Kelly Rowland may be an iconic Grammy-winning R&B superstar, but that doesn’t mean she spoils her two sons. “I like to make sure that we’re not just buying excessively,” she explains. “It can be really hard, but I teach them not to go crazy. I just don’t want them to be some entitled kids.”
But every once in a while, Rowland allows for some indulgences. She says she was especially excited to take her kids, Titan and Noah, to San Francisco in July to help with the grand reopening of The Original Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream shop. “We were there to create memories,” she says of the experience. The brand’s flagship store, which was first introduced in 1966, now features North America’s largest flowing chocolate wall, among other treats. “It was my boys’ first time having a hot fudge sundae, and they loved it. Titan keeps talking about how much fun he had and wants to go back. It’s a beautiful store!”
Ever since the summer trip, she admits, the boys have latched on to her hankering for all things Ghirardelli chocolate. “Addicted is the wrong word,” she jokes. “But my little one really, really loves it.” She adds that the “sugar drawer” in her family’s LA kitchen has become way too popular: “He goes to that pantry all the time and will literally pull out all the chocolate!” (Rowland’s personal favorite: Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares.)
Outside the kitchen, Rowland’s boys are sweet on sports. Over the summer, she notes that Titan was busy shooting hoops at basketball camp; even little Noah enjoyed going to the park and participating in toddler soccer practice. “What I like the most is that Titan is learning about how much work goes into playing sports,” she says.
Ahead, Rowland took a break to share some of her parenting musts with CNN Underscored.
Rowland raves about this interactive workbook and guide, which she regularly reads with her 8-year-old, Titan. “I love it because it teaches him how to build confidence, resilience and courage,” she says. “It’s been so amazing to my son. Now, when he’s doing something and might doubt himself, he’ll say, ‘Oh, I’m not using my growth!’ It’s really cute how he’s figuring it out for himself.”
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Sure, it would be easy for Rowland to declare that Titan loves this electrolyte-enhanced beverage because he spends so much time outdoors playing sports, but she admits that he grabs it mostly for the taste. He also prefers the fruit punch flavor, “which is great, but it stains!” His other hydrating thirst quencher: Mountain Valley sparkling water.
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Rowland says this broad-spectrum sunscreen — specifically crafted for women of color with its aloe, squalene and shea butter-infused formula — is a must for her and her kids. Not only does it get the job done in the sun but “you can rub it in and not have that white pasty look.”
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Sweet dreams! She likes that her kids can rest on their memory foam pillow and “it just takes the shape of your head.” This bedding consists of three separate removable layers and can be adjusted for height and comfort. It also wicks away moisture to offer a cooler and more supported sleep.
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Rowland, who’s partnered with Airborne, says this chewable supplement — which features a blend of nine vitamins, minerals and herbs — provides her boys with a healthy boost. “I’ll give it to them when we travel or before school starts or if there’s a virus running around,” Rowland says. “I want them to get their vitamin C!”
Rowland splurged on these tablets for both her boys in the name of complaint-free travel. “We take flights that are not short,” she explains, noting that Titan can sit and play his favorite game Slither.io on an app “for hours.” The latest generation, available in four colors, features a new screen design, Touch ID and Liquid Retina display.
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This nonslip, rubber-wood stool enables her 2-year-old, Noah, to step right up and help Rowland and her husband, talent manager Tim Weatherspoon, in the kitchen. “We like to encourage him to get dirty and move things with his hands,” she explains. “And cooking is really good because it activates the senses.”