Just like the free-spirited mom she plays on Fox's new series Grandfathered, Christina Milian approaches life with gusto.
The 34-year-old actor, musician, and single mom has a bazillion balls in the air, and she wouldn't trade her lifestyle for anything. When she's not tossing around lines with her sitcom co-stars, she's front and center with family and friends on E!'s docuseries Christina Milian Turned Up. She's also an accomplished singer-songwriter (with two Grammy nominations), and she raises money for the Irving Morris Foundation, which rebuilds homes for veterans.
Her family time -- with daughter Violet, 6 -- is equally exuberant. Whether enjoying a tea party, checking out Instagram, or reading Violet's favorite book series, Princess Cupcake Jones, the duo
always has a ball.
You have a lot going on. When do you find time to rest and relax?
I used to just go, go, go. I'd get 15-minute naps here and there. But lately I'm listening to my body and making sure I'm getting the proper amount of sleep. I'm not on my computer or looking at social media, which can be so easy because your phone's right there.
Does anyone on Grandfathered share your personal parenting style?
Oh, definitely my character Vanessa. She's got all these bright ideas. She knows she's got a great family that can help her raise a kid. She's very protective of her child, but at the same time she still lives her life.
I actually love the relationship that Gerald has with Edie. It's just really sweet. He's such a loving and sweet father and guy. You just gotta fall in love with him!
Who do you look up to as a parenting role model?
Definitely my mom. My mom did a great job raising me and my sisters. Even though we're all busy, she still makes home-cooked food and makes sure that she gives that sense of home. She plays Violet music -- she finds CDs and says, "Oh, this is Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift." They go eat sushi.
My family and I are so close, and I think family is everything. This is all we have here in California. Violet is very rooted in family. If anybody's being disrespectful to my mom, or someone has an attitude, she will call us out!
Violet has an Instagram account with almost 75,000 followers. Is she a young social media guru?
She knows she has an Instagram and she's like, "Mama, I want to see my pictures." I actually started the Instagram just because people were taking her name and starting pages for her. I started posting stuff, and all of a sudden the audience started growing. And it's a good way for her to have her own little photo album as she grows up.
Which life lessons do you want to pass down to Violet?
To understand that in life, nothing is a mistake. You will always grow from lessons that you learn. I want her to try everything -- and to never be hard on herself, just to love herself. That's what's going to keep the positivity going and help her not be fazed by what other people think.
In my late teenage years and mid-20s, I could see people talking. Now I'm way less affected, especially because I'm a mom. I'm like, "You don't know me and who are you to judge?" I want to teach her to not pass judgment, to be a good communicator, and to continue to be fearless. I think fear is at the root of what stops us from being great.
What's your biggest parenting faux pas?
Staying up late. I'm not the first to put her in bed at 8 o'clock, like some parents do. I'm like, "Hey, time is of the essence!" Of course, it ends up hitting me in the butt when I'm trying to wake her up in the morning.
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