Don't Screw Up Your Kids

What if the shame, hurt, insecurity, fear, and trauma you carry today are connected to experiences you never fully addressed? In this episode of the Don't Screw Up Your Kids Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Paula Burton Jackson, also known as Coach PBJ, to discuss healing, self-awareness, faith, grief, relationships, and the emotional patterns that often shape our lives without us even realizing i...

What does it take to stay married for nearly three decades while raising four children and building a successful business together? In this episode of the Don't Screw Up Your Kids Podcast, I sit down with Nate and Kim Newman to discuss marriage, parenting, homeschooling, entrepreneurship, and the intentional decisions that helped shape their family. Kim shares her journey from Certified Public...

At 26 years old, Shari Paskel received a lupus diagnosis that changed everything. Doctors told her she would likely need medication for the rest of her life. They also warned her that having children could create serious health complications. Instead of accepting that as her only option, Shari made a different choice. She chose healing. In this episode of the Don't Screw Up Your Kids Podcast,...

How to Stop Treating Symptoms and Start Healing | Dr. Leona What if the symptom is not the real problem? In this episode of the Don't Screw Up Your Kids Podcast, Kaleesha Washington sits down with Dr. Leona, chiropractor, author, wellness strategist, and founder of Freedom Health Systems, for a conversation about what it truly means to heal. Dr. Leona explains why many people spend years treat...

What happens when grief is never fully processed? In this episode of the Don't Screw Up Your Kids Podcast, Kaleesha Washington sits down with grief therapist, author, professor, minister, and executive coach Dr. Darlene Williams to discuss the lasting impact grief can have on our lives. Dr. Williams explains how grief affects children and adults differently, why unresolved loss can remain with...

In Part 10 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington concludes Chapter 2, “Whole to Three-Fifths: Dehumanization,” by examining how false theories about race were used to justify centuries of oppression and why the effects of those ideas are still visible today. This episode explores the story of Ota Benga, a young man from the Congo who was displayed in the Bronx Zoo in 190...

In Part 9 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington continues Chapter 2, “Whole to Three-Fifths: Dehumanization,” by examining how ideas about race, beauty, intelligence, morality, and human worth were transformed into a system of white superiority. This episode explores how some of the most influential racial theories in American history were presented as science, taught as...

One of the biggest lies we've been told is that women are more emotional than men. The evidence is everywhere, yet most people never stop to question the assumption. Men get angry. Men get jealous. Men get possessive. Men start wars. Men commit most crimes of passion. Men refuse directions when they're lost. Men punch walls, throw things, and let their emotions make decisions every day. Ye...

In Part 8 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington continues Chapter 2, “Whole to Three-Fifths: Dehumanization,” by exploring the section titled “Cognitive Dissonance: Easing the Conscience.” This episode examines the psychology behind oppression and asks a difficult question: How do people see themselves as moral, decent, and religious while participating in systems that h...

In Part 7 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington continues Chapter 2, “Whole to Three-Fifths: Dehumanization,” by examining the Three-Fifths Compromise and the political decisions that allowed slavery to continue in the newly formed United States. This episode explores the debates of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, including South Carolina's threat to reject th...

In Part 6 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington begins Chapter 2, “Whole to Three-Fifths: Dehumanization,” from Dr. Joy DeGruy’s groundbreaking book. This episode explores how slavery in America evolved into a uniquely brutal system that depended upon the dehumanization of African people and the legal, cultural, and psychological denial of their humanity. Topics explored...

What if the financial struggles many families face are not just about income—but about inherited patterns, habits, and mindsets? In this episode of the Don’t Screw Up Your Kids Podcast, Kaleesha Washington sits down with Che Willis of Wealth Is a Journey to talk about breaking generational money cycles and building a healthier financial future for our families. Che shares how he and his wife paid...

In Part 5 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington continues Chapter 1, “I Don’t Even Notice Race,” by exploring the sections “It’s About Time” and “Learning About the World” from Dr. Joy DeGruy’s groundbreaking book. This episode examines how culture shapes the way people understand time, relationships, communication, and learning — particularly within African and African-...

In Part 4 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington continues Chapter 1, “I Don’t Even Notice Race,” by exploring the section titled “The Preeminence of Relationship” from Dr. Joy DeGruy’s groundbreaking book. This episode examines the central role relationships play within African and African-American culture and how those relational values influence parenting, education, m...

In Part 3 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington begins Chapter 1, “I Don’t Even Notice Race,” by exploring the section titled “The Myth of Race” from Dr. Joy DeGruy’s groundbreaking book. This episode examines the idea of race as a social construct rather than a biological reality and explores how racism continues to shape systems, institutions, opportunities, and lived...

In Part 2 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington explores the introduction chapter, “Sankofa: Return and Get It,” from Dr. Joy DeGruy’s groundbreaking book. This episode examines how generational trauma, survival behaviors, and historical oppression continue to shape parenting, identity, self-esteem, relationships, and community dynamics today. Topics discussed include: •...

In Part 1 of the Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome series, Kaleesha Washington begins a deep discussion of Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing by Dr. Joy DeGruy. This episode centers around one powerful question: “How are the children?” Through reflection on the prologue of the book, this conversation explores generational trauma, oppression, healing, parenti...

On this episode of the Don’t Screw Up Your Kids Podcast , Kaleesha sits down with Shanee Singleton — real estate professional, wife, and mother of four — for a conversation about parenting, financial literacy, homeownership, and building generational wealth. Shanee shares how growing up with a single mother in Cleveland, Ohio shaped her perspective on stability, environment, and opportunity, and h...

What do you do when your child doesn’t have the words to express what they’re feeling? In this episode of the Don’t Screw Up Your Kids Podcast , Kaleesha sits down with recording artist and nonprofit founder Lisa McClendon to talk about how children develop emotional intelligence, confidence, and resilience—and why struggle is a necessary part of that process. Lisa shares how her organization, Yey...

What does it really take to raise a Black son when you’re not Black? In this episode, I sit down with Annie—a former educator and mother raising her 17-year-old son in a predominantly white community. We talk about the parts of parenting most people don’t say out loud: – preparing your child for how they’ll be perceived – navigating racism in real time – building a village that can support what yo...

In this episode of the Don’t Screw Up Your Kids Podcast , Kaleesha Washington sits down with her former student, Veronica Requejo , for an honest conversation about relationships, parenting, and the difficult decisions many parents face when a marriage becomes unhealthy. Many people believe staying together “for the kids” is the right thing to do. But what happens when the relationship itself beco...

We talk about predators. We don’t always talk about access. In this episode, I explore how economic pressure and long work hours can leave families stretched thin — and how that can impact child safety. I review the data and ask harder questions about presence, protection, and capacity. For those thinking about what more flexibility could look like, you can learn more at https://dontbeabsent.com

⚠️ Content Warning: Child Sexual Abuse In this powerful episode of Don’t Screw Up Your Kids , host Kaleesha Washington sits down with Larissa Rhone , survivor empowerment coach, author, and nonprofit founder, for a necessary conversation about generational trauma and the cost of silence inside families. Larissa shares her lived experience as a third-generation survivor , and explains how harm is o...

In this episode, I reflect on a moment that woke me up in the middle of the night — literally and emotionally. At 3:30 a.m., I found myself reliving memories of spanking my son when he was a child. What shook me wasn’t just the memory itself, but the realization that while those moments faded for me, they never faded for him. He’s an adult now, and he still remembers the fear. This episode explore...

How do you discipline a child without breaking their spirit — and still build a relationship that lasts into adulthood? In this episode of the Don’t Screw Up Your Kids Podcast , host Kaleesha Washington sits down with Angela Marcano , a retired educator, district administrator, and author, and her son Conrad Marcano , an airline captain, for an honest, reflective conversation about parenting with...