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MINI : Weāre thrilled to have you on our fall cover! Letās dive right into your life as a mom. What does your morning routine look like? What time do you get up?
Naya Rivera : My typical mom morning starts at either 6:30 or 6:45 AM - if Iām lucky! That extra 15 minutes of snooze time is always so sweet. Josey is up by now, so I change him and give him a bottle. We will spend that time in bed together cuddling and joking around. Hide and seek works wonders when trying to stay under the covers for as long as possible. We brush our teeth together (heās obsessed with doing this) and then head downstairs to play some music, dance, and get a snack. Breakfast is usually at 8 and now that Josey is older and can eat so many things, we try to go out for breakfast a few times a week. We also hit up Coffee Bean or Starbucks in the morning where Josey requests that I buy him a banana off the counter every time. Weāre back by 9 for his nap [and] I get an invaluable hour break. I use that time to answer emails and call my mom to tell her all the cute new stuff Josey did in the three hours prior. Thatās a typical morning for us.
What do you think is the greatest challenge of motherhood?
Really making time for yourself is a challenge. Taking the time to not worry about your house, or to-do lists, or the baby is hard, but necessary.
What is your favorite part?
The love I get from him. Little things like the two kisses he stood up and gave me last night to say thank you for making him mac and cheese from scratch. Itās a love never found anywhere or with anyone else.
What surprised you most about mother hood?
Probably how truly selfless you become.
How has motherhood changed you?
Itās made me a much more observant person.
What do you hope to instill in your son, Josey? What is most important to you in raising him?
I hope to instill good morals and values in him. I want to teach him to be confident but kind, strong but not proud, and to always be in love with life.
What worries you most?
Puberty. Iām going to cry so hard when the day comes that he doesnāt want to hold my hand because itās not ācoolā.
We love getting a glimpse inside Mini spaces, so thanks for showing us around Joseyās room! What was your inspiration for the design?
I wanted a room that had bold patterns and felt cozy at the same time.
What are some of your favorite elements in his room?
I love the wallpaper and the Roman shades. I also love the bird chandelier.
How do you keep your home kid-friendly?
Hardcore baby-proofing and allowing every space to be a play space to a certain extend.
Youāve just released a new book, Sorry Not Sorry, which has gathered a lot of buzz! Tell us what we can find inside the book.
You can find a lot of funny and authentic stories about the ups and downs of growing up. Itās all very relatable and feels like a conversation between friends.
If Josey were to read the book one day, what do you hope he will take away from it?
I hope he would take away that growing up has its challenges but behind every cloud is a silver lining.
If you get any āme timeā, how do you wind down or spend it?
I get my nails or hair done or sneak away and take myself to lunch or dinner completely alone.
Looking back to your first days as a parent, what would you tell yourself?
Youāre going to get a lot less sleep in about a year.
