known for hits including “I’m Yours,” brings the conversation from the concert stage to the classroom and the family living room. He discusses which instrument is easiest for children to start playing and why music belongs in our schools, giving parents both a practical starting point and a powerful reason to make room for music in their homes.
Roach shares how he found the legendary voice that became his calling card, opening a conversation about how children can discover their own voices. His story offers parents a different way to think about the qualities that make their children unique and how those qualities can shape who they become — a reminder that the very thing that sets a child apart might be the thing that carries them forward in life.
“Every parent wants their child to dream big and have every opportunity to make those dreams come true,” said Alessandra Lezama, CEO of TOOTRiS. “We want to put the resources to nurture every possibility at parents’ fingertips. From finding Child Care to building a child’s confidence or choosing a first instrument, TOOTRiS brings parents trusted support in one place. Raising a child comes with endless questions. Finding guidance should be easy.”
The podcast extends TOOTRiS’s commitment to supporting working families beyond helping them find and afford Child Care. Through practical guidance and honest conversations, the series gives parents another place to turn for support, without adding guilt or judgment — a rare approach in a parenting space often filled with pressure and perfectionism.
Winners are selected by The Signal Awards Judging Academy, a collective of leaders across podcasting, journalism, and entertainment. That means the recognition comes not from audience metrics alone, but from industry peers who understand what makes audio storytelling truly effective.
“Podcasting is no longer defined by a single format, platform or approach to storytelling, and this year’s submissions make that evolution impossible to ignore,” said Jemma Brown, GM of The Signal Awards. “Charts and download counts can only tell us what’s popular. At Signal, our role is to notice the creative risks that are quietly changing what everyone else makes next. This year’s Winners offer a first look at podcasting’s next chapter.”
Watch and listen to TOOTRiS Talks at info.tootris.com/tootris-talks.
About TOOTRiS
TOOTRiS is the nation’s largest Child Care platform, connecting families with more than 270,000 vetted Child Care options nationwide. Through its technology and personalized support, TOOTRiS brings parents, providers, employers, and agencies together to make Child Care more accessible and affordable. TOOTRiS helps employers offer Child Care Benefits that support working families while strengthening recruitment, retention, and productivity. Learn more at TOOTRiS.com.
About The Signal Awards
The Signal Awards recognizes the podcasts that define culture. The awards body is mission-focused on uplifting the podcast medium by recognizing the most potent, meaningful and unprecedented audio projects being made today as decided by The Signal Awards Judging Academy.
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Why it matters: This recognition signals that parenting-focused audio is earning its place alongside entertainment giants, validating that practical, judgment-free guidance for families deserves the same creative respect as any other genre. For parents, it means the conversations happening in TOOTRiS Talks — from first instruments to finding a child’s unique voice — are being vetted by industry experts as genuinely valuable resources in the overwhelming landscape of parenting advice.
