As we parent through this pandemic, who has the greater challenge: parents of toddlers and little ones, trying to help them make sense of it all, or parents of older children who have to help them keep it together as their academic, personal and work lives threaten to fall apart? And what can these different generations of parents learn from each other?  Carol poses these questions to three dynamic women––Monique Péan, who is raising her young children in NYC, Lady Ashley Adjaye, a native Californian who moved her young son and daughter from London to Accra, Ghana to raise them in a more supportive racial environment, and Anne Williams-Isom, who, like Carol, has children in college and beyond. You’ll hear them talk about their unique and shared experiences in the world of pandemic parenting, what a family move to “the continent” is like, how to talk about Black Lives Matter and social justice with children little and grown, and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carol talks with celebrated poet, award winning author, distinguished educator, and President of the Mellon Foundation Elizabeth Alexander about her parenting journey, her theories on education, and the importance of financial literacy and philanthropy. Elizabeth is a resilient mother of two sons who had to reconstruct her life and parenting village after the sudden death of her husband, Ficre Gheybreyesus. In this episode she shares the parenting lessons she learned with her husband that continue to guide her, and the importance of creating a “village”, especially as she found herself building a new one to help her raise her sons. From her vantage point as the head of one of the world’s wealthiest foundations that supports arts, humanities and social justice, she shares advice on how to talk with our children about money and philanthropy—teaching them to take care of both our local and global villages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we focus on (so many!) daily parenting details, how do we make sure we are teaching our children our values and giving them a moral core?  What do we have to resolve in ourselves to be able to parent with joy, a key to raising joyful, confident children? How do we turn those hard lessons from how we were parented into a roadmap for better parenting? In a lively, spirited conversation filled with tips on how to evolve our parenting skills, ways to communicate our values to our children, and lots of laughs, Dr. Janice Johnson Dias, sociologist and author of Parent Like it Matters teaches us how to raise critical thinkers and fearless doers.
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Carol talks with  Sandra Jackson-Dumont, visionary arts educator and Director & CEO of the  Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, about why and how we need to have art and museums in our children’s lives from day one.  Exposure to art builds so many skills from a very young age!  Sandra tells us how to explore museums in-person and online in ways that open up new vistas for children and  parents,  how museums can spark and inform great (and sometimes tough) conversations with our children, and so much more.  


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In this season opener, Carol talks with college admissions experts and authors of The College Conversation , Eric Furda (former Dean of Admissions at UPenn)  and Jacques Steinberg (award-winning education journalist and author).  Eric and Jacques discuss their latest tips and insights on how your teen should be applying to college from start to finish, and how you can help. They reveal  “The Four C’s” that students should be looking for as they research colleges: Culture, Curriculum, Community and Conclusions. They also talk about the impact of two additional “C’s”: Cost and Coronavirus. While applying for college is more than half the battle, Eric and Jacques also suggest staying focused once the acceptances come. They talk with Carol about what happens after your teen gets in: how to make sure the colleges don’t change their minds, best practices for freshman success, and even what to do if your child wants to transfer. Listen, learn and lessen the stress as your family moves through this exciting chapter of your teen’s life. 


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It’s a wrap!  Our second season of talking about the joy and the real work of parenting Black children has featured great guests offering lots of helpful advice.   In this bonus episode, host Carol Sutton Lewis recaps some of the themes and highlights of the season.  Stay tuned for more great parenting conversations in Season Three, coming soon!
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Author &  journalist Caroline Clarke discusses her accidental discovery of and reunion with her birth mother–Cookie Cole, daughter of Nat King Cole–and its impact on her existing and newly expanded family. Caroline told this story in her memoir Postcards from Cookie,  and here she reveals additional details not captured in the book, including an incredible update.  You won’t want to miss our discussion of adoption, parenting, family, and the healing power of love.  
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Best-selling author and on-air host Nancy Redd talks about the values that stem from her Southern roots and shares some of the unexpected silver linings which have emerged from quarantining with her husband and their 9 & 6 year olds over the past ten months.  You’ll also hear about the making of Bedtime Bonnet,  her sensational new children’s book that celebrates Black night time hair care rituals.  A fascinating conversation that you won’t want to miss.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why show art to an infant?  Why should we encourage our children to “get lost” in paintings? What’s the art and social justice connection? Who are some of the African-American artists whose work we and our children should get to know?  Franklin Sirmans, director of Miami’s Perez Art Museum, answers these questions and many more in this lively discussion about art and art education.  
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In this thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion, College Board CEO David Coleman provides the latest information and valuable perspective on the SAT & AP testing in the coming year, and much more.  Parents won’t want to miss his great advice on how to help students of all ages combat test anxiety and improve test performance.  
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