BMWK: So how many times have you been up to Howard since Cyrene’s been here?

Jewell: Oh I’ve been up there four times! She has to be on a gluten-free diet, and she ended up getting sick the last week and a half. So we got her back on her diet and a gluten-free chef in the house. I was trying to bring her home but she was like, “No mom, no way”. I just need her to be well and watch what she eats. She’s doing well though, I’m proud of her. It was another area of growth for her in doing what she needs to do, so she can stay at Howard.

BMWK: What advice can you share for those parents who might be dealing with separation anxiety with their children going off to college?

Jewell: You’re going to miss your children period. But I was also excited for her to go even though she’s the baby. She needed to go so she could grow and we could grow. So I would tell parents to get a life! Get a life! As much as I love my children, they are not my life. As a matter of fact, we travel more now than ever because I don’t have a highschooler at home that I need to be home with. I don’t have to rush back. I can go and do some things that I really want to do. Get more than a 9-5. Get involved with some extracurricular activities and re-discover those dreams you’ve put on hold.

BMWK: What can our readers expect to see on this season of Thicker Than Water?

Jewell: Ben’s CD just dropped and is already a #1 bestseller on Amazon. We’ll be celebrating 25 years of him being in the music industry. You’ll get an opportunity to see that celebration. You’ll see a family trip that is going to be more than funny! Y’all ain’t even ready! [Laughs] Listen, when we were taping, I almost peed on myself I was laughing so hard. I needed a break. So you’ll see that [Laugh].

BMWK: Any upcoming projects you want to share with our readers?

Jewell: I’m getting ready to launch the Jewel Tankard talk show near the end of March on the Impact Network (first AA Christian owned Network). Every time I talk about it, I’m going to cry because it’s been a dream of mine for a long time. God has been putting all the pieces together, so I’m excited. It’s going to be a hit, a mix of Ellen with the dancing and the fun, and also a Lifeclass element. We’ll be talking about fatherlessness, and the black family at large.

We’re talking about entrepreneurs, and not just about their successes. We’ll be talking about how many times did you guys meet with your mastermind team and you just went in circles and went nowhere? I think it’ll really inspire people to continue to run towards their dreams because successful people have all experienced failure. The more we can understand that dynamic, the more we’ll stay in the race and not be so quick to give up. And to also understand that your team can make you or break you, so you have to pray for your team and how to build one. It’s centered around faith, family and finances.

I’m also working on a national syndicated radio show, as well as the Millionaire’s Book Club which starts back up in September. The testimonials have been amazing!

Last but not least, we have a family conference coming up April 24-25. Two powerful days of teaching, and each of the children will be speaking. Find out more and register on JewellTankard.org.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Thicker than Water, you can catch up on episodes, right here on Bravo.

BMWK: What inspires you about the black family at large, or what needs to be talked about more often as it relates to the black family?