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 often hidden in plain sight—protected not by malice, but by avoidance, discomfort, and unspoken family rules.

This episode explores:

• How silence allows harmful patterns to repeat across generations

• Why abuse is rarely disclosed right away

• How predators groom families, not just children

• The unintended dangers of forced affection and blurred boundaries

• What parents, caregivers, and educators can do differently to create real safety

• How survivors can begin healing without carrying shame that was never theirs

This conversation isn’t about blame.
It’s about awareness, protection, and breaking cycles that should have ended long ago.

Learn more and support Larissa’s work:
📘 Books: Journey2FreePublishing.com
❤️ Nonprofit donations: Journey2Free.com

If you’re responsible for a child in any way—or if you’re a survivor yourself—this is an episode you need to hear.

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 explores how discipline, fear, and spanking affect children long after childhood ends. We talk about how parents often focus on their intentions, while children carry the emotional impact — sometimes for life.

This is not a conversation rooted in shame or judgment.
It’s about reflection, growth, and breaking cycles so our kids don’t have to carry what we didn’t know how to put down.

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 intention.

Angela shares why she rejected spanking in favor of clear consequences, positive reinforcement, and consistent involvement, and Conrad reflects on how those choices shaped his confidence, discipline, and their strong mother–son bond today.

This episode explores:

• Discipline without spanking

• Why consequences work better than fear

• The difference between “tough love” and just being tough

• Raising boys without suppressing emotion or creativity

• The impact of grandparents, culture, and multigenerational support

• How trust and conversation build relationships that last

This conversation is especially meaningful for parents who want to raise emotionally healthy, confident kids — and still be close with them when they’re grown.

📘 Angela Marcano is the author of African American Heiress (available on Amazon)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Join the parenting community:
join.dsuyk.com

Trauma in children doesn’t always show up as tears or silence.
Often, it shows up as behavior, physical complaints, or emotional reactions that adults misunderstand.

In this episode of Don’t Screw Up Your Kids, host Kaleesha Washington is joined by Chevonna Gaylor, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years of experience working in trauma care, suicide prevention, and high-acuity mental health.

This conversation helps parents, educators, and caregivers understand what children may be communicating beneath the surface—and how to respond in ways that support healing rather than escalate harm.

• Why trauma often presents as behavior, not defiance

• Subtle trauma signals in children, including sleep issues, stomach aches, headaches, nightmares, and bedwetting

• How suicidal despair develops and why language matters

• Why asking directly about suicidal thoughts can be protective

• The difference between emotional expression and disrespect

• How parenting from fear can damage connection

• Why apologizing to your child can be a powerful healing tool

• When home support is enough—and when therapy is necessary

Website: https://shyana.com
Instagram & Facebook: @ChevonnaLMFT
Book: The Emerging Healer (available wherever books are sold)

⚠️ Important Note
This episode is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional mental health care.

If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
In the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

In this episode, we discuss:Connect with Chevonna Gaylor

Blending families isn’t just about combining households—it’s about building trust, safety, and belonging for children who didn’t choose the situation.

In this episode of Don’t Screw Up Your Kids, Kaleesha sits down with her cousins Taryna and Greg Nolan, a real-life blended family of 10 (4 kids + 4 kids), to talk honestly about what it took to become one family instead of “yours vs. mine.”

This conversation goes deep into the realities many parents face but few talk about openly:

• How they blended 8 kids without forcing “step” labels

• Creating one family culture while respecting individual histories

• Co-parenting through custody battles and long periods of separation

• What showing up consistently really looks like for kids

• How childhood experiences shape parenting choices

• Why emotional safety matters as much as structure

If you’re dating someone with kids, remarried, co-parenting, or navigating a blended family dynamic, this episode offers real-life insight, reflection, and encouragement—without judgment or sugarcoating.

Connect with Taryna & Greg Nolan:
• Facebook Group: Blended Families of Southern Nevada
• Podcast (coming soon): Blessed & Blended with the Nolans

In this episode of Don’t Screw Up Your Kids, Kaleesha sits down with Eddie Alexander II, a father of ten who is currently raising five children full-time as a single dad.

Eddie shares his journey with honesty and humility—from being absent in his older children’s early years to the moment his kids confronted him with how his choices impacted them. That conversation became the turning point that shifted everything from guilt to growth, and from regret to repair.

This episode explores:

• Why kids remember moments adults think are “small”

• How broken promises shape a child’s inner world

• What it really means to rebuild trust after you’ve messed up

• The power of calm, consistency, and emotional regulation in parenting

• Why love should be given for today, not as a transaction for the future

This is a powerful conversation for parents who believe it’s never too late to show up, rebuild relationships, and choose presence over perfection.

🎧 Listen if you’re a parent navigating repair, forgiveness, or a second chance with your kids.

If you heard a noise in your house tonight, what would you do first?

In this episode of Don’t Screw Up Your Kids, host Kaleesha Washington sits down with Kenny DuBose Jr., a husband, father, and firearms professional with over 30 years of experience, to talk about how families actually respond in high-stress situations—and what mistakes can make things worse.

This conversation isn’t about fear or politics. It’s about mindset, decision-making, and responsibility, especially when kids are involved.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The most common mistake people make when they hear a noise at home

• Why “going to check it out” can escalate danger

• How mindset impacts safety more than equipment

• What parents should think about when children are in the house

• Why training and preparation matter long before anything happens

Important note: Kenny is not a lawyer, and laws vary by state. Always verify your local laws and seek proper training.

🎙️ New Podcast Launch:
Kenny’s podcast, Prepared and Proven, debuts Monday, January 26th.
Website: https://preparedandproven.com
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@preparedandproven

If this episode made you pause and think, share it with another parent—because safety starts with awareness.