(Sag Harbor, NY) Greetings Hamptons Mouthpiece readers, I have added a new section to Hamptons Mouthpiece and it is called Hamptons Spotlight…today’s spotlight is Mothers because the are the best celebrities in my eyes…What we will try to focus on are trends in the Hamptons as well as the world at large, including politics, finance, social events, or anything that is trending in the news. Hamptons Mouthpiece will spotlight this. What we will ask our readers to do is to submit suggestions where you think the spotlight should focus on. What will Hamptons Spotlight be looking at next week tune in.

I love being a mother to Danielle and Allura. I may not have a lot but I have my daughters and they are all I need. They make me laugh and smile and cry. I love the life I live especially because they are in it. A mother’s love really has no bounds..It takes someone really brave to be a mother, someone strong to raise a child and someone special to love someone more than herself.  I have been very blessed to have such amazing women in my life to teach me how to be a mother. My mother Charlotte Cook is one of the strongest women that I know, she has always put her children ahead of her needs and it has not always been easy for her. Although  my father and I are in a good place now, my mother struggled on her own for many years to provide for her children and education was always a primary focus in our home.

I grew up in Harlem and my mother never allowed us to be a product of our environment, she always said you may live in the ghetto but you do not have to be ghetto. Speaking properly was very important to my mother and I can hear the words ringing in my ears as I write them, when you walk through these doors (our apartment) you will speak the Queen’s English and leave that slang where it belongs, in the street.

My mother was a smart woman then and still is. She is my rock, a little extreme sometimes, like the time when I came in late, well the next afternoon and brought in Kentucky Fried Chicken, she took my chicken and threw it on the floor and began to stomp it with her foot, all because she felt I disrespected the house because she had cooked. I have to admit I did think the woman was crazy at that time. I think about that time and it makes me laugh now. Whenever I think about my mother it is always with fondness, deep respect, love and admiration. My mother taught me my values, those same values that I have instilled in my children. She is responsible for the person that I am today.

My grandmother is still alive and a woman who has loved me my entire life unconditionally. Her love never came with conditions, she always made me feel beautiful and loved. She is such an inspiration in my life and her energy and spunk, are what give me the courage to feel like I can take on the world and never be afraid of anything or anyone. This is a quality that has been instilled in my daughters, They are told you can do anything and be anyone, never let the color of your skin get in the way of you reaching for the stars. The world is open to you and there for you to take, don’t limit yourself because others don’t believe in you, believe in yourself. There are no limitations only those that you inflict on yourself.

I have so many wonderful friends, too many to name. These are the most remarkable women that I know, everyday they put their needs on hold to tend to the needs of their children. They often times deny themselves from having a time-out because they are doing something for their kids. I learn from these women how to appreciate motherhood with all its ups and downs. Thank you ladies…

Motherhood comes in many forms, just because you are not a biological mother, doesn’t mean that you do not understand how to be a mother. My best friend Patricia is a godmother to both of my daughters and I would intrust their lives to her in a second if something were to happen to me. She loves unconditionally, she is a God-mother because God has blessed Kurt and I to have her in their lives. Aunts, Friends, cousins, sisters can all play a tremendous role in a child’s life , my girls are blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support from amazing women who are role-models in their life.

There is a very special woman who will forever have a special place in my heart and that is my Mother-n-law Naomi Leggard. This woman embraced me and immediately welcomed me into her family. I learned how to show affection openly with her. I never grew-up in a home where we consistently expressed our mutual love for each other by saying I love you or hugging each other, it was just a given that we loved one another. When I became part of the Leggard family it was a bit overwhelming in the beginning on how affectionate they were with each other, but it was so genuine and heartfelt it was contagious. How could I expect my children to be comfortable saying I love you if I did not change my behavior. The girls have truly benefited from being comfortable saying I love you, hugging as a sign of affection, and not afraid to touch. These are learned behaviors and ones taught to me by a truly remarkable woman who touched the lives of so many who were blessed to have known her.

Friends, we do not always have the answer to everything involving parenting but what we do have is a support team. It takes a village to raise a child, you do not have to be alone. I guess that is why I love social media so much, I never feel alone. I love to share because if I only touch 1 person then I feel blessed. I hear often people say I don’t do social media and I always ask why. The responses I receive are because they find it invasive, time-consuming and they continue on with a bunch of negative excuses. If you stop and think about how it can be used in a positive way, you might find that you will have an entirely different experience. Facebook has allowed me to continue to grow as a mother and I learn something everyday from my amazing friends. Enjoy this day women who are part of a child’s life, mothers, aunts, sisters, friends, nieces, teachers, grandparents, and this list is endless….Today is a day of celebration for all women who impact the lives of children. Thank you!!!!

A special gift from my 13 year old….I am traveling the right journey……