Ground Control Parenting with Carol Sutton Lewis

Season 8 of Ground Control Parenting starts May 13th—and this is our biggest, boldest season yet.

This season, we’re bringing you conversations from every angle. You’ll hear from experts, thought leaders, and parents who are tackling big questions: how to help our kids navigate their digital lives, how to support children through divorce, what it means to parent with a futurist mindset in a rapidly changing world, and much more.

We’re also introducing new ways to have these conversations.  Our new roundtable series, On the Ground, brings moms across three generations together for honest, unscripted conversations.  In our Book Talk minisodes I talk with authors about the parenting insights behind their books.   And here's some BIG NEWS: Season 8 is now available on YouTube—so you can watch the conversations unfold.

Whether you’re listening or watching, this season is about helping you parent with greater clarity, intention, and confidence. Listen to the Season 8 promo now—and get ready. We’re just getting started!

As Season 7 of Ground Control Parenting comes to a close, join Carol as she hits rewind to reflect on the powerful insights shared by parenting experts and thought leaders across a range of fields.

This season, the conversations went beyond what we can do to help and support our children and focused on the how. Carol spoke with leading experts about what it really means to parent with purpose and intention—offering actionable tools, real-life strategies, and much-needed reassurance along the way.

Whether you’ve been listening from the start or are just joining the journey, this recap is your go-to guide for the season’s most impactful moments.  Tune in to hear about the Season 7 offerings of expert advice that helps you parent with intention, practical tips you can use right now, and inspiring stories to support you on your parenting journey.

Follow Ground Control Parenting:
📱 Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @GroundControlParenting
💼 LinkedIn: Carol Sutton Lewis
🌐 Website: GroundControlParenting.com

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Grace Bastidas knows what families need—because she’s spent her career listening to them. As the founding editor of Parents Latina and the (recently stepped-down) editor-in-chief of Parents—the first woman of color to hold that role in the brand’s 100-year history—Grace has spent years talking to experts, amplifying parent voices, and shaping how we think about raising kids today.

Grace joins Carol to talk not just about what she’s learned from covering parenting for many years, but also about her own experience raising two daughters in a bilingual, bicultural home. Grace shares how she draws on her Colombian roots and her NYC upbringing to create a home where identity, language, and cultural connection thrive. She explains how she’s raising her daughters to stay rooted in who they are, even as they grow up in a global, fast-moving world.

Grace’s professional experience gives her a broad view of what works for families, but it’s her personal stories that bring those insights to life. She speaks candidly about parenting through imperfect moments, the importance of slowing down, and how reconnecting with your values can help both you and your children feel more grounded.

If you're looking for trusted, real-world parenting wisdom from someone who truly understands what families need—this conversation is for you.

Follow Ground Control Parenting:
📱 Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @GroundControlParenting
💼 LinkedIn: Carol Sutton Lewis
🌐 Website: GroundControlParenting.com

In this powerful episode from the Ground Control Parenting archives, Carol sits down with renowned civil rights leader and legal scholar Sherrilyn Ifill for a deeply meaningful conversation about what it means to parent during times of uncertainty and division.

Sherrilyn shares how we can help our children navigate a world filled with misinformation, stay rooted in truth, and build resilience by staying connected to our history and community. She offers thoughtful, practical advice for raising socially conscious kids and protecting your family’s values in the face of societal change.

This episode is filled with wisdom, motivation, and hope. Sherrilyn reminds us that this is “planting time”—a moment to invest in our children’s futures by nurturing strength, integrity, and purpose in their lives by modeling these virtues in our own.

If you’re looking for guidance, inspiration, and a reminder that your parenting matters deeply in the world right now, you won’t want to miss this one.

Follow Ground Control Parenting:
📱 Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @GroundControlParenting
💼 LinkedIn: Carol Sutton Lewis
🌐 Website: GroundControlParenting.com

Why is giving birth still so dangerous for Black women in America?

Dr. Uché Blackstock—physician, mother, and bestselling author—returns to the podcast to talk with Carol about the Black maternal health crisis. The U.S. maternal mortality rate is significantly higher than in other high-income countries, and within the U.S., the rate is by far the highest for Black women.  Black mothers are still three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white mothers. It’s a terrifying reality, but it doesn’t have to be our future.

Dr. Blackstock talks with Carol about how bias and systemic racism in medicine impacts Black maternal health, and what we can do about it. They also talk about real solutions: what doulas and midwives can do, how to choose the right OB-GYN, and the push for national policy changes. Dr. Blackstock’s valuable perspective as both a physician and a Black mother makes this an extraordinarily compelling conversation. Whether you're parenting now or thinking ahead to building a family, this episode offers the insight and guidance we all need to hear.

Follow Ground Control Parenting:

📱 Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @GroundControlParenting
💼 LinkedIn: Carol Sutton Lewis
🌐 Website: GroundControlParenting.com