Celebrity News
It's a bit surreal to think that some of our favorite celebrities, who we've grown up admiring, are now parents with families of their own. It's a stark reminder that time passes for everyone, even those we often perceive as larger than life. We're all aging, evolving, and entering new phases of life.
But more than just a reminder of our own mortality, it's incredibly inspiring to witness these Black women navigate motherhood and create new lives. They're redefining what it means to be a parent, challenging societal norms, and setting powerful examples for future generations.
Their approach to parenting often reflects a deep commitment to their cultural heritage, a celebration of Black identity, and a fierce dedication to raising empowered and socially conscious children. It's a beautiful sight to behold and a source of immense hope for the future.
I find myself looking to these women as role models, not just in terms of their professional achievements, but also in their roles as mothers. They inspire me to think about the kind of parent I want to be, the values I want to instill in my own children, and the legacy I want to leave behind.
Take Tika Sumpter. She’s been a part of our lives for quite some time, and now she’s serving up hot mom vibes. Her mother went from a stay-at-home role to becoming a corrections officer at Rikers Island. Faced with a challenging situation, she rose to the occasion and persevered. Now, Tika is charting her own path as a mom.
In a recent interview with PARENTS, she said, “I thought I would be a tough parent because of my mom but I’m not. I’m down for the fun. If she wants to get on a roller coaster, I’ll go with her! We have this playfulness that allows her to be herself. My ability to [instill] that in her is my superpower.”
ForPARENTS’ "Take Five" series, editor-in-chief Grace Bastidas interviews notable names about parenthood and this iteration highlights Tika’s parenting style, insights into her relationship with her 8-year-old daughter, Ella, highlighting the importance of emotional learning, balancing work and motherhood, and navigating conversations about race and identity.
The Nobody’s Fool star also talks about homeschooling, her children’s podcast, and self-care practices, while reflecting on lessons learned from her own mother.
Tika’s IVF Journey:
“I did want a second child and tried IVF once. I know they say you should do it multiple times, but I didn’t have the energy for it. While having another baby didn’t work out for me, I pray that it works out for other people. The threads of motherhood are so interconnected that we sometimes forget that everybody is just trying to figure it out and live their best lives. I am you and you are me.”
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, fertility treatments, including assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), allow those who experience infertility a potential path to expand their families. IVF represents more than 99% of ART procedures performed and is an important fertility treatment option because it can help individuals conceive who may not be able to use other fertility treatment methods.
On Raising Her Biracial Daughter
Tika and her husband, Nicholas James, have always been intentional about discussing race with their daughter. One of their ventures as new parents included creating a children's podcast Adventures of Curiosity Cove to help garner Ella's curiosity and fill her up with important information about her culture and the world.
Tika shared with PARENTS, “She knows we have different skin tones and that she’s mixed race. I don’t think it’s fair to put any of my stuff on her since our experiences will vary. Right now, we’re homeschooling her. We’ll talk about Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights era, and the March on Washington. She loves history and has so many questions.”
The mommy mogul went on to say, “She was in a private school before, but the bullying pushed me over the edge. I also felt like she was getting lost. She didn’t understand certain concepts. My husband and I follow a whole curriculum, and she also goes to a co-op. She’s already light years ahead. For me, it’s about giving her more catered time and flexibility.”
Lessons From Her Mom
Seeing her mom work so hard made Tika want to be a better daughter. “I’m the middle child out of seven kids, two of whom were adopted, the actress said. She continued, “I remember always wanting to keep the house clean for her because she came home exhausted. I was like, 'What can I do to make this better?' I used to work at a movie theater as a teen when my mom was retiring, and I’d have her come to the movies and stay all day. I would give her popcorn and candy. I was so happy that she got relief watching movies for free. It was a little escape.”
Tika’s mom tried her best to keep her kids in line, which led Tika to believe she would inherit the same “tough parent” genes, but she declares she has not. “I’m down for the fun. If she wants to get on a roller coaster, I’ll go with her! We have this playfulness that allows her to be herself. My ability to [instill] that in her is my superpower,” Tika said.
What She’s Learned From Her Daughter
When Tika Sumpter gets a little hyper, her daughter will put her hand on her heart and say, “Mom, breathe.” She’ll do it in such a soulful way — she’s the only woman who can tell Sumpter to relax in a way that is not condescending. Tika shared, “I tell her all the time that she’s so much better than me. The other day, she said, “You’re a really good mom.” Sometimes I feel like I’m such a failure because I’m always working. But she just started rattling off all the things that I am to her, and my eyes started watering. I thought, I’m doing a good job. It validated all the things that I poured into her.”
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Featured image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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