Kelly Rowland has a lot going on these days. In addition to her upcoming film, Fantasy Football, she’s also a mom of two sons, Titan (7) and Noah (1). And this week, the Grammy-winner can add children’s book author to her long list of accomplishments. “Always with You, Always with Me” is a picture book co-authored by Rowland and her friend, Jessica McKay. The idea for the book came to the friends during a playdate for their kids. McKay, a published author and English teacher, asked Rowland for advice on her next project. That’s when Rowland suggested the pair work together on a children’s book.
“I love the opportunity to get a chance to work with another woman and be able to help or point in a direction wherever I can,” Rowland said. “I’ve always wanted to write a children’s book. I just didn’t know when the opportunity would present itself,” she said in a recent interview with TODAY.
The story deals with a working mom who shares a phrase with her child the two can repeat when they are apart. “Always with you, always with me, mommy and child, together we’ll be.” And the book, released on April 26, is already receiving praise. According to one review: “This book will resonate with any mom who knows the heartache of having to say goodbye to their child or who has faced the teary-eyed frustration of a youngster experiencing separation anxiety. Young readers, on the other hand, will find solace in the reassuring narrative.”
Rowland admits that while it’s difficult to be away from her sons for any period of time, she does her best to make her oldest, Titan, understand that she works hard to set a good example for them. “I want him to always understand that I’m working, but I’m working to provide for him and his brother. His father is working to provide for him and his brother. And we’ll work hard, and I want him to see that work ethic because I want him to take it into his generation,” she said.
Roland also has some pretty famous working moms in her friend circle who know exactly how she feels. She says she’s lucky to have them to lean on for support when things get tough. “Whether it’s B or Ciara or Serena or my best friend Barbara in Texas — I take advice from all working moms because the truth is that we’re all just trying to figure this out. We all love what we do. I’m so grateful to come up in a generation that believes in hard work, and they’re strong women, and they’re smart women,” she said.