Tia Mowry's Single Mom Claims Sparked Backlash
On Tuesday, Tia opened up on Instagram about receiving negative comments for referring to herself as a single mom. She explained her reasoning for putting herself in that category, but not everyone agreed.
For those who don't know, in October 2022, Tia and Cory Hardrict announced they were separating after 14 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in April 2023. The two initially met back in 1999 and eventually tied the knot in 2008.
They agreed on joint legal and physical custody of their two children — 14-year-old Cree and 7-year-old Cairo. Despite their split, Tia and Cory have appeared to find a great balance and co-parenting rhythm. They've also agreed to never introduce their minor children to a new romantic partner unless they've been exclusively dating them for a minimum of six months.
But because the Sister, Sister star has been open about sharing responsibilities with her ex-husband, and applauding him for being a present father, many of her fans didn't understand how or why she'd consider herself a "single mom."
"Being a 'single mom' doesn't always mean a mom doing it all alone without the father present in their kids' lives at all," Tia wrote. "I recognize that archetype is extremely difficult, and I truly empathize. But what often gets overlooked is the nuance of what being a single mom can actually mean."
"For me, in my household, I am SINGLE. I don't have a partner, so I'm holding it down for everyone at home. I'm the only parent present day-to-day."
Tia recalled feeling guilty during the first nights after her divorce. She admitted to crying and feeling shame, because she wasn't even sure if she could still use the word "family" to describe them.
"It's not even about being a 'single mom.' It's about recognizing we need to normalize different family dynamics. Just because parents aren't together doesn't mean the family is 'broken.' It just looks differently."
"The kids are the priority. Parents have to set aside their emotions and feelings for each other. They have to be there for their kids. No matter what."
Tia, who recently celebrated her 47th birthday with her twin sister Tamera, added that she never wants her kids to feel like they have to choose between their parents. The last thing she wants is to create a "toxic" or "broken" environment for them.
As a way to continue to provide Cree and Cairo with a sense of family, Tia and Cory have ensured that they'll always be together when celebrating big moments like birthdays, holidays, graduations, and more. "Kids should see their parents in the same room, united."
"No matter if you separate or divorce, the commitment to your kids is forever. When you have kids, you'll always be FAMILY, no matter the changes. I'm not saying divorce or separation is always the answer. But even if parents live together, it doesn't guarantee a happy home. Kids want their parents to be happy, no matter the situation."
"Being a single mom isn't one way or one story," Tia added. "There are so many nuances. Happy healthy families come in many forms. Different doesn't mean broken. We are family, regardless."
Tia also emphasized that this doesn't just go for moms. She stated that no one should dictate what family looks like for you — whether you're a single dad, LGBTQ+ parents, or any other family that aren't a part of societal norms.
Even with her transparency, some still didn't agree with her definition of a "single mom":
While others appreciated her view:
You can read Tia's full post below:
I always love how transparent Tia gets with her fans. It's okay if a word has different connotations for you versus someone else. And it's also okay, if someone has differing parenting habits than you, as long as the kids are healthy and being loved properly. I feel like everyone wants people to do and think like they do, and that's just not realistic.
To be honest, there are a few terms and phrases out there that mean something completely different to me, and that's okay. That doesn't make my definition any less valid and vice versa. For example, I always thought the term "co-parenting" was strange, because in my eyes, you're literally just parenting. Whether you're together or not, you're still a parent, so adding the word "co" felt redundant to me. Or, when some people use the phrase "tall, dark, and handsome," they're referring to someone who looks like Theo James, whereas I would use it to describe someone who looks more like Kofi Sirboe. In my eyes, Theo is tan, not dark, but to someone else, he's considered dark, and that's okay. It's not wrong...just different.
But that's my opinion. What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments!
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