“I equate parenting three humans to putting together the most beautiful 10,000 piece puzzle,” says Keri Shahidi—mother of actress Yara Shahidi and Sayeed and Ehsan Shahidi. “Every day is a new day of self-discovery, as a woman, mother, partner, and friend.” That sense of discovery is especially true right now, as we’re all finding our feet—and figuring out how best to connect with ourselves and our loved ones—in the face of this pandemic.
While Keri, Yara, and their family have always been close knit, they’re finding new ways to keep each other engaged while inside. Their mother-daughter routine now typically starts with a check-in every morning: “We talk about how we slept, continuing to remind each other of the importance of downtime.” That downtime usually includes reading books together (recents favorites are The Alchemist and Their Eyes Were Watching God), enjoying a Bobbi Brown face mask, or a daily FaceTime session with Nana. “We are grateful she s such an active part of our lives,” Yara says of her grandmother. “My mom has always modeled the importance of family relationships, so during this time, we have just prioritized reaching out more.” And of course, a favorite past-time also includes having in-depth conversations about different philosophers and their perspectives “to keep our minds moving.”
The moving doesn’t stop at the mind, either: “Quarantining together has upped our collective commitment to be healthier, so we exercise together quite a bit,” Keri says. She and Yara have been jumping rope and doing guided workouts together, led by Katie Wildhagen, three to four times a week. “Katie has such wonderful energy and offers classes via a donation! It is an uplifting space of people wanting to stay healthy, and it ends in a beautiful meditation.”
Amid the pandemic, Keri continues to emphasize the importance of transparency with her kids. “Ultimately I continue to share that I don’t have all of the parenting answers,” she notes, “but I do have their best interest at heart. We are raising three extremely plugged-in individuals, who deeply love one another and feel a commitment to our global society, and for that, I am at peace, and the beautiful puzzle is continuing to take shape.”
Here, Keri and Yara Shahidi share a look at their at-home family routine for inspiration this quarantined Mother’s Day and beyond.
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