Usher has opened up about his co-parenting experience.
The Yeah! Singer is dad to Sire Castrello (2) and Sovereign Bo (3) with his girlfriend Jenn Goicoechea, and also shares Naviyd Eli Raymond (14) and Usher Raymond V (15) with ex-wife Tameka Foster, whom he divorced in 2009.
In 2014, Usher and Tameka’s eldest son, Usher Raymond V, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Now, while sharing an insight into co-parenting a teenager who has diabetes with his ex-wife, Usher highlighted the importance of communication between the two.
Opening up to People, the 45-year-old explained, “From the moment that Type 1 diabetes was a conversation, it was a re-acclimation to life. The life that we knew changed”.
“It comes with a great deal of consideration and commitment in itself because we’re all managing to make certain that my child makes the right decisions to have a happy, healthy life”.
Revealing how he and Tameka must ensure they communicate properly about their son’s condition, Usher went on to admit, “The breeding ground of disaster is lack of communication. You honestly have to find the means and the ability to have mutual parties… Our [kid's] endocrinologist is a mutual ground”.
“It’s been a task. It is very complicated because kids, by the way, will find a way to work you against each other. You have to be mindful of what you say and that they’re always listening and greater than that. They’re always watching”.
Usher then explained that understanding each other was key for his and Tameka’s co-parenting relationship.
“Her experience is what it is. My experience is what it is, and if we can find somewhere to meet in the middle to make the right decisions and also to be mindful of each other or at least sensitive to the things that matter to both parties, then that’s hopefully success for everybody”.
Sharing that he tries to find normalcy each day for his eldest child, Usher added, “It doesn’t have to be a life vacant of fun or experience and the excitement of just being a careless young person”.
After partnering with Sanofi's One Pledge Challenge to spread awareness about early detection of Type 1 diabetes, Usher shared a post to his 11.6M Instagram followers to say, “As a father of a child living with type 1 diabetes, I encourage you to join me in #The1Pledge movement so you can take charge of your family's health and #screenfortype1. Talk to your doctor and learn more at The1Pledge.com”.
