Alicia Keys doesn’t hesitate to open up about parenthood.
The singer and her husband, Swizz Beatz, have two sons named Egypt and Genesis. She is also a stepmom to his older children from previous relationships. Since becoming a mother, she’s spoken about her experience in interviews and in her music.
In honor of her birthday, we’ve rounded up 13 parenting quotes from Alicia Keys.
On How Parenthood Changed Her
“Being a parent has made me more open, more connected to myself, more happy, and more creative. I’m more discerning in what I do and how I do it. It’s just made me a better person all the way around.”
On Her Blended Family
“The understanding, compassion and support we’ve found is a powerful testament to the healing that comes when we choose love. Especially for the kids … the most important part of our lives.”
On Breastfeeding
“I loved it. Well, there were a couple of things no one told you. I took this whole class too, which I thought was really good because I think a lot of people think you’re just supposed to have this natural instinct that’s supposed to happen out of thin air. There’s a technique to learn and if you don’t know it, it’s not your fault. I was glad I did that because I felt kind of prepared a little bit. The whole engorgement thing, no one mentioned that part. I remember I was in the bed and I couldn’t move because it hurts and there is no way around it. I delivered naturally and I kept asking myself, ‘What is wrong with you?’ You spent hours and hours in labor and delivered naturally but you can’t take some [milk coming in.] They skipped that part; they didn’t tell me about that one.”
On The Magic Of Raising A Child
“He is like my heart-burster. It’s just overflowing and bursting. It’s crazy. I’m learning so much from him. I think we kind of get to this place where we just swear we’ve got it all down and we just know every single thing and we’ve seen it all and we did it all. But what about those little things of wonder, those amazing little things that are just full of wonder ― like when the whole room goes dark and it’s so exciting or when you see an airplane fly across the sky? It’s like you just discover how much a person learns, how much a child learns and how much we’re capable of learning because there’s always something new or something to rediscover that we’ve forgotten why it’s so special.”
On Family Time
“We love to go to art galleries and to the park. We love to do painting days and to visit our family ― and we also love to run around our house and just go nuts!”
On Giving Birth
“I like to speak about it very positively because I don’t like to scare people. I mean it was painful, hell yeah. You have to scream, unless you’re totally drugged and, hell, I screamed. But I followed this particular technique which banishes negative thoughts. So instead of calling it a contraction, it’s a surge. And I think words like that are pretty powerful. ... So it hurt, but I think I received it a little better and I can say I really enjoyed it. It’s not like anything I’ve ever done and I think it’ll be better the second time. It must be. But as everyone says, it was worth it. It was bliss and a real miracle to be part of. ... And I really believe that (a) new day started the day Egypt came into this world.”
On Changing Priorities
“I needed to clear the negative space, the negative people in my space ... probably should’ve happened years ago. But now, there’s even more of a reason. My purpose is so much bigger, it’s so much bigger than me.”
On Pregnancy
“I think that it’s changed in so many ways. I was thinking about this the other day; we were just saying that your body does things that it would have never done before. It’s a miracle and incredible; bones and structures of your body move to new places! It’s like how?”
On Balance
“What’s been surprisingly hard about becoming a mom is being away from him and trying to find that magical balance for everything, which I kind of expected. But on the flip side, what’s been surprisingly easy is just how natural parenthood feels. I feel great about how easily I’ve fallen into the role. I love it!”
On One Of Her Strongest Parenting Moments
“Potty training. We did it in 10 days! He was just ready for it. I figured that out when I had to chase him around the house to get the diaper on him.”
On Learning From Her Son
“He’s just bubbling over with life. I have never met a person like him … ever. Few are able to be that free, to just follow our light. Just follow it and lead you where you’re meant to go. He’s definitely taught me a lot about freedom and about spontaneity and being open to life and how it’s going to happen. I think before I was so regimented about how everything had to happen and I’d plan it all out perfectly, but that’s not quite life. Don’t get it wrong, you definitely have to plan things and execute them. [But] There’s also another part of life that is very spontaneous and natural that unfolds and happens to you.”
On Making Music As A Family
“We’re always singing together. ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,’ ‘The Hokey Pokey,’ ‘Happy Birthday,’ and we like one of my songs, ‘New Day.’ That’s Egypt’s favorite.”
On Her Advice For New Parents
“Get ready man, you think you’ve ever been tired before?”
