Tia Mowry is going through a big life change. A newly single mother of two, the Sister, Sister star is navigating a new normal while trying to maintain focus on what matters most: the family unit.
When it comes to finding balance between motherhood and her career, however, Mowry, 44, is giving herself grace. In an interview with Scary Mommy, the actress insists that, as parents, we should accept that not every day is going to go as planned.
“What I always say is, I don’t believe in balance,” she tells us. “Each day can look so different, and some days are going to be completely for your kids, while others need to be given to your work. You just have to step back and give yourself grace to know that not each day is going to be perfect, and that’s OK.”
Mowry — who announced her separation from her husband of 14 years, Cory Hardrict, in October — is trying to give herself that grace, but is also hyper-focused on the well-being of her children, Cree, 11, and Cairo, 4. She does, however, include some sort of meditation or manifestation in her daily routine to settle herself.
“I wouldn’t say I know when it is time for a ‘me’ break, but I always make time to meditate twice a day — once in the morning and once at night — and that always allows me to have at least a little time to myself each day,” she said. “I even have a vision board that is very special to me that includes all of my aspirations for the future.”
One of those goals involves her love of cooking, which she says has been a passion of hers since she was a little girl. Mowry has partnered with Lactaid, a lactose-free milk, to share recipes and help other families battle stomach discomfort caused by dairy products. It’s a struggle Mowry knows all well, having discovered she was lactose intolerant in high school.
Below, she talks to Scary Mommy about food, holiday plans with her kids, and goals for 2023.
Do you limit dairy products at home or cook entirely lactose-free?
Most of my free time is spent in the kitchen, creating memories and trying new recipes with my family. My kids are always requesting different sweet or savory dishes, but if they could eat pasta for every meal, they would!
Because my kids and I struggle with a lactose sensitivity, it can be hard to experiment and enjoy creamy pasta dishes that call for milk, but using Lactaid has relieved me from that stress and allowed me to stay creative with my homemade pasta dishes.
We hear you have a Cookie Monster whole-wheat pancake recipe. Tell us everything!
My favorite Sesame Street character is Cookie Monster — we have a lot in common, we both can’t resist the perfect pairing of milk and cookies! This made it so exciting when the opportunity to partner with Lactaid and Sesame Street came up to create this Cookie Monster pancake recipe — an easy crowd-pleaser — for my entire family that is made with 100% real milk and easy for us to digest.
Cookie Monster pancakes? Sign us up!
The holidays are coming up! What are your plans, and how will you navigate the season this year?
This holiday season, I am all about relaxing! The kids and I are taking a staycation like we do every year, and truly, we are excited to relax and enjoy each other’s company. I am also able to enjoy some “me” time by heading to the spa at the resort, which I am looking forward to!
What do you do with the kids during the holidays in terms of activities, baking, and creating?
Hot chocolate is one of our favorite things to make in our household during the holiday season. Our current favorites are gingerbread hot chocolate, which encompasses a wide variety of ginger flavors, along with the classic peppermint hot chocolate that includes a festive candy cane. Both are perfect to celebrate the holiday season.
You love to cook. What sparked that interest, and how does being in the kitchen affect your mood?
Cooking has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl, and being in the kitchen has allowed me to get creative and bring other people joy through food. Cooking is such a great way to bond with the people you love and create new memories or traditions that can be passed down to future generations, which I think is incredibly special.
You have a cookware line “Spice by Tia Mowry” and a cookbook, The Quick Fix Kitchen, plus you had a cooking show, which is now on Discovery Plus. What’s next in terms of your chef goals?
One of my goals would be to expand on creating things that make life easier in the kitchen. I also really want to make cooking a fun and easy experience for families. I can’t say much more than that, but there are exciting things to come in the new year!
What do you hope to accomplish within the family unit, and in your career, in 2023?
I hope to focus on my dreams for myself and want to empower my children to chase the joy in their lives. At the end of the day, you can have all of these amazing things, but they do not mean anything if you are not happy.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
