Trending Topics

‘I’m Unlearning Things That Happened to Me In My Childhood with My Son’: Kelly Rowland Opens Up About Her Struggles with Gentle Parenting

Kelly Rowland is a singer, actress and television personality, but to Noah Jon and Titan Jewell Weatherspoon, whom she shares with talent manager Tim Weatherspoon, she’s mom. During a candid conversation on “IRL Podcast” with radio legend Angie Martinez on coping with generational trauma while balancing the multi-layered life as entrepreneurs and mothers

Shortly into their discussion, Martinez mentioned being aware of incidents that trigger your trauma as an adult, citing “just what happens to us as kids and then what we do to our kids.”

The radio personality revealed that because her mother has sought to address specific traumatic issues, she, in turn, is better as a person, noting that “my hope is that my kids are even better than me.”

The “Coffee” singer championed Martinez’s perspective, saying that “even watching gentle parenting right now, like, I’m biting the whole side of my mouth–is raw.” The 41-year-old gave further insight into the parenting style: “don’t yell at them, you know.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, gentle parenting relies on empathy, understanding and respect, and setting healthy boundaries. This parenting style focuses largely on age-appropriate development. Martinez joked that the concept sounded “lovely and ridiculous.” 

However, the “Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding” actress shared, “I love it,” but admitted, “some of it makes sense to me, and some of it doesn’t, and I respect it though because what general parenting is trying to do is break the generational curse of talking at your kids and making them feel seen and respected.”

She added, “And the first place they’re going to understand love and respect and self-awareness is in the home.” The “Dirty Laundry” singer revealed that growing up, she wasn’t spoken to calmly, but now that she’s a parent, “I’m unlearning things that happened to me in my childhood with my son.” She added, “It’s like trial and era…No, we don’t get it all the way right.”

Rowland and Weatherspoon reportedly began dating around 2011, and tied the knot three years later. The two had an intimate destination wedding in Costa Rica with allegedly only 30 guests. 

Rowland released her bedtime children’s book this year, “Always With You, Always With Me,” with co-author Jessica McKay. It’s described as a “loving ode to modern motherhood” and celebrates working moms across the world.

Back to top