Jeannie Mai kicked off Lunar New Year with a festive mother-daughter photoshoot featuring her daughter, Monaco.
Taking to Instagram on February 19th, the television host shared a series of images showing the pair dressed in coordinated red looks for the Year of the Fire Horse.
In one photo, Monaco stood beside her mom in traditional Chinese attire, holding a red lantern and a red envelope.
In her caption, Mai shared that Monaco had asked what the Year of the Horse represents and the answer turned into a full-circle parenting moment.
“She asked me what the Year of the Horse means, and I told her it’s the year of people who don’t wait around to be chosen… they run toward their own life,” Mai wrote. “The horse doesn’t move because it’s forced. It moves because it trusts itself. Because it knows its strength. Because it knows freedom is something you practice.”
She continued, “So this year, I’m teaching her early. Be brave enough to move, to honor your roots and don’t forget… you were never meant to stay still, girl!!!Happy Lunar New Year fam.”
The reflective post comes just days after Mai opened up about an emotional conversation she had with Monaco ahead of Valentine’s Day.
“This morning she asked me about when I was pregnant with her and how our story began,” Mai shared. “As I answered, she got quiet, emotional, and then started telling me in Vietnamese how much she loves me and all the reasons why.”
“It felt like time paused,” she added. “It reminded me how easy it is to rush past the very moments that hold the most meaning.”
Mai ended the post with, “Love doesn’t always arrive in big declarations. Sometimes it shows up in small voices, in honest questions, in the way someone looks at you and sees home. Happiest Valentines from me + @monacomaijenkins.”
Jeannie Mai welcomed Monaco in January 2022 with ex-husband Jeezy.
