The reality TV stars share tips for balancing work, motherhood, and sibling rivalry.
By Lauren Paige Kennedy
WebMD Magazine - Feature
Tia, your son Cree just turned 2. Tamera, your baby boy Aden is now 11 months old. Any big milestones to share?
Tia: Cree is in "the terrible twos." He's throwing tantrums. I say, "You can have this toy once you calm down." If you constantly console, you're rewarding bad behavior. I find it extremely helpful to get down on his eye level. When I do, it's amazing how he calms down and just listens. He's also having full-on conversations in complete sentences -- just not in English! I have to act as if I understand. It's the funniest thing...
Tamera: Aden is sitting up, and he's crawling -- but only in his crib. The moment you put him on the floor, he's like, "What is this?" And he's very vocal right now. I'm definitely hearing "Mama"!
There is so much humor in your reality series. Is laughing through sleep deprivation the key to parenting success?
Tia: Yes! Instead of getting upset I just count out-loud: "1-2-3-4..." I try to find the humor in everything. Why not?
Tamera: Laughing definitely helps. It's weird, but I find that if I distract myself with my son or an activity that I enjoy, it helps with the sleep deprivation. There's a hump you get over. Once you're over it, you're golden.
Is Aden a good sleeper, or has this been a challenge?
Tamera: I feel very blessed. Aden sleeps from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., straight. I know a lot of moms who are into sleep training. Aden learned really quickly; he's like a clock. Ever since I gave birth I haven't had to use my alarm clock, ever. He knows how to soothe himself.
Tia, in your book, Oh, Baby! Pregnancy Tales and Advice From One Hot Mama to Another, you write about your endometriosis and how tough it was for you to conceive. Are you optimistic about having a second child?
Tia: I knew nothing about endometriosis when I was diagnosed. It's important to educate other women, especially African-American women. I'm constantly monitoring my symptoms. Diet is important; I've become vegan. I cut dairy, I eat all organic foods, nothing packaged, and no meat. I load my diet with vegetables and grains and miso soup -- basically a macrobiotic diet. When I eat this way, my symptoms aren't as strong. I want to have another child. I changed my diet [before conceiving Cree], which I think helped me get pregnant with the help of two surgeries. My husband [actor Cory Hardrict] is also vegan. Cree eats organic fish, miso soup, seaweed, spinach, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. We make a habit to make all of our food in the house.
Tamera, on a recent episode of Tia & Tamera, you pose the question, "Can I be a mommy and still be sexy?" What's the answer?
source : Q&A With Tia & Tamera
