In this ESSENCE Now interview, show guest Monica talks about her blended family and raising her children, two sons Romelo and Rodney “Rocko” Hill with husband Shannon Brown and their daughter, Laiyah Shannon.
“I’m very no-nonsense so if it doesn’t make sense then I don’t participate,” the 37-year-old Atlanta native said.
“You have to think of the children first at all times and the reality is, if it’s not about them it’s not up for discussion. We have to tuck our feeling in as a blended family and say ‘okay what would be best’ and what’s the best way,” she continue. “We were very fortunate because my boys were very young, two and four. They looked at it like ‘oh my God, he treats me amazing, he so good to us.’ He enjoys teaching them about sports and my middle son is very, very active in sports, he plays every sport—so it was easier for us because they were younger and they were able to get a chance to just to know him and not have all these other feelings.”
The singer and the former NBA star married in 2010. In 2013, the two welcomed their daughter Laiyah together. Brown also has a son from a prior relationship.