Lerato Mvelase on being a single mom

“Accepting that you are a working single mother and not fighting it makes the task of motherhood easier."


Actress, singer, sangoma and single mom Lerato Mvelase says coming to terms with the fact that she is a single mother is what allowed her to do her mommy duties exceptionally well.

“Accepting that you are a working single mother and not fighting it makes the task of motherhood easier. I do what I have to do .It’s hard at times, but I try to be playful with my kids and make them feel that yes I’m their mother but also their friend,” Mvelase explains.

She says regardless of this, she would like to think of herself as a pretty strict mom, especially to her nine-year-old little girl. “I speak to her like a young lady,” she adds, indicating that team work is what makes her role as a mother easier.

“I have a great support system. My mom and my niece are truly helpful. I don’t have to do everything on my own,” she said. “It took me a long time to know that mommy also deserves some alone time. I have learned to balance things out now. I use to feel bad about it as I felt like I was neglecting my kids, but I’m not an emotional mom anymore. I’m a rational mom now.”

Mvelase says the one big wish she has for her two girls aged nine and three, is for them to grow up together, love and empower each other. “I’m not always going to be around, so I need them to walk this journey together.”

A few interesting things to know about Mvelase

  • She is a girly girl
  • She is a germaphobe, and showers three to four times a day
  • She is a passive shopaholic

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