In this episode of Family Matters with Instructor Mike, we explore a simple but powerful life skill: understanding the difference between a choice and a decision. Many adults were never taught this — and their children aren’t either. But if we want to raise emotionally intelligent, thoughtful kids, this is one of the most important lessons we can give them. You’ll learn how to break it down in ways that children of all ages can understand — from toddlers to teens — and why this single distinction can change the way your child approaches life’s challenges.

We tell children to listen—but are we even modeling what good listening looks like? In this eye-opening episode, Instructor Mike explores the research showing that American adults listen with only 25% efficiency… while expecting children to do better. Why the double standard? Why are we demanding a level of attention from children that we, as adults, often fail to give?

This episode breaks down the psychology, cultural conditioning, and emotional modeling behind active listening, revealing how kids internalize the experience of being ignored—and how that shapes their ability to truly listen to others.

If you’re a parent, teacher, or anyone raising the next generation, this episode will challenge you to stop expecting what you haven’t taught and start practicing what you preach.

In this eye-opening episode, Instructor Mike breaks down the hidden dangers of speaking too freely in the pediatrician’s office — especially for parents of Black and brown children. When you’re stressed, overwhelmed, and just trying to get help, your words may be recorded as “evidence” that can later be used to justify special education classification, emotional disturbance labels, or even medication — without your full understanding.

Mike exposes how school systems, legal teams, and funding pipelines can weaponize your honesty into a long-term educational label. He also gives practical language swaps and strategic tips to help parents advocate for their children without unintentionally writing a damaging narrative.

If you’ve ever said “He’s out of control” or “She doesn’t listen” in a doctor’s office, this episode is for you. Learn how to speak truth with protection — and why every word you say about your child matters more than you think.

Why does your child always have something to say—right now? Why do teens “go back and forth” instead of just following directions? In this teaching episode, Instructor Mike dives deep into what’s really happening underneath the surface when kids seem argumentative or disruptive.

You’ll learn why time, place, and manner is not just a behavior issue—it’s a developmental process that requires emotional safety, consistent modeling, and re-parenting. Whether you’re raising a teenager or still working on the emotional needs of your inner child, this episode offers real tools, reframes, and grace-based guidance for both.

From the T.A.P. Method to teaching teens how to ask questions that bypass adult insecurity, this episode helps you move from control to connection.

“What You Don’t Teach, They’ll Have to Unlearn” is a powerful teaching episode for parents, educators, and mentors who are ready to move beyond obedience-based parenting and into wisdom-based leadership.

Instructor Mike breaks down why boundary-setting isn’t a power struggle—it’s a teaching opportunity. This episode challenges the outdated belief that questioning authority is disrespectful, and instead reframes children’s boundary-testing as developmentally appropriate, intellectually driven behavior.

You’ll learn:

• Why many children are punished for what their parents don’t know

• How ignorance can ignite rebellion

• What emotionally intelligent boundary-setting sounds like

• The reframes that teach—not shut down

• And how to become the professor your child deserves

If you’ve ever asked yourself how to raise emotionally secure, self-aware children in a world full of confusion and control—this episode is for you.

Because what you don’t teach, they’ll have to unlearn.

This podcast is a sanctuary for those tired of performing their pain and proving their growth to people who never invested in their becoming. I Owe Me First explores what it means to reclaim your healing journey on your own terms—without applause, without audience, and without pressure. Through raw reflection, thoughtful commentary, and real-life lessons, we dismantle the lie that your value is tied to validation. Each episode is a reminder: You don’t need to broadcast your evolution to justify your worth. You owe you first—before expectations, before roles, before receipts. Healing is for wholeness, not for show. Growth is for living, not for leverage.

Welcome to the space where we grow quiet, not small—and choose self-respect over spectacle.

We say we want better fathers, leaders, and partners—but how are we training our boys to become them?

This episode challenges the cultural script and introduces a new model: The Training Decade—ages 18–29.

Learn how to build emotional, financial, and relational readiness in young Black men before life hands them responsibilities they’re unprepared for. Before becoming fathers, young men need exposure—not just lectures.

This episode explores creative, real-world internships in:

• Early childhood education

• Home management

• Banking and financial traps

• Emotional intelligence

• Relationship literacy

and more.

If we can train young men to lift weights, work jobs, and play sports—we can train them to build homes, raise children, and lead with wisdom.

In this episode of Family Matters with Instructor Mike, Instructor Mike takes us beyond fairy tales and into real talk about parenting, preparation, and protection. Using the story of The Three Little Pigs as a powerful metaphor, he asks the hard questions:

• Why didn’t all the pigs know how to build with bricks?

• Is presence in the home enough—or does your child need a blueprint?

• And can we really call it disobedience if we never taught the full lesson?

From the myth of the two-parent advantage to the dangers of experiential blindness, this episode unpacks why love without instruction isn’t enough—and why too many children are being handed straw instead of strategy.

If you’re a parent, mentor, or anyone responsible for raising the next generation, this one will challenge you to stop hoping your kids survive the wolf—and start training them to outbuild it.