Recently, rolling out had the opportunity to sit down with reality star, author and designer Jackie Christie, of VH1’s hit show, “Basketball Wives L.A.”
During our conversation, Christie, who’s been labeled as aggressive and at times an “instigator,” says that she’s just misunderstood, and really just wants to see all of the ladies of “Basketball Wives” win.
Check out our exclusive interview below. –ruthie hawkins/@ruubabie
As an avid viewer of your show, I have noticed that you’ve made some drastic changes in your personal life as well as your business life. Can you touch on what inspired those changes?
I think that with anything, I really try to learn from everything in life. And I feel like a lot of my growth and maturity has come from a lot of things changing with the girls as well as experience. You know, I’ve always had good intentions and tried to live by example. I just think that I was misunderstood, whereas now, I think that the ladies have a better understanding of what I’m there for and understand that I really just want to see everyone win. Initially, I think I came off as aggressive and now I think that they know that my mission is to empower women into their greatness and share my experiences with them.
On the show you seem to take on the role of the “big sister.” Has mentoring always been something you’ve gravitated toward?
You know it’s funny; I think so. As a young girl, they used to say “oh she’s beyond her years.” I was always my mother’s little helper. I had five sisters and three brothers, so I was always the one in the family organizing the picnics and whatever was happening. You know, [I was] just trying to make sure everyone was happy and as we grew up, and my sister’s starting having kids, all of my nieces and nephews knew that if anyone needed something thrown together, aunt Jackie got it done. So yes, I think that I have always been that way and I gravitate toward helping others. My daughter, Shannie, is the same way.
How are the relationships between you and your children?
My relationship with my daughters is fantastic. Now I know that there was some tension before and the public stuff that happened, but like I’ve said, I’ve always been the best mom and a great mom. But you know, you can’t be perfect in anyone’s eyes. Raising my kids has been a wonderful experience. I wouldn’t change anything about the way I act.
I’m a very protective mom. My kids didn’t go over and stay the night like some other kids did but you know, I always wanted them close to me and I wanted to make sure that they were okay and that everything was fine. I’ve also been the type that their friends could come spend the night at our place; that’s just how I am.
I think that opening up the lines of communication has been amazing as well; just understanding how they feel and where they are coming from. They’ve apologized for a lot of the nonsense that was said before. But that is part part of being a kid and growing up. They are being influenced by outside things. Sometimes they make mistakes, but I’m not one to hold grudges, especially with my children. So, I’m just in a wonderful place.
My family isn’t perfect, no[family] is. But, I’ve always wanted to be organic and show people that even though we live these great lives, that it’s real and it’s raw and these are some of the relationship things we go through as well.
What would you say has been your biggest challenge as a mother and what advice would you give to young mothers watching your show who may be facing some of the same issues?
I would definitely have to say, to keep the lines of communication open. Always put your children first. I always put my children first and I know that you do, too. The other thing is that everything from social media to things that kids have access to nowadays that they didn’t 10 years ago, needs to be monitored. Parents really need to be sure to monitor that and get involved. Know what your kids are going through and where their head is.
When my mother was alive and I was taking my children to school, they went to a Christian academy and my mother was right there. She volunteered at the school. She was there from morning to night until they were out of school and that was her choice. And you know [it was] something that we truly appreciated, enjoyed and loved about her because we knew that our kids had a great education and that grandma was there with a watchful eye as we worked. So I would say, be as involved as possible.
The other thing is, I know that as mothers, we always have to remember that our children are individuals. You have to [be] loving [and] deal with what is inside of them as they grow up. Be a friend. Be a good listener. And if they feel that you aren’t in their mind what they imagined, work with them through that no matter how hurtful it may be, until they know that you really love them no matter what. So I really want to encourage mothers to keep that line of communication open.
