Mother’s Day is a perfect time to continue the celebration of all the beautiful Black queens who are also mothers. We’ve highlighted some of our favorite celebrity mothers and their best quotes about motherhood. From Ciara to OG mom Michelle Obama, they all had varying things to say about being a significant figure in their children’s lives and what it has taught them. Check it out below:
Michelle Obama
"Being a mother has been a master class in letting go. Try as we might, there’s only so much we can control. And, boy, have I tried – especially at first. As mothers, we just don’t want anything or anyone to hurt our babies. But life has other plans. Bruised knees, bumpy roads and broken hearts are part of the deal. What’s both humbled and heartened me is seeing the resiliency of my daughters," via British Vogue 2019
Taraji P. Henson
“I never saw my baby as a roadblock to my goals or a strike against my ability to do exactly what I planned to do with my life; I simply started planning and dreaming about ways I would get what I wanted out of life while I had a baby on my hip. Having my son gave me a laser-sharp focus. That is the miracle of single motherhood: it is not easy to raise a human being with a partner, but doing so alone requires a Herculean effort that is all muscle and grit, built up with repetitive sets of sacrifice. Whatever you gain, whatever you earn, you give to your baby and you work triple hard to show your child-not anyone else-that moving forward, no matter how tiny the steps, is possible. This is a single mother’s love,” via Redbook 2016.
Tamera Mowry-Housley
“My children have also taught me how to be present and in the moment, which is something that can be really hard to do when you are a working mom and have a lot of responsibility in your life. As a mom who can be a little OCD, my children have made me realize that it is okay to leave some dirty dishes in the sink for a while, or to not write that email right away, and to just live in the moment. I have learned that it is worth giving up a little control in my life, to be able to sit and watch a movie with them or just have time to bond,” via TameraMowry.com 2017.
Ciara
“Motherhood has just shown me there's really nothing we can't do as women. I feel really empowered having my kids in my life. By far, my greatest accomplishment is having them.”
“My life has been better. I can’t even imagine my life without them. Life without them was not as good as it is with them. They motivate me. I hope that my kids can look at me and say, ‘Anything is possible. Mommy went after what she wanted to achieve and she did it.’ Hopefully, I can pass down those nuggets of inspiration to them to go after what they want to do in their lives," via PureWow.
Halle Berry
“My kids have been my greatest teachers. Before the world silences them, they’re truth-tellers. And if as adults we’re present and we listen to what they’re saying, we can learn a lot about ourselves and about the world we live in from their perspective. So I listen to them a lot, and I learn. Even when they argue, when they fight, I learn so much from what they know and what they don’t know," via AARP.
La La Anthony
"I hope I am my son's best friend, and I want him to feel like he can come talk to me about anything — good or bad, because that's what I used to do with my mom. If they can't talk to you, that's when they go to outside influences and they might make wrong choices," via LatinaMagazine 2014.
Brandy
“My daughter has really turned everything into me being the greatest version of myself. I strive every day to be the greatest version of myself because of her existence. I don’t think I would be here today if my daughter didn’t come into my life when I was 23. She made me see what was real and what was not. I am so thankful for her life. And I’m so equipped to be everything she needs me to be for her life because she’s done so much for mine. I’m just gonna keep going and going and keep showing her to never give up on herself,” via Fashion Bomb Daily 2017.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by John Shearer/Getty Images