My parents never gave me the "When are you going to give us some grandbabies" talk. In fact, my parents encouraged me to wait as long as possible to have my first child. They told me to enjoy my pre-baby life as it was then and to settle into motherhood when the time was appropriate for me. So that's what I did. When people would ask me if I had children, I'd reply "no." … [Read more...]
First Year of Marriage: A Reflection
On July 11, my hubby and I celebrated our first year as husband and wife. A joyous celebration it was, complete with the most beautiful gift I have ever received, relishing the goodness that was the top layer of our wedding cake, watching our wedding video and reliving wedding day memories that will last forever. I love my husband tremendously. Which is why I love Beyonce's … [Read more...]
An Unending Cycle: Poverty’s Unrelenting Grip
The other day my husband and I were talking about the many continuous cycles of life in the "˜hood. We both grew up there, so we've seen it occur firsthand. It doesn't happen to everyone, but it happens to more than we'd like to say. Usually, if you're living somewhere in the "˜hood, you're not too well off financially. Maybe there are exceptions to the rule, but I've yet to … [Read more...]
Top 3 Secrets They Don’t Tell New Parents
As a new mom, I am running 100 miles a minute. My life has never been more fulfilled, more fun or more rewarding. But I've never been so surprised by all the things I simply did not know. Babies don't come with manuals and there's no preparation course for new motherhood better than a firsthand account. So for all the new parents (and parents-to-be!) out there, here's a rundown … [Read more...]
If I Had a Daughter
by Gwen Jimmere If I had a daughter, I'd teach her that her black is beautiful 366 days a year, 8 days a week, 25 hours a day. I'd teach her that she is to be proud, yet grateful, to have the distinction of being a black woman. That she is to be honored, yet humbled to reside in this hue of greatness. I'd sit her in front of a mirror every day and rave about how high her … [Read more...]
Black Films and Black People: Why Do We Make Such A Fuss?
by Gwen Jimmere I work in an office full of highly educated and intelligent Black people, many of whom are women in their late twenties/early thirties, like myself. I love walking the hallway and not feeling like an anomaly amongst a bunch of balding middle-aged men who I have nothing in common with . My coworkers come from backgrounds similar to mine. They can talk the … [Read more...]
House Hunting for Education
by Gwen Jimmere They say babies are expensive. For me, my son, himself, isn't what's expensive. It's all the big ticket items we have to purchase to accommodate him that's expensive. Case in point: Prior to his arrival, we owned two Ford Mustangs. Realizing there was no way his rear-facing car seat was going to fit comfortably into my beloved electric blue "˜Stang, we took … [Read more...]
Dealing with “Working Mom Guilt”
by Gwen Jimmere For two years, I worked my dream job at a wonderful company where my work/life balance was pretty nonexistent. This made me...let's just say "concerned" since I just had a baby. Knowing that there was no way I was going to give my newborn son such a miniscule amount of my time, I decided it was time to part ways. So in mid-February, I started looking to … [Read more...]
4 Wedding Tips They Don’t Tell You
With wedding season on the horizon, soon-to-be brides are reading tons of magazine articles with tips on surviving the big day. After having planned and completed my absolutely fabulous wedding day, I realized that there are a few tips that these magazine articles and websites never seem to mention. 1. Don't assume people will do what they are expected/supposed to do. We … [Read more...]
Why Alpha Women Need Alpha Men
by Gwen Jimmere According to the former AlphaWomen.com: An Alpha Woman is a decision-maker who is committed to her goals and dreams. She may be opinionated and unafraid to speak her mind, but she is considerate, open-minded, and respectful of others. She is always ready to learn and willing to take on any challenge. Most importantly, she is dedicated to growing as a person, … [Read more...]
Can Marrieds and Singles Coexist?
by Gwen Jimmere Now that I am a marrried chica, I sometimes find it difficult to write about dating for singles. Frankly, I'm not in that world anymore and single dating dilemmas just aren't at the top of my mind like they were before. That being said, it got me to thinking about whether it's feasible for married women to continue hanging out with their single … [Read more...]
What Sexy Is
Idris Elba. Boris Kodjoe. Djimon Hounsou. And oooooh"...Denzel. Yes, yes, ladies. You know exactly where I'm going with this one. What woman hasn't found herself all hot and bothered by these subtly provocative brown-hued brothers? The mischievous eyes, those succulent lips, the chiseled-from-stone jawlines. Good grief, just the notion of their touch is enough … [Read more...]
My Baby Saved My Life
by Gwen Jimmere He doesn't know it yet, but my baby saved my life. "How?" you may ask. Don't worry "“ anyone who knows me will assure you that I have never been suicidal. Instead, he has forced me to stop doing things that don't make me happy. A novel idea, yes, but one I'm willing to bet most of us fail to practice. I recently heard hip hop star Drake spit a line that … [Read more...]
I Am Not My Breastmilk
by Gwen Jimmere They lied to me. They told me breastfeeding was easy. That it's "so natural." They showed me pictures of happy new mothers nursing their precious, content little babies as if it took zero effort. And they pretended that it should be so simple. That it was a no-brainer. Nothing to it. I know breast is best. It's not that I don't want to breastfeed. … [Read more...]
Diary of a Reformed Kid-Phobe
by Gwen Jimmere Flashback to October 2009. If someone had told me then that a year and a half later I'd be a mother, I would have run away screaming at the top of my lungs with my arms flailing in the air. You see, I was never the girl who dreamt of the day she'd be a mom. I'd only prematurely picked out baby names to keep from seeming like a freak to those who'd ask how … [Read more...]