March 31, 2025 • 23 mins
Seven questions that every parent should ask their child—this powerful framework creates the backdrop for one of our most revealing and heartfelt conversations yet. Maria puts teenage son Esteban in the hot seat, exploring everything from his deepest fears to his proudest moments in an exchange that showcases both vulnerability and growth.
What begins with casual banter about chocolate croissants and French NBA players quickly evolves into profound territory as Esteban opens up about his wish for a younger sibling, his complicated relationship with personal accomplishments, and his fear of missing out on typical teenage experiences. The conversation reveals the unique challenges faced by a young athlete attending a highly specialized school with only six classmates—all while pursuing academic excellence and basketball dreams.
For parents listening, this episode offers both a template for meaningful conversations and a window into the adolescent mind. The questions discussed provide a framework that any family can use to deepen their connections before it's too late. Whether you're raising teenagers, have adult children, or are simply curious about parent-child dynamics, this conversation will leave you reflecting on your own family relationships and the questions you wish you'd asked—or still can.
Have a question for us to ask each other? We’d love to hear it!
Follow us on Instagram @hoopsandcrumbs and share your thoughts! We are always looking for questions to ask each other on the #doubledouble
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to Hoops and Crumbs with the Browns, the
podcast where life lessons arebaked in like chocolate chips.
I'm Maria Brown.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
And I'm Esteban Brown Together.
We're talking basketball lifeand everything in between.
Whether we're dunking on thecourt or in the milk, there's
always something cooking.
So grab a snack and tune in.
So what are we cooking today,mama?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, I'm not gonna lie, I've been a bit too busy to
do any baking, and I think youhave been too.
But I did manage to go to avery delicious bakery on the way
home from yoga, and I picked usup some beautiful pastries yeah
uh.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So right here I've got a pain au chocolat which if
you don't know, means uh breadof chocolate or chocolate
croissant in uh other terms.
So I'm going to try it, butit's a bit clumsy.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, don't make a mess.
And the verdict is it's good.
I'm always down for a chocolatecroissant, yeah, or a bread of
chocolate, a pain au chocolat,is a very delicious thing.
Pain au chocolat.
Speaking of pain au chocolat,as we know, that's French.
Yeah, I've got that's French.
Yeah, I've got a stat for you.
(01:27):
Yeah, what is it?
Who is the best all-time point?
French NBA star.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
French.
Obviously, you got to say TonyParker, he's got to be up there.
I think he's like.
I think he's like the onlyreally well-known French player,
victor Wabinyama.
Judging by your face, it's notsomebody I would know.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
No, tony Parker, victor Wabinyama.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Wait, don't say it though.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Nick Batum, rudy Gobert.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Huh, yeah, that is more surprising than I thought
it would be yeah, okay, moresurprising than I thought it
would be yeah, okay.
So what are we talking abouttoday?
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Well, this is going to be an unusual setup, or a
conversation, rather, I found,and usually we take turns asking
each other questions, but I wason Instagram our best friend
Instagram and I found a listcalled seven questions to ask
your kids before it's too late.
So we're putting you in the hotseat.
You are going to be the oneanswering all the questions and,
you know, be as happy, ashonest as you can be, because
(02:36):
everybody loves hearing yourhonesty, and I thank you in
advance for being brave enoughto answer.
Are you ready?
Yep, okay.
Question number one what'ssomething you've always wanted
to do as a family?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Something I've always wanted to do as a family.
Um, I mean, I don't know ifthis is like a family thing,
more of like a mother-fatherthing, but I've kind of always
wanted a little brother or likejust a little sibling in general
.
But I mean that's not something.
I of always wanted a littlebrother or like, uh, just a
little sibling in general, but Imean that's not something I've
always wanted to do.
Like I can't really do that's Idon't know how to explain it
(03:14):
like you can't do, just do alittle brother, no no sadly, I
guess.
I guess maybe play like a, afamily pickup basketball game.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well, that might be.
That definitely be easier thandoing a little brother.
Yeah definitely Okay.
Well, for anybody out therelistening that doesn't know,
Esteban is an only child.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yeah, I'm an only child.
I've kind of always wanted asibling, preferably younger.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Oh well, oh well, okay, good answer.
Then question number two.
This is a tough one.
What do you think I don'tunderstand about you?
Speaker 1 (03:53):
what do you, what do I think you don't understand
about me first?
firstly, I have to say say shoes, I don't think at all you
understand my obsession withshoes because I want so many
pairs and you don't want me.
It's not that you don't want meto have a lot of shoes, it's
that you don't want me to spendor, like you would say, waste my
(04:17):
money on shoes because there'sother priorities.
Yeah, but I think you don'tunderstand my love for shoes.
I also don't think youunderstand how do I phrase this.
I don't think you understandbecause I don't show it often,
so I don't think anybody reallyunderstands about like how often
(04:39):
I really think about myself andlike how proud I am of myself.
Oh, that's nice, think aboutmyself and like how proud I am
of myself.
Oh, that's nice.
I don't think you, uh, oranybody else, would understand,
because I never really say itout loud, but if anything, I
think you might understandbecause, uh, you are probably
more proud of me than I am ofmyself actually.
(05:00):
No, what I mean is not howproud I am of myself, but more
like, how do I phrase it?
How, not so often I think aboutmy pride I guess I don't know
how to say it Like how much I do, probably, how often I what the
(05:28):
heck was it?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
is it a positive thing you're trying to share?
I don't know if it's positiveit's.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
It's like in between how, um, I don't think about my
accomplishments, or like I'm not, I don't think about how proud
I could be if that makes likethe way that you're proud of me,
yeah, because like I went frombeing, uh, you know, a student
(05:57):
failing class to like the, thechubby Asian kid.
Oh, oh my gosh, you know to nowbeing where I am like tall,
smarter, faster, Um, you think,but I don't really think about
my personal achievements.
I see If that makes any sense.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
So I don't understand that you don't think about that
.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I I don't think anybody understands that I don't
really think about anythingthat I've done, because I think
I could do more.
I see, but I don't really knowhow to word it, so I might be
wording it wrong.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Well, I think that makes sense.
I think we don't often reflecton our accomplishments the way
we should, and I don't think Ithink what you're trying to say
is.
I think it's less of a me,sorry to interrupt you.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I think it's less of a me thing and more of just a
human thing.
I don't think anybody naturallykind of just talks about or
thinks about theiraccomplishments all the time.
I think they need to bereminded of how far they've come
.
I don't even think you think ofyour accomplishments that often
, and you've accomplished a lot.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
All right so.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
I think it's more of just a human thing.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Okay, all right.
Well, that sounds likesomething to think about a
little bit more.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, all right, but yeah, also shoes.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Okay, okay, if you could.
Well, this one's going to be alittle bit tough.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
If you could.
Well, this one's going to be alittle bit tough, If you could
change.
The last one was supposed to betough.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
They kind of they get a little bit more difficult.
Uh, if you could change onething about our family, what
would it be?
Speaker 1 (07:34):
One thing about our family that I don't have a
younger sibling.
Okay, Other than the brother Umone thing about our family that
is tough.
I wish this that is tough.
I wish this is so tough.
I wish I wish we all kind ofhad more similar interests.
Like I think, especially inthis household, none of us have
(07:58):
the same interests.
Like we all share a coupleinterests but I don't think any
of us have the same.
It's good for us to not just bethe same, but I wish we had
more connection through otherhobbies or interests, like I
(08:19):
wish you know, we were moreconnected through maybe
basketball or music, right,because I listen to a lot of
music.
You don't really listen to alot of music.
You don't really listen to alot of music.
Not really, I'm alwayslistening to music.
So I think, like I wish we weresimilar in the way that we have
(08:48):
our own mannerisms, mannerismsand I think that we were able.
I think that we I wish that wewere more similar so that we
could bond more, uh, based onour hobbies, likings and
mannerisms.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I see but we do have some similarities though, right
yeah, like when I think as a, wefind a lot of things to do
together.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Yeah, definitely we do.
We do a lot of things together.
It's not that it's just there.
There's more that we could besimilar on Got it OK.
But it's also good that we'renot all the same, because it
would be pretty boring?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
It would be pretty boring.
Yeah yeah, talking about thesame thing every day.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
It's nice to get.
It's nice that we're different,because I learn things and we
learn things from each otherthat we wouldn't normally know,
like just today I learned aboutthe fish with a big hole in its
head.
I wouldn't really I'd nevertalk about that fish.
I'd never talk about that fish,or I learned about the this,
the slug thing, or the snail orwhatever it is that, like you
(09:57):
know, shoots a poisonous likearm into your body, poisons you
and then retracts it and then,like, leaves the boy like I
would never learn about any ofthat stuff, and it's good that
we have these separate interests, because we teach each other
based on what we love.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Got it, so you would change some differences, but
generally you're pretty happy.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Yeah, I'm pretty happy with where we are now, but
there's nothing I would reallychange.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Okay, all right.
Well, that's a good answer.
Speaking of happy, question,number four is what's the
happiest moment you've ever had?
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Happiest moment I've ever had, I gotta say breaking
my arm.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Oh my goodness, the first time, or the second time?
Speaker 1 (10:39):
The both times actually so happy no, I'm joking
.
Obviously.
Happiest moment I've ever had,I think, finding out that I was.
It's a tough one, it'sschool-related.
Happiest moment I've ever had,either learning that I was going
(11:02):
to take an advanced curriculumclass because of how well I had
done in the grade before, yep,yep, because that was such an
accomplishment to me because Iwas averaging like a 17 at the
start of last year.
I wasn't good at school, Idon't know, maybe I just didn't
(11:27):
know.
I didn't know anything becauseI wasn't taught properly.
I didn't know anything.
So just to go from where I wasthen and this relates back to
the accomplishments thing To goto where I am now, to being,
like you know, an acclimatedstudent you know took an
(11:47):
advanced class who got thatextra credit.
You know, that goes on mycollege resume yeah, it's
amazing.
Like it's, it's just it's, it'suh incredible to me that that's
where I went from and that'swhere I am now and then also, um
, recently scoring like mycareer high.
Like to me, that was never likeI would never think about that
(12:11):
happening, because when I wasfirst at Uchenna last season, I
only scored three points.
The whole season I only scoredone three pointer.
Like, uh, just how many pointsI scored that specific game.
(12:39):
Uh to having like enough pointsto to be able to talk about the
games, more, more proud andfound fondly, uh, you know, I
think I it's, athletically andacademically I've traveled a
long way and I think, lookingback on it now, it makes me
happy that this is where I am.
And like just looking into thefuture, like thinking about what
(13:01):
does the future behold, like ifI had gone this far in this
limited amount of time?
Think about the next five moreyears of high school.
That I have Five.
Well, I'm in grade nine.
I go to Wait.
Why did I say five?
I?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Gotta work on that math.
Maybe I should go back down.
Maybe I'm not as accomplishedas I thought.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I was.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
But just the next three years.
I was thinking of five totalyears of high school.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Because there's a fifth year, but just the next
three years.
How much of that will hold meif I've gone this far in one
year?
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Cool.
Well, I love that your happiestmoments are related to your
accomplishments and not just theshoes that you want to keep
buying.
No, no.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
I mean, obviously I'm happy when I get like a new
shirt or new shoes.
Okay, but I'm also I'm muchhappier when I you know, I get a
good grade back.
And I'm like think about theoldest man who would literally
be crying at this point becausethis would have been enough yeah
, okay, awesome answer.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Uh, this one is even more difficult.
What's something you're afraidto tell me but wish I knew this
is difficult I know it's tough.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
I think we've talked about it a lot recently and it's
just how I feel, kind of upsetor like not, I don't know how to
phrase it.
I don't know how to phrase anyof this, because it's very it's
a hard hitting question in sucha like snap how I've been
feeling kind of.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I think you just have to say the words that first
come to mind.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Yeah, but they're not the right words.
I guess kind of upset like justthat.
Uh, a lot of things, but mainlythe fact that, like I don't
know, well, what are you upsetabout?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
are you upset about not getting new shoes?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
no, I mean obviously, but no, okay, I think, just
more like my, I think my fear ofmissing out on things that
other kids do, whether it's,like you know, going to parties,
yeah, just meeting up withfriends.
I think my fear of missing outbecause of how, how much I have
(15:13):
to dedicate to be at the schoolI am yep, uh, how much I'm
giving up.
I think it's just like my fearof not completing my social life
as a child.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, it's pretty important.
So, listeners, just for somecontext, esteban's school that
he goes to has no more than 50kids in it, and I think his own
grade class.
there are nine of you, there'sonly six of us, six of them in
his grade class and everybody inthe school not because it's an
all boys school, but justbecause it happens to be that
(15:48):
way is male.
So he doesn't get the same sortof everyday interaction that a
lot of other kids get to, andbecause they do a lot of work in
the school like a lot ofbasketball work day and night
and then school in the schoollike a lot of basketball work
day and night and then school inthe middle there's very little
time for other extracurricularactivities where he might be
able to meet more kids.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, uh, I think just that's.
That's basically it.
Just my fear of uh you summedit up pretty much to a T but
just my fear of not getting thatsame experience or not being
able to relate back to mychildhood, like when I have a
kid.
Uh, what if they asked me likewhat were you like when you were
(16:29):
?
younger.
I'm not going to be able totell them, uh, anything similar
to where they will be, becauseum, what's the word?
Because decidedly my ordecidedly so my.
The way my schooling is is notlike other children's right,
(16:51):
obviously so.
I think, just not being able torelate back on my past like
that.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Yeah, and I mean it's like a continuous conversation
right, it's a work in progresswhether or not you should stay
at a school, that is great.
Education, wise, academicallyand physically, it's great.
But you are there's trade-offs,you know, and in life there's
just always trade-offs.
And in this case your trade-offis socialization.
(17:23):
But I think you're pretty wellsocialized, but I know there's
always the opportunity to domore and something and different
things.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
It'll be interesting to hear from anybody else that
has similar experiences how theymanage this.
Yeah, all right, but there'snothing that you're afraid to
talk about that you wish on you.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I'm really afraid, I think.
I think I tell you a lot ofthings.
Yep, you sure do like I tellyou a lot of how, how I'm
feeling, like whatever you know,stuff like that yep, and we're
pretty, pretty lucky that youtrust us enough to talk about
everything that is on your mind.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
All right, number six who's someone you look up to
and why?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Someone I look up to.
Easy answer is like you or Papaor like anybody from the family
.
Okay, because you're close, youknow, I know a lot about you
guys.
But I think also, I think Ilook up to Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Oh, that's nice, and who's?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Jalen Brown.
Jalen Brown is a player for theCeltics, right, but I don't
look up to him just because he'san NBA player.
I look up to him because of hisaccomplishments.
He went to Pitt Not Pitt Cal,california, caltech so he's
(18:57):
obviously very smart just to getin.
And then he also made it to thenba.
He's one of the best players inthe nba and, uh, like you know,
he knows like seven languages.
He can play multipleinstruments.
Um, during his like rookieseason and his sophomore season
so his second year he was alsolike an astronomer for nasa what
(19:22):
yes, like this is a true fact.
He was he.
He, he was a scientist, arocket scientist, while he was
in the nba.
Like just how he's accomplisheda lot uh on and off the court,
uh at, and he's not even he'slike 27.
Wow, he has so much futureahead of him.
(19:43):
Just what he's accomplished andlike his message and his faith
and his, uh, his overallstrength in the mind and in the
body, uh, he's just a greatinfluence and his intention and
you know stuff like that.
He's a he's a great, greatinfluence, that's a great answer
(20:07):
.
Accomplishments.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
All right, um, and then final question, and this is
a.
This is not a difficult one,but it's a very um.
It's kind of a nice touchingone and I hope that listeners if
any of you are parents outthere, I hope some I hope you'll
pick up these questions and askyour kids Because this is a
(20:29):
good one to ask your kid Numberseven what's one thing I can do
to make you feel more loved.
Buy me shoes.
I figured as much I'm joking.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
I don't know.
I, you, you and dad do a lotfor me.
I think everybody around medoes a lot for me and there's
not much more you could do.
Uh, I'm a very, you know, gifted, uh, not gifted, as in not not
(21:01):
gifted, but like very I don'tknow the word very um, would you
say fortunate fortunate,fortunate fortunate, very
fortunate kid to have theexperience, like 17 countries,
uh, to have the experience ofbeing at this school where, you
know, we play basketball all dayand and that's like part of our
(21:25):
curriculum and to have thiseducation and this future.
I think I'm very fortunate and,uh, you know, I don't think
there's much more that you coulddo to make me feel loved oh
well, that's a, that's a nice,that's a great answer.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Thank goodness Feels like I'm doing my job right then
.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
But yeah, easy one is shoes.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Easy one is shoes.
Easy one is shoes.
All right, listeners, ifthere's anything I've learned
about this episode or about thiskid during this episode, is
just get the shoes.
Yeah shoes, most importantlyOkay.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, those are.
Those are good questions, uh.
If you have any other questions, always as always, drop in our
dms.
Uh at hoops and crumbs.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
We would love to hear from you uh, join us next time
for more hoops and crumbs onapple podcasts, spotify, amazon
music and everywhere else youcan find your favorite podcasts.
Esteban, thanks again for beingso open and honest.
I think you did a great jobanswering those questions on the
fly.
Maybe next time you can ask mesimilar questions.
(22:31):
Yep, okay, everybody, thanksfor listening and we'll talk
soon more about basketballcookies and then share other
random life musings.
Yep, see you.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Bye everyone.
Welcome to Hoops and Crumbs with the Browns, the
podcast where life lessons arebaked in like chocolate chips.
I'm Maria Brown.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
And I'm Esteban Brown Together.
We're talking basketball lifeand everything in between.
Whether we're dunking on thecourt or in the milk, there's
always something cooking.
So grab a snack and tune in.
So what are we cooking today,mama?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, I'm not gonna lie, I've been a bit too busy to
do any baking, and I think youhave been too.
But I did manage to go to avery delicious bakery on the way
home from yoga, and I picked usup some beautiful pastries yeah
uh.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So right here I've got a pain au chocolat which if
you don't know, means uh breadof chocolate or chocolate
croissant in uh other terms.
So I'm going to try it, butit's a bit clumsy.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, don't make a mess.
And the verdict is it's good.
I'm always down for a chocolatecroissant, yeah, or a bread of
chocolate, a pain au chocolat,is a very delicious thing.
Pain au chocolat.
Speaking of pain au chocolat,as we know, that's French.
Yeah, I've got that's French.
Yeah, I've got a stat for you.
(01:27):
Yeah, what is it?
Who is the best all-time point?
French NBA star.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
French.
Obviously, you got to say TonyParker, he's got to be up there.
I think he's like.
I think he's like the onlyreally well-known French player,
victor Wabinyama.
Judging by your face, it's notsomebody I would know.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
No, tony Parker, victor Wabinyama.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Wait, don't say it though.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Nick Batum, rudy Gobert.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Huh, yeah, that is more surprising than I thought
it would be yeah, okay, moresurprising than I thought it
would be yeah, okay.
So what are we talking abouttoday?
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Well, this is going to be an unusual setup, or a
conversation, rather, I found,and usually we take turns asking
each other questions, but I wason Instagram our best friend
Instagram and I found a listcalled seven questions to ask
your kids before it's too late.
So we're putting you in the hotseat.
You are going to be the oneanswering all the questions and,
you know, be as happy, ashonest as you can be, because
(02:36):
everybody loves hearing yourhonesty, and I thank you in
advance for being brave enoughto answer.
Are you ready?
Yep, okay.
Question number one what'ssomething you've always wanted
to do as a family?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Something I've always wanted to do as a family.
Um, I mean, I don't know ifthis is like a family thing,
more of like a mother-fatherthing, but I've kind of always
wanted a little brother or likejust a little sibling in general
.
But I mean that's not something.
I of always wanted a littlebrother or like, uh, just a
little sibling in general, but Imean that's not something I've
always wanted to do.
Like I can't really do that's Idon't know how to explain it
(03:14):
like you can't do, just do alittle brother, no no sadly, I
guess.
I guess maybe play like a, afamily pickup basketball game.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well, that might be.
That definitely be easier thandoing a little brother.
Yeah definitely Okay.
Well, for anybody out therelistening that doesn't know,
Esteban is an only child.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yeah, I'm an only child.
I've kind of always wanted asibling, preferably younger.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Oh well, oh well, okay, good answer.
Then question number two.
This is a tough one.
What do you think I don'tunderstand about you?
Speaker 1 (03:53):
what do you, what do I think you don't understand
about me first?
firstly, I have to say say shoes, I don't think at all you
understand my obsession withshoes because I want so many
pairs and you don't want me.
It's not that you don't want meto have a lot of shoes, it's
that you don't want me to spendor, like you would say, waste my
(04:17):
money on shoes because there'sother priorities.
Yeah, but I think you don'tunderstand my love for shoes.
I also don't think youunderstand how do I phrase this.
I don't think you understandbecause I don't show it often,
so I don't think anybody reallyunderstands about like how often
(04:39):
I really think about myself andlike how proud I am of myself.
Oh, that's nice, think aboutmyself and like how proud I am
of myself.
Oh, that's nice.
I don't think you, uh, oranybody else, would understand,
because I never really say itout loud, but if anything, I
think you might understandbecause, uh, you are probably
more proud of me than I am ofmyself actually.
(05:00):
No, what I mean is not howproud I am of myself, but more
like, how do I phrase it?
How, not so often I think aboutmy pride I guess I don't know
how to say it Like how much I do, probably, how often I what the
(05:28):
heck was it?
Speaker 2 (05:30):
is it a positive thing you're trying to share?
I don't know if it's positiveit's.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
It's like in between how, um, I don't think about my
accomplishments, or like I'm not, I don't think about how proud
I could be if that makes likethe way that you're proud of me,
yeah, because like I went frombeing, uh, you know, a student
(05:57):
failing class to like the, thechubby Asian kid.
Oh, oh my gosh, you know to nowbeing where I am like tall,
smarter, faster, Um, you think,but I don't really think about
my personal achievements.
I see If that makes any sense.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
So I don't understand that you don't think about that
.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I I don't think anybody understands that I don't
really think about anythingthat I've done, because I think
I could do more.
I see, but I don't really knowhow to word it, so I might be
wording it wrong.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Well, I think that makes sense.
I think we don't often reflecton our accomplishments the way
we should, and I don't think Ithink what you're trying to say
is.
I think it's less of a me,sorry to interrupt you.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I think it's less of a me thing and more of just a
human thing.
I don't think anybody naturallykind of just talks about or
thinks about theiraccomplishments all the time.
I think they need to bereminded of how far they've come
.
I don't even think you think ofyour accomplishments that often
, and you've accomplished a lot.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
All right so.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
I think it's more of just a human thing.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Okay, all right.
Well, that sounds likesomething to think about a
little bit more.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, all right, but yeah, also shoes.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Okay, okay, if you could.
Well, this one's going to be alittle bit tough.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
If you could.
Well, this one's going to be alittle bit tough, If you could
change.
The last one was supposed to betough.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
They kind of they get a little bit more difficult.
Uh, if you could change onething about our family, what
would it be?
Speaker 1 (07:34):
One thing about our family that I don't have a
younger sibling.
Okay, Other than the brother Umone thing about our family that
is tough.
I wish this that is tough.
I wish this is so tough.
I wish I wish we all kind ofhad more similar interests.
Like I think, especially inthis household, none of us have
(07:58):
the same interests.
Like we all share a coupleinterests but I don't think any
of us have the same.
It's good for us to not just bethe same, but I wish we had
more connection through otherhobbies or interests, like I
(08:19):
wish you know, we were moreconnected through maybe
basketball or music, right,because I listen to a lot of
music.
You don't really listen to alot of music.
You don't really listen to alot of music.
Not really, I'm alwayslistening to music.
So I think, like I wish we weresimilar in the way that we have
(08:48):
our own mannerisms, mannerismsand I think that we were able.
I think that we I wish that wewere more similar so that we
could bond more, uh, based onour hobbies, likings and
mannerisms.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I see but we do have some similarities though, right
yeah, like when I think as a, wefind a lot of things to do
together.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Yeah, definitely we do.
We do a lot of things together.
It's not that it's just there.
There's more that we could besimilar on Got it OK.
But it's also good that we'renot all the same, because it
would be pretty boring?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
It would be pretty boring.
Yeah yeah, talking about thesame thing every day.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
It's nice to get.
It's nice that we're different,because I learn things and we
learn things from each otherthat we wouldn't normally know,
like just today I learned aboutthe fish with a big hole in its
head.
I wouldn't really I'd nevertalk about that fish.
I'd never talk about that fish,or I learned about the this,
the slug thing, or the snail orwhatever it is that, like you
(09:57):
know, shoots a poisonous likearm into your body, poisons you
and then retracts it and then,like, leaves the boy like I
would never learn about any ofthat stuff, and it's good that
we have these separate interests, because we teach each other
based on what we love.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Got it, so you would change some differences, but
generally you're pretty happy.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Yeah, I'm pretty happy with where we are now, but
there's nothing I would reallychange.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Okay, all right.
Well, that's a good answer.
Speaking of happy, question,number four is what's the
happiest moment you've ever had?
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Happiest moment I've ever had, I gotta say breaking
my arm.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Oh my goodness, the first time, or the second time?
Speaker 1 (10:39):
The both times actually so happy no, I'm joking
.
Obviously.
Happiest moment I've ever had,I think, finding out that I was.
It's a tough one, it'sschool-related.
Happiest moment I've ever had,either learning that I was going
(11:02):
to take an advanced curriculumclass because of how well I had
done in the grade before, yep,yep, because that was such an
accomplishment to me because Iwas averaging like a 17 at the
start of last year.
I wasn't good at school, Idon't know, maybe I just didn't
(11:27):
know.
I didn't know anything becauseI wasn't taught properly.
I didn't know anything.
So just to go from where I wasthen and this relates back to
the accomplishments thing To goto where I am now, to being,
like you know, an acclimatedstudent you know took an
(11:47):
advanced class who got thatextra credit.
You know, that goes on mycollege resume yeah, it's
amazing.
Like it's, it's just it's, it'suh incredible to me that that's
where I went from and that'swhere I am now and then also, um
, recently scoring like mycareer high.
Like to me, that was never likeI would never think about that
(12:11):
happening, because when I wasfirst at Uchenna last season, I
only scored three points.
The whole season I only scoredone three pointer.
Like, uh, just how many pointsI scored that specific game.
(12:39):
Uh to having like enough pointsto to be able to talk about the
games, more, more proud andfound fondly, uh, you know, I
think I it's, athletically andacademically I've traveled a
long way and I think, lookingback on it now, it makes me
happy that this is where I am.
And like just looking into thefuture, like thinking about what
(13:01):
does the future behold, like ifI had gone this far in this
limited amount of time?
Think about the next five moreyears of high school.
That I have Five.
Well, I'm in grade nine.
I go to Wait.
Why did I say five?
I?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Gotta work on that math.
Maybe I should go back down.
Maybe I'm not as accomplishedas I thought.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I was.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
But just the next three years.
I was thinking of five totalyears of high school.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Because there's a fifth year, but just the next
three years.
How much of that will hold meif I've gone this far in one
year?
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Cool.
Well, I love that your happiestmoments are related to your
accomplishments and not just theshoes that you want to keep
buying.
No, no.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
I mean, obviously I'm happy when I get like a new
shirt or new shoes.
Okay, but I'm also I'm muchhappier when I you know, I get a
good grade back.
And I'm like think about theoldest man who would literally
be crying at this point becausethis would have been enough yeah
, okay, awesome answer.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Uh, this one is even more difficult.
What's something you're afraidto tell me but wish I knew this
is difficult I know it's tough.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
I think we've talked about it a lot recently and it's
just how I feel, kind of upsetor like not, I don't know how to
phrase it.
I don't know how to phrase anyof this, because it's very it's
a hard hitting question in sucha like snap how I've been
feeling kind of.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I think you just have to say the words that first
come to mind.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Yeah, but they're not the right words.
I guess kind of upset like justthat.
Uh, a lot of things, but mainlythe fact that, like I don't
know, well, what are you upsetabout?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
are you upset about not getting new shoes?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
no, I mean obviously, but no, okay, I think, just
more like my, I think my fear ofmissing out on things that
other kids do, whether it's,like you know, going to parties,
yeah, just meeting up withfriends.
I think my fear of missing outbecause of how, how much I have
(15:13):
to dedicate to be at the schoolI am yep, uh, how much I'm
giving up.
I think it's just like my fearof not completing my social life
as a child.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, it's pretty important.
So, listeners, just for somecontext, esteban's school that
he goes to has no more than 50kids in it, and I think his own
grade class.
there are nine of you, there'sonly six of us, six of them in
his grade class and everybody inthe school not because it's an
all boys school, but justbecause it happens to be that
(15:48):
way is male.
So he doesn't get the same sortof everyday interaction that a
lot of other kids get to, andbecause they do a lot of work in
the school like a lot ofbasketball work day and night
and then school in the schoollike a lot of basketball work
day and night and then school inthe middle there's very little
time for other extracurricularactivities where he might be
able to meet more kids.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, uh, I think just that's.
That's basically it.
Just my fear of uh you summedit up pretty much to a T but
just my fear of not getting thatsame experience or not being
able to relate back to mychildhood, like when I have a
kid.
Uh, what if they asked me likewhat were you like when you were
(16:29):
?
younger.
I'm not going to be able totell them, uh, anything similar
to where they will be, becauseum, what's the word?
Because decidedly my ordecidedly so my.
The way my schooling is is notlike other children's right,
(16:51):
obviously so.
I think, just not being able torelate back on my past like
that.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Yeah, and I mean it's like a continuous conversation
right, it's a work in progresswhether or not you should stay
at a school, that is great.
Education, wise, academicallyand physically, it's great.
But you are there's trade-offs,you know, and in life there's
just always trade-offs.
And in this case your trade-offis socialization.
(17:23):
But I think you're pretty wellsocialized, but I know there's
always the opportunity to domore and something and different
things.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
It'll be interesting to hear from anybody else that
has similar experiences how theymanage this.
Yeah, all right, but there'snothing that you're afraid to
talk about that you wish on you.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I'm really afraid, I think.
I think I tell you a lot ofthings.
Yep, you sure do like I tellyou a lot of how, how I'm
feeling, like whatever you know,stuff like that yep, and we're
pretty, pretty lucky that youtrust us enough to talk about
everything that is on your mind.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
All right, number six who's someone you look up to
and why?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Someone I look up to.
Easy answer is like you or Papaor like anybody from the family
.
Okay, because you're close, youknow, I know a lot about you
guys.
But I think also, I think Ilook up to Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Oh, that's nice, and who's?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Jalen Brown.
Jalen Brown is a player for theCeltics, right, but I don't
look up to him just because he'san NBA player.
I look up to him because of hisaccomplishments.
He went to Pitt Not Pitt Cal,california, caltech so he's
(18:57):
obviously very smart just to getin.
And then he also made it to thenba.
He's one of the best players inthe nba and, uh, like you know,
he knows like seven languages.
He can play multipleinstruments.
Um, during his like rookieseason and his sophomore season
so his second year he was alsolike an astronomer for nasa what
(19:22):
yes, like this is a true fact.
He was he.
He, he was a scientist, arocket scientist, while he was
in the nba.
Like just how he's accomplisheda lot uh on and off the court,
uh at, and he's not even he'slike 27.
Wow, he has so much futureahead of him.
(19:43):
Just what he's accomplished andlike his message and his faith
and his, uh, his overallstrength in the mind and in the
body, uh, he's just a greatinfluence and his intention and
you know stuff like that.
He's a he's a great, greatinfluence, that's a great answer
(20:07):
.
Accomplishments.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
All right, um, and then final question, and this is
a.
This is not a difficult one,but it's a very um.
It's kind of a nice touchingone and I hope that listeners if
any of you are parents outthere, I hope some I hope you'll
pick up these questions and askyour kids Because this is a
(20:29):
good one to ask your kid Numberseven what's one thing I can do
to make you feel more loved.
Buy me shoes.
I figured as much I'm joking.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
I don't know.
I, you, you and dad do a lotfor me.
I think everybody around medoes a lot for me and there's
not much more you could do.
Uh, I'm a very, you know, gifted, uh, not gifted, as in not not
(21:01):
gifted, but like very I don'tknow the word very um, would you
say fortunate fortunate,fortunate fortunate, very
fortunate kid to have theexperience, like 17 countries,
uh, to have the experience ofbeing at this school where, you
know, we play basketball all dayand and that's like part of our
(21:25):
curriculum and to have thiseducation and this future.
I think I'm very fortunate and,uh, you know, I don't think
there's much more that you coulddo to make me feel loved oh
well, that's a, that's a nice,that's a great answer.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Thank goodness Feels like I'm doing my job right then
.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
But yeah, easy one is shoes.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Easy one is shoes.
Easy one is shoes.
All right, listeners, ifthere's anything I've learned
about this episode or about thiskid during this episode, is
just get the shoes.
Yeah shoes, most importantlyOkay.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, those are.
Those are good questions, uh.
If you have any other questions, always as always, drop in our
dms.
Uh at hoops and crumbs.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
We would love to hear from you uh, join us next time
for more hoops and crumbs onapple podcasts, spotify, amazon
music and everywhere else youcan find your favorite podcasts.
Esteban, thanks again for beingso open and honest.
I think you did a great jobanswering those questions on the
fly.
Maybe next time you can ask mesimilar questions.
(22:31):
Yep, okay, everybody, thanksfor listening and we'll talk
soon more about basketballcookies and then share other
random life musings.
Yep, see you.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Bye everyone.
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