Ciara Opens Up About Her Family's Transition From Two Kids To Three
Here's something that will make you wonder where the time went: Ciara and Russell Wilson welcomed their third child Baby Win to the world almost a year ago. Ciara, who's also mother to Sienna (4) and Future (7) couldn't be more excited to watch him grow and she's opening up about life after baby number three and the transition of going from two kids, to three.
In fact, the adjustment has been similar to what any mom of three will tell you. From becoming more lax with each child that comes along, to figuring out how to divide your time. In an interview with POPSUGAR, she divulged in what the Wilsons are up to since welcoming the newest family member.
Continue reading for our favorite highlights!
On the transition from two to three kids:
"From day one, of course, I always wanted to love my babies as best as I can; that never changes. But I will say, I do think when you have baby number one, you're so particular about everything. You're like, 'Oh, you dropped that, I got to rinse it like crazy," and now it's like, 'Alright, we got the five second rule.'"
The "Level Up" singer even opened up on how the Wilsons juggle bedtime, which they have adopted the same mindset for a smooth nightcap. Every night before bed, she and Russell have "book time" and read to the kids, and while they usually pick out threeish books a night. But with three kids, they decided they needed a better game plan. She jokes:
"Future's seven, Sienna's four, so their books are a little different. Win, obviously, his books are different. So I'm like, Win is just going to just be reading some big kid books, because we're going to have to tag team. Everybody's going to be reading the same book and if you don't understand it, you're just going to get better."
On raising a family during a chaotic year:
"I think kids are way more resilient and have way more fight than we even know. They really adapted well. When President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came into office, I remember Sienna saying, 'The COVID's over!' Just the cute little jokes and things that they made of it. They have been able to bring a lot of light in the midst of the storm and that's been a blessing."
But one thing that took their mind off of the fact that outside was shut down, was her kid's love for TikTok.
"Sometimes it's like herding cats when you're trying to get kids to do a TikTok and focus. But they managed to pull together some seriously impressive videos and entertain themselves. My 'Got Me Good' song was also one of the first TikTok songs that was really starting to build up and go viral on TikTok, and Sienna the other day said, 'My back is aching and my bra too tight' in the car. That was cute."
On sharing her music with her kids:
Ciara may not be a fan of listening to her own music, but she loves seeing her kids jam out to her songs.
"I knew 'Level Up' was a hit from my kids' reactions, I knew that was their favorite. They asked for it over and over... It's cute when they know it's me. They're like, 'That's Mommy.'"
On her plans for Russell for Father's Day:
Our girl didn't go into detail about her plans for her hubby this year, but she did mention that she had to get creative this year.
"I just always want him to feel as loved as he makes me feel. And for him to really feel proud of himself on that day, but not just that day, every day really. Because he's an incredible father day in and day out."
On how she's made time for self:
Ciara says that taking care of her skin and body, as well as finding ways to be creative have all been forms of self-care this year. She even revealed that she's recently taken up...pickle ball.
"It's been a unique way for me to sweat, but also just have a good time and really love myself. I think when the world slows down, it's good to slow down too, sometimes. Step back and reevaluate. I've been able to do a little bit of that too, and prepare my game plan for all the things that I want to accomplish next."
We love to hear that she's also prioritizing herself, get it Ci!
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Featured image via Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TOM FORD: AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 RUNWAY SHOW
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
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Release Stress & Restore Harmony In Your Body With Shaking Meditation
When we reflect on our own path as women in light of the women who came before us, it’s easy to see that the loads we’ve carried haven’t always been the lightest. From everyday stresses to generational trauma with roots that are difficult to trace, one must ask where all that weight goes if we never release it.
The body holds the score for all the anxieties, worries, and unease that we’ve endured over time. Family and society often tell us to quiet our emotions, maintain a brave face, and keep our emotions bottled up within. But as we know, anything with too much pressure will eventually burst.
And while we are steadily discovering self-care methods like meditation to shed this emotional baggage, it may take a little more than sitting still in the quiet of our mind to let go of our deep-rooted tension. Fortunately, mindful movement could be an unexpected way for you to let go of worry and anxiety while building emotional resiliency, and such is the case with shaking meditation.
What Is Shaking Meditation?
Shaking meditation is a form of tension and trauma-releasing exercises or TRE that “assists the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension, and trauma.” This series of exercises of muscular shaking and vibrating activates a natural reflex mechanism that releases muscular tension, thus calming down the nervous system and encouraging your body to return back to a state of balance.
“Shaking meditation can be powerful because it moves your body — and in Eastern medicine, we say that moves your chi,” says Jenelle Kim, DACM, L.Ac, a ninth-generation doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine and author of Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Meditation.
According to Dr. Kim, understanding chi helps us understand our bodies and how we're feeling mentally, physically, and spiritually. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), chi is known to represent your life force; it is the energy that flows through you and everything, and in many cultures, plays an essential role in our health.
“We have chi that moves in our blood and throughout our entire body; connecting our organ systems, muscles, and joints,” she tells xoNecole. “It allows everything to function and to be nourished. We know blood travels throughout our body through our circulatory system, but chi also travels through our body — much in the same way — through the meridian system. If you picture chi as vital energy, it moves the blood.”
It’s important for our body’s chi to stay in flow. When we go about our daily life with stress, trauma, or even mental injuries, our energy becomes stagnant. But various movement practices like Qigong or shaking meditation encourage your chi to circulate through your body which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which “is in charge of telling our brain and body to calm down, relax, ultimately, let go,” Dr. Kim says.
As Black women, there are times in life when it feels like we bear the weight of the world on our shoulders, with few spaces to go when we need to lighten the load. But as Dr. Kim explains, because women are “naturally yin beings,” we take on more because we can handle more. “According to the energies of nature that have been passed down for thousands of years, women are more complex. And what that almost always means is that we can think a lot more.” And while that speaks to the resiliency of our being, it can have a negative effect on our bodies when we store more than we release.
“If we don't have ways of releasing this, it will ultimately affect our lives physically, mentally, and spiritually. Then it passes on to our children, and that's where we get generational trauma,” she says.
Although shaking meditation may be a new and unfamiliar practice, it’s one that could prove to be beneficial to those who have experienced trauma on an individual and communal level. The movements are simple to follow and accessible, and in a matter of minutes, you’ll feel more calm and relaxed, while relieving any anxiety, frustration, and tension inside of you.
So if you’re ready to restore harmony within your body, here are the steps to perform shaking meditation on your own.
How To Incorporate Shaking Meditation Into Your Daily Routine:
Step 1: “Stand with your feet hip-width apart. You can do this while sitting or standing — depending on your comfort level. Make sure all of your joints are soft, so nothing's locked.
Step 2: “Begin raising onto your tiptoes and falling back onto your heels. Not so hard to where you're shocking your spine, but enough to just kind of wake up your body. Repeat three to five times, dropping down onto your heels.”
Step 3: “Next, start with your hands first and shake them. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. Shake them and go up to your arms, to your elbows, and then up to your shoulders. Now your whole arms should be moving.”
Step 4: “Then you can start your legs, repeating the same shaking movement. You then move your feet moving, go up through your core, and then shake everything out through your head.”
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