Ground Control Parenting with Carol Sutton Lewis

Latest Episodes:

Getting Into the Spirit with Nancy Redd Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

As the holiday season approaches, the New York Times best-selling author Nancy Redd returns to catch us up on what’s going on in her life. When Nancy last joined Carol on the podcast, her bestselling children’s book Bedtime Bonnet was taking off and she was helping her son August and her daughter Rupali manage school and extracurriculars online. Now, Nancy has a new book out, The Real Santa, which takes readers on an adventure with a young Black boy eager to find out what Santa really looks like, and Rupali has landed a leading role in the Disney+ series, “The Santa Clauses”. Nancy describes how she has supported both of her children’s newfound love for acting while not dimming her own light as a writer, journalist, and host. Her family has a deep love for the Christmas holidays and whether or not you celebrate the holiday season, our conversation will lift your spirits and inspire you to enter the New Year with renewed focus and motivation to achieve whatever you set your sights on. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharenting 101: The Pros and Cons of Sharing Parenthood with Naima Keith Nov 16, 2022

Show notes

Naima Keith returns to the podcast for the second part of her conversation with Carol; this time to talk about parents posting their kids on social media, and the nuanced complications that can arise. Naima is the VP of Education and Public Programs at LACMA and is the mother of two young children. She grapples with a relatable parenting struggle: enjoying regularly posting about her kids online, and worrying about the impact it may have. Social media offers a true sense of community, but it also invites genuine concern around privacy, consent, and the lack thereof. Naima and Carol consider the pros, the cons, and what a balanced approach can look like. Carol calls in social media expert Tali Horowitz from Common Sense Media to talk about the actions parents can take to protect their kids online. Tali offers entry points to navigating conversations of consent with your children from a young age, and helpful information to ease the anxieties that social media and potential oversharing on social media can create.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Kids to Art and Art Museums with Naima Keith Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

Carol talks with Naima Keith, Vice President of Education and Public Programs at the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA), about how to introduce children to the wonderful world of art and art museums. Naima shares practical tips for parents on how to encourage their kids to appreciate art from an early age and how to get the most out of a museum experience, even if all the little ones want to do is run around and touch the artwork! In this lively conversation Naima and Carol also dive into the realities of balancing work demands with parenting, and how to combat the pressure to “do it all.” Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Teachers Matter with Kristina Joye Lyles Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

This week Carol talks with Kristina Joye Lyles about a small but mighty group of educational leaders: Black men who teach in public schools. Kristina is the Vice President of Equity and Impact for DonorsChoose, a national nonprofit organization that enables public school teachers to share wishlists for their classrooms to interested donors around the country. In the course of this work Kristina has surveyed Black male teachers on their needs, wants and goals as educators. She shares in this episode how she is using this research to lift up and support these teachers who so significantly impact their school communities. She also talks about her own journey with her two young children, and details the road to her son’s autism diagnosis. This episode pairs insights on an important educational issue with moving parenting stories. You won’t want to miss it! Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Single Fatherhood with Randall Kennedy Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Carol sits down with Harvard Law School professor and author Randall Kennedy to talk about his journey as a single father. Randall raised his three (now young adult) children after losing his beloved wife Dr. Yvedt Matory when their children were young. Randall shares with Carol how he and his family coped with the grief and how vital their community was in getting them through their toughest times. He details how his parenting path as a single dad was built on a strong foundation laid by his late wife and included valuable lessons from his childhood, lessons which helped him raise his children to become confident and independent thinkers. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Moms, White Spaces with Helena Andrews-Dyer Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Helena Andrews-Dyer, author of The Mamas: What I Learned about Kids, Class and Race from Moms Not Like Me joins Carol to talk about the complexities of raising her Black children in their gentrifying D.C neighborhood, and how parent groups (including one in which she was the only Black mom) fueled her parenting and personal growth. Carol and Helena discuss the unique anxieties of Black motherhood and ways to push through the stress to focus on the joy. Helena and Carol share parent group experiences and detail how parents can benefit from these important and helpful communities in this relatable and captivating conversation. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Family Affair with Laya DeLeon Hayes, Gina and Kevin Hayes Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

It’s a Hayes family affair! Carol invites actress Laya DeLeon Hayes, her father Kevin Hayes, and her mother Gina DeLeon Hayes to talk about how their family has nurtured and supported Laya’s acting career. At 18, Laya is a series regular on CBS’s The Equalizer, playing the daughter of Queen Latifah’s character Robyn McCall. Laya attributes much of her success to her parents’ unwavering support and encouragement. Gina and Kevin share with Carol the realities of raising a working child actor, and how they encouraged their daughter to confidently explore her passions from an early age. Laya delves into the complex dynamics of being biracial in Hollywood, how she connects with both sides of her family, and how her parents facilitate and participate in that journey. This episode is full of inspiring and heartfelt wisdom from the Hayes family, who are truly each other’s biggest fans. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building Community with Petrushka Bazin Larsen Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

This week Carol sits down with Petrushka Bazin Larsen to discuss the benefits of having a strong and supportive community, especially as a new parent. Petrushka is the co-founder of a Harlem-based family ice cream shop, an arts educator, life coach, parenting advisor and the mom of three young children. In 2018 she founded a mom’s group aimed at helping new moms navigate the first few months with their babies. Carol and Petrushka offer lessons from their parent group experiences, and Petrushka shares helpful parenting tools, some of which she learned from being raised by a single mother and her mom’s community of friends. This lively and advice-filled conversation is the perfect reminder that as parents, we are stronger together. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting Post Roe v. Wade with Alexis McGill Johnson Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

Carol turns to Alexis McGill Johnson, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America for guidance about how to have healthy, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable talks with our children about sexual health. Carol and Alexis discuss Planned Parenthood’s role in a post Roe v. Wade world, and Alexis offers valuable advice on how to discuss the future of reproductive rights with our children. A mom to two daughters, Alexis believes parents need to be a trusted and open resource for their children. She talks with Carol about how to empower youth to have agency over their bodies, develop positive body images, and understand consent. Alexis has been advocating for political and healthcare justice long before she stepped up to lead Planned Parenthood, and she shares timely and important advice with Carol in their lively and insightful conversation. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Values-Based Parenting with Samantha Tweedy Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

Wondering how to take a modern approach to parenting while retaining the values you grew up with? Want to learn new ways to help your children understand their history, develop resilience, and develop the ability to chart their paths in this brave new world? Carol sources great advice on how to parent with an open mind while holding your morals and values close in this energizing conversation with Samantha Tweedy. Samantha has been a founder of a K-8 school for boys, a senior leader of the Robin Hood Foundation and Uncommon Schools, and is currently the President of the Black Economic Alliance Foundation. Her passion for empowering Black people and communities guides how she and her husband parent their two young children. Carol talks with Samantha about how to set educational and behavioral expectations for your kids while giving them the tools to navigate the world’s complexities in their own way. Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on www.groundcontrolparenting.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.