Ep. 55: Tennessee's Childcare Conundrum

Ep. 55: Tennessee's Childcare Conundrum

Author: Angie Lawless and Brandon Miller May 4, 2026 Duration: 1:01:04

Childcare in Tennessee isn't just a family issue—it's an economic one, a workforce one, and increasingly, a political one. Across the state, parents are struggling to find affordable, reliable care.

Providers are stretched thin, and employers are feeling the ripple effects as workers are forced to make impossible choices between their jobs and their families.

In this episode of Climbing the Charts, Angie Lawless and Brandon Miller sit down with Melanie Shinbaum, Executive Director of Nashville's Early Education Coalition, to understand what's driving the shortage, why costs remain so high, and how it's impacting communities from Nashville to rural counties across the state.


Climbing the Charts with Angie Lawless and Brandon Miller is a conversation about the forces that shape our daily lives, from local policy to global scientific discovery. Angie and Brandon aren't just observers; they're active participants who believe understanding these complex systems is the first step toward genuine involvement. This podcast digs into the news and social currents that might feel abstract, making them tangible and relevant to your own neighborhood. You'll hear discussions that connect political decisions with their real-world impact, explore how scientific advancements alter our social fabric, and question what it means to build a meaningful community in a fragmented world. Each episode is an invitation to look closer and think deeper, offering perspectives that help you navigate the information landscape with more clarity and purpose. Tune in for a thoughtful analysis that refuses to separate science from politics, or social trends from personal responsibility, all with the aim of fostering a more informed and connected citizenry. Find Climbing the Charts wherever you listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 55

Climbing the Charts with Angie Lawless and Brandon Miller
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 18: Dean Stratouly:  Dylan's Nashville Skyline, Revisited [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:17
In the recently released Travel + Leisure rankings of "The 24 Best New Luxury City Hotels Around the World," readers likely nodded at Xenodocheio Milos in Athens.; however, #2 was likely to come as something of a surpris…
Ep. 16: Mayor John Cooper:  The Exit Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:38
On this very special episode of Climbing the Climbs, we are joined by John Cooper, Music City's 9th Mayor (since the consolidation of the Metro Government in 1963). One of the few things Mayor Cooper's champions and crit…
Ep. 15: Meg Epstein: Bringing the best of CA to Music City [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:06
Climbing the Charts sat down with Meg Epstein, Founder and CEO of CA South. Meg launched CA South in January 2016, and despite being just 7 years old now, CA South has over a billion dollars in projects and related real…