Singer Trisha Yearwood considers herself a "bonus mom"

Trisha Yearwood knew that when she married fellow country singer Garth Brooks, 46, that there would be changes to her life.  One that the 43-year-old didn’t count on was how becoming a mother to Garth’s daughters Taylor Mayne Pearl, 15 ½, August Anna, 14, and Allie Colleen, 11 ½, would impact her.

I guess I realized for the first time as an adult the sacrifice thatparents make for their kids. I really had to learn thatit’s not all about me. And I’d love to say that I knew that before,but, you know, I’m still struggling with it. When you don’t havechildren, you can be selfish, and when you do have children — whetheryou birthed them yourself or whether you have them by marriage — youcan’t be first. They have to be first.

And while Trisha is still adjusting to being a mother, one thing she knows for a fact is that she doesn’t like the term stepmom. 

I call it bonus mom. Stepmom evokes Cinderella stories in my head, so I like bonus mom.Jada Pinkett Smith taught me that one. I was somewhere talkin’ aboutit. I said, ‘I’m looking for a better word,’ and she says, ‘Bonus mom.’I’m a bonus mom. That’s better. It just changes everything.

Source: GAC TV; Photo by Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage.com.

Comments

No kidding! Thanks to that Cinderella story, the term stepmom always sounds like it’s something bad. The situation of being a stepmom is already not easy to handle, who needs a story to make it worse?

- Bugs on May 7th, 2008

I like that, bonus mom. It has a more positive connotation.

- meghan on May 7th, 2008

I think Jada may have picked that one up from the book EX-ETIQUETTE FOR PARENTS by Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe (forgive me if I am slightly wrong on the names, going off memory)

GREAT book on co-parenting. For both the bonus mom/dad and the birth mom/dad. I really learned a lot from it.

Either way though I agree about stepmom, it does ring evil… It is really good to see families putting the best interest and happiness of the kids first!

- Heather on May 8th, 2008

I deplore the use of “half, step, foster, adopted” anything. My siblings are my siblings even if we weren’t all born of the same parents. I love Trisha & Garth, and I love “bonus mom.”

- MaríaM2 on May 10th, 2008

Being a mom is special. Glad to see that Trish and Garth have made it and are together. Benigna Marko has followed the couple’s love story from the beginning Including her admiration for first wife who has stood by their decision including living on the same land. More important are the girls. Benigna Marko

- Benigna Marko on July 18th, 2008

I’m glad Trisha isn’t having any kids of her own. Garths kids don’t need a Bonus Mom they already have a good mom in Sandy Brooks!!

- Shonda Swadley on July 20th, 2008

Bonus mom what a beautiful way to share the girls with her hubby. Bonus mom is a beautiful way to share Garth’s love for h is kids.
Benigna Marko

- Benigna Marko on August 25th, 2008

I did think that Trisha’s description of her life in Garth’s kid’s life is absolutely wonderful. Trisha has so loved Garth so it is rewarding to see that the kids do in fact have a bonus mom. What a way to let the kids know how much they are loved. That soothing sound of bonus mom vs. the negative connotation of step mom is just so wonderful. I love their relationship and how all have managed to accept everything. Way to go. Although I do think about Garth’s song about how he bumped into his high school girl and thank God for unanswered prayers. That is such a beautiful song and I always think of his first wife who always waited until January to buy her x-mas gift to get a better deal. Loved that story stuck to me and I have been so much like that in the same way. Happy is the way.
Benigna marko

- Benigna Marko on October 21st, 2009