And that’s a wrap!  In this Season 5 rewind Carol shares some of the highlights of the season and reveals some parenting principles–practical, helpful, parenting concepts–that came out of these conversations.  Tune in for a sampling of some of the great stories, advice and resources Carol and her guests shared this season. And stay tuned for more parenting conversations about the joy and the real work of parenting Black children in our next season, coming soon!   Follow us...

Known for her stellar performances in film and TV hits including Antwone Fisher, I Am Legend, and Eureka, Salli Richardson-Whitfield is more than just a celebrated actress. As an award-winning director of shows like Queen Sugar, Blackish, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and The Gilded Age, she's also a behind-the-camera force in the entertainment industry. And in this captivating conversation with Carol, Salli reveals a side seldom publicly seen: that of a wise and...

Carol welcomes art curator Stephanie Sparling Williams for an engaging conversation about how she and her husband are navigating the complexities and joys of raising the two children they adopted at ages 12 and 14. Stephanie, who was raised by her African-American mother and white father, shares why she and her husband opted to adopt older children, how they found their (also biracial) children and prepared to bring them into their home. Carol and Stephanie discuss the journey of establishing...

Join Carol as she sits down with Bernard I. Lumpkin, an art collector and patron, for an enriching conversation about parenting, identity, and culture. Bernard, raised in a multicultural home with an African-American father from Watts, L.A., and a Jewish mother from Tangier, Morocco, shares how his upbringing shaped his deep appreciation for Black art. Now a father of three biracial children, Bernard is committed to instilling a sense of cultural pride in them. In this episode, he reflects on...

Carol talks about how we can break the stigma surrounding mental health in Black communities with David R. McGhee, the Executive Director of The Steve Fund, a pioneering organization dedicated to advancing mental health support for young people of color. Carol and David discuss how poverty, the pandemic, and the media all impact the mental health of our children, and how we can prioritize and support their mental and emotional well-being. Tune in to their engaging exchange as they focus on...

In this powerful episode, author and community advocate Ruth Horry talks with Carol about parenting through a child's mental health crisis. Ruth bravely shares her journey from surviving childhood abuse to supporting a child contemplating suicide. Carol and Ruth address mental health stigma and stress the need for open conversations on this topic. Ruth offers valuable advice to parents on seeking professional help, finding resources, and building a support network. This episode sheds light on...

Carol welcomes noted scholar Dr. Karida L. Brown and award-winning artist Charly Palmer to the podcast to give us a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at their creation of The New Brownies’ Book: A Love Letter to Black Families. This book is their contemporary reimagining of W.E.B. Du Bois’ art and literary magazine, which he created for children in 1920 to share Black history and celebrate their identities. The New Brownies’ Book is a collection of contemporary essays, poems, photographs,...

Carol welcomes Crystal back to the podcast to talk about “Game Up”, the app she and her son Cole Anthony created to help parents navigate the world of youth basketball. Crystal shares how her experiences raising three basketball-playing children (including Cole, now a rising star in the NBA) led her to create this app to offer valuable resources for parents seeking the best training opportunities for their aspiring basketball stars. Crystal talks with Carol about the challenges parents face...

How did your favorite teacher impact your life? Award winning journalist Deborah Roberts returns to the podcast to talk with Carol about the transformative power of great teachers, the topic of Deborah's latest book, “Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life”, a collection of essays from Deborah and some of her well-known friends and colleagues. In this episode Deborah and Carol offer valuable insights about the ways in which great teachers influence their students and...

In the Season 5 premiere, Carol sits down with acclaimed director and producer Lee Daniels for a candid conversation about his remarkable parenting journey. We hear how Lee overcame childhood abuse from his father and was able to redefine fatherhood in a transformative way when he adopted his brother’s infant twins. Lee shares his insights, triumphs and the lessons learned from his unexpected but deeply fulfilling journey as a parent. Tune in to learn, laugh, and find inspiration in Lee’s...

Welcome to Season 5 of Ground Control Parenting with Carol Sutton Lewis!! Starting January 10th, Carol will bring you a new season of weekly stories, tips and advice from fascinating folks to help you raise curious and confident Black children. Join us!!

And that’s a wrap for Season 4—and what a season it has been! This season was packed with helpful ideas, thoughtful reflections, and trustworthy advice across all stages of child development, helping parents to fully realize their potential for parenting with effectiveness and joy.  In this episode Carol talks about some of the  memorable moments of the season and shares clips from some of the amazing guests–experts in education, healthcare, and the arts.  Tune in for an overview of some of...

Carol hones in on the critically important parent-teacher relationship this week. She talks with expert educator and Co-CEO of Excellence Community Schools, Dr. Charlene Reid, about how teachers have fared over the past few years of educational tumult, and what teachers want parents to know to help children recover from the pandemic slide. They discuss the importance of having educators who represent, affirm, and uplift Black students, and the need to teach children not to view any low grades...

Carol brings back this archived episode of her conversation with Deval Patrick, the former Massachusetts Governor and 2020 Presidential candidate. He and Carol discuss how his journey—growing up in the South Side of Chicago and making his way to the corridors of power—influenced his parenting methods and goals for his family. Deval shares his efforts to raise resilient and socially conscious children and tells Carol what it took to do this as a public figure, He and Carol discuss how his life...

Hi, Seneca fans! We have a brand-new podcast called "Your Financial Maven," and we think you'll want to check it out. Financial literacy and empowerment are vital for women, and host Samantha Besnoff is here to help. Check out this trailer to decide for yourself if this is your next finance podcast obsession! Show Description: Your Financial Maven is a weekly podcast where you will be challenged to change the way we think about money. April is Financial Literacy Month and what better way to...

Carol sits down with author and historian Rita Roberts to talk about the importance of preserving African-American history and passing it on to future generations. Rita shares insights from her latest book, "I Can't Wait to Call You My Wife: African-American Letters of Love and Family in the Civil War Era", which tells the stories of Black men and women through letters written in the mid-1800’s. She details the courage and resilience of enslaved Black people as they defied unjust laws to...

Carol talks with Dr. Yasmin Hurd, Director of the Mount Sinai Addiction Institute, about the complex landscape of drug use today. With marijuana available recreationally or medically in most states and new synthetic drugs regularly hitting the market, parents need to know when and how to discuss drugs and drug use with their children.  Dr. Hurd shares her insights on two drugs currently making headlines: cannabis and fentanyl. She walks Carol through the benefits and potential risks of...

How can we help our children develop a moral compass to guide them through life? In this insightful episode from the archives, minister, professor,  and former President of Morehouse College Dr. Robert M. Franklin, Jr. explains the importance of helping children think about faith and morality and offers a framework for starting these discussions at an early age. Dr. Franklin shares his own personal stories and memories of witnessing the courage and leadership his grandmother so naturally...

Carol continues the conversation with mother-son duo Angelique and Sage about parenting Black LGBTQ youth with love and support. They discuss the difference between gender and sexuality, and why this distinction is so important to make and understand. They also talk about the use of non-gendered pronouns, the need for grace when it comes to unlearning gender-specific language, and the need to work towards an inclusive, nonjudgmental, and respectful society. This concluding conversation brings...

Carol dives into parenting LGBTQ children with producer and radio show host Angelique Francis and her son Sage. Angelique talks with Carol about her journey to support her LGBTQ children, including Sage, who came out in his teens. Angelique explains how she focused on her love for her children and released her original expectations of them. Her son Sage recalls his coming out story and reveals the challenges he and his peers face in this process of doing so. Angelique and Sage highlight the...

How did the first Black female CEO of a Fortune 500 company manage to balance her skyrocketing career and her growing family? In this refreshingly candid and thought-provoking episode from the archives, Ursula Burns, former CEO of Xerox Corporation, tells Carol why this is the wrong question for young parents to ask, and explains how and why work-life balance issues should be reframed and analyzed. She shares the lessons and perspectives that helped her stay true to herself and her parenting...

For years Michelle Miller has been keeping you in the know as a national correspondent for CBS News and as a co-host of CBS Saturday Morning, and now you’ll get to hear from her about her own fascinating life story. Michelle returns to the podcast to talk with Carol about what she learned from the village that helped raise her after she was abandoned by her mother at birth, and how she came to write her memoir “Belonging: A Daughter's Search for Identity Through Loss and Love”. Michelle...

Author Kala Allen Omeiza joins Carol to talk about neurodiversity advocacy and her journey to being diagnosed with autism at 24. Kala shares with Carol how race and disability intersect in her life as a Black autistic woman, and how she poured her life experiences into her young adult novel, "Afrotistic".   Kala felt out of place and socially uncomfortable as a young Black girl growing up in predominantly white communities.  She talks with Carol about how feeling so different for so many...

Harriette Cole joins Carol to talk about the positive and affirming ways that Black parents can share their morals and values with their children. Harriette, the former lifestyle editor and fashion director at Essence Magazine, is also an author, a nationally syndicated advice columnist, a multimedia producer, and host of the radio show DreamLeapers and podcast DreamLeapers Inspiration. Harriette was raised by loving parents who believed “excellence was the only option”. She tells Carol that...