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Jeannie Mai is sharing insights into her life with her daughter, Monaco Mai Jenkins, offering a heartfelt glimpse into her journey as a mother.
In an engaging conversation with Mini Magazine, the television personality opened up about the transformative experience of raising her 4-year-old daughter and the profound impact it has had on her life.
“Monaco cracked me open,” Mai expressed with emotion. “She taught me that tenderness is indeed strength. The ability to be moved, to embrace softness, and to fully experience every emotion is not a sign of weakness but a testament to one’s power. She healed parts of me I wasn’t even aware needed healing.”
Mai continued, “Monaco has made me braver, without a doubt. She observes everything I do. When I encounter daunting challenges—a new project, a difficult conversation, or starting anew—I consider the example I want to set for her. I aspire to show her a woman who doesn’t let fear dominate. A woman who rises again and chooses growth, even when it’s uncomfortable. She is my greatest inspiration to live boldly, as she learns how to navigate life by observing my actions.”
Mai, who shares her daughter with rapper Jeezy, also touched on the complexities of co-parenting and the hurdles they face together.
“Genuinely one of the hardest things I’ve ever navigated,” she said. “There are moments the house is quiet and it just hits different, like a silence that feels loud. What helps me is filling that time with things that make me feel whole, so I come back to her as a better version of myself.”
Asked about a recent sweet moment of motherhood, she said, “I literally just posted a video of this moment the other day. I was driving to the grocery store when Monaco said out of nowhere, I think you’re the best mom ever. Before I melted into the floor, I realized Monaco is reflecting the love she has received from me. I talk to my daughter the way I hope she’ll talk to herself someday.”
“Every word I give her is like a handwritten love letter: intentional, different each time, something she can carry with her. And now that she’s talking so much, I hear it coming back to me,” she continued. “The same softness. The same love. She’s not just learning her voice-she’s helping me rewrite mine too.”