Kelly Rowland and her sons cover Kindred by PARENTS’ first-ever digital issue, the Black Joy Issue. The Grammy-award winner and mom to Titan, 8, and Noah, 2, opens up about building her village, raising young Black men, and more. Read highlights from the interview below!
On building her village and decades-long success:
“I’m so grateful for my village. My husband’s mother is a wonderful part of our village. My Mama T is a part of my village, of course. My sisters [from Destiny’s Child] are a great part of my village. When they come in the house, me and Tim don’t exist. It’s more so, ‘Where the babies?’ It’s that first.”
“I’m grateful for my career. The fact that my dreams started as young as Titan and here I am. It still blows my mind. I’m here at 42 and the seeds I sowed at 15 I’m still able to pick fruit from. That is a really big blessing to me,.”
On lessons for raising young Black men:
“I wanted my boys to have integrity and I got that from Nipsey Hussle. It’s amazing to me that he would talk to his kids about making the right decision even when no one is watching. That was everything. Nobody knows how much, how hard you work but you do it because you love it. I want them to be the kind of men who are proud of themselves. That’s really important to me—being good decision-makers.”
“I just want to get this right. I want to really be a part of bringing some really amazing young men forth into the world. That was my only prayer. I don’t know why I’m emotional, but my only prayer was to have really great young Black men in this world who were sure of themselves and didn’t have to be told who they were. I really cared about that because the narrative is tough as it is.”
On celebrating her kids
“If we’re gonna grow our kids, like, let’s be lost in their interests and the things that bring them joy. Let’s have joy with them about it.”
“I’ll sit out here and watch him do basketball or do whatever it is that he loves so much because I want him to know that I see it. It’s wonderful. It’s worth celebrating. You’re worth celebrating. Your try is worth celebrating. I love all that is you.”
On parenting and giving herself grace:
“I hate to mess up. But I’m literally giving myself grace. I’m learning that maybe all of the decisions that my mom made were not the greatest decisions. And I’m trying to change that this generation.”
“The parenting fails for me is when I don’t have enough in my cup. And by accident, I might just say the wrong thing. Like, ‘Go back to the other room,’ instead of saying, ‘You know what? Titan I need a minute.’ It’s not knowing how to regulate myself and I do it in the wrong way.”
“Kindred by PARENTS’ digital issue is available now here
Photos:The Tyler Twins for Kindred by PARENTS
