Kerry Washington is offering a rare glimpse into her life as a mom.
During a recent appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, the Imperfect Women star opened up about raising her three children with husband Nnamdi Asomugha.
The actress shared that she sometimes thinks about how her kids will build the same drive she developed growing up in the Bronx.
“I think about this because I feel like they don’t have that thing of being from the Bronx,” she said. “They don’t have that scrappy hustler. At least, they weren’t born in the neighborhood that I think produced it in me. And so I wonder where they’ll find it.”
Still, Washington said she already sees signs of resilience, especially when it comes to athletics.
“My kids are really resilient, and I see it mostly in sports,” she explained. “That’s like their opportunity.”
The actress described herself as a very involved parent on game days, admitting she brings a lot of energy from the sidelines.
“I go to the games,” she said, adding with a laugh that she’s a “loud cheerer,” much to their embarrassment.
When it comes to handling wins and losses, Washington said she allows her children to process things in their own way.
“[I] try to figure out how they’re feeling about it, and ask a lot of questions,” she said. “I don’t try to make it better immediately.”
She continued, “If there was a visual metaphor for it, I try to sit on the bench with them and just look where they’re looking. Just give it some time.”
Washington also shared that her children—Isabelle, Caleb, and her stepdaughter—bring a sense of humor that keeps her grounded. She said she enjoys their quick wit, especially when they tease her in a playful way.
“I want to be really clear. I love when my kids get a good burn on me,” she said, noting that while respect is a priority in her home, playful jokes are welcome.
“I’m not saying that I want my kids to be disrespectful,” she added. “But a good, well-timed comedic burn—it just makes me love them more.”
For Washington, those moments show that “they feel safe with me. They feel comfortable flexing their own mental prowess. I just love that. I love also that it humbles me. My kids are so not impressed with me, which I love.”