Takiyah Joseph, 26, is the mother to the happiest 15-month-old, Kelis. She is currently a flight attendant for a major airline. She grew up a first generation American, from a Trinidadian family. She is a self proclaimed carnival chaser “from since small,” and excited to bring her little baby right along with her. Her culture is extremely important to her, and she fully intends on teaching it to her daughter. She’s also looking forward to taking her around the world so she can learn first-hand about other cultures, as well. Here’s what she had to say about Motherhood.
What has being a mother taught you about yourself?
“Being a mother, has taught me to be a different type of woman. One that feels empowered, and really, essential to life. Having a child (raising one, and childbirth) takes strength, both physically and mentally. After giving birth, for mothers like myself that chose to breastfeed, you are your child’s only source of life. All that is you, is now them and you are their only source of nutrition.”
What do you love most about being a mother?
“I love that not only am I teaching a little human being, but that my daughter is teaching me as well. I understand that she looks at life completely different from me, and is so innocent about it. I love that with everyday, it’s something new with her. I love watching how excited and happy she gets about the smallest things, and the amount of love for life I can see in her eyes.”
Most challenging moment throughout your motherhood journey?
“To be completely transparent, I struggled with trying to force my child’s father to be the father that I wanted him to be, and realizing that the plan I had for myself, wasn’t what I’d be living, going forward. I also struggled with two lifestyle changes: becoming a new mom, and becoming a flight attendant. When I first started out in this career, it was a completely different lifestyle. Add in, becoming pregnant, becoming a mother, and becoming a single-mother all at once, and for some, it could be an immediate recipe for disaster.”
Advice to new moms:
“There is no preparation for becoming a mom. I had four months off prior to my child’s birth, and the moment my doctor told me she would induce me three days later, I told her no, because I wasn’t ready. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, but also, know that it is okay to trust your own motherly instincts. There will be a lot of unsolicited advice from those that do, and do not mean well. It is okay to put your foot down, and stand up to those that raised you, and let them know YOU are your child’s parent.”
Jazz Marie 