The Super Bowl Halftime Show host, who is partnering with Sanofi to spread the word about type 1 diabetes testing, opens up about his co-parenting journey
When Usher and ex-wife Tameka Foster found out years ago that one of his children had type 1 diabetes, it changed everything.
“From the moment type 1 diabetes became a conversation, it was a readjustment to life. Life as we knew it has changed,” says the Grammy winner, 45, of the chronic condition in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin for the body, often requiring insulin injections to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
“It just comes with a lot of consideration and commitment as we all manage to make sure my child makes the right decisions to have a happy, healthy life,” he explained.
Keeping on top of the disease requires teamwork between Raymond and Foster, who divorced in 2009, and the star admits it’s something they’re working hard on.
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Usher Raymond with ex-wife Tameka Foster in 2007.
Ethan Miller/Getty
“The reason for the disaster is the lack of communication,” he says. “Honestly, you have to find the means and the ability to have parties together.” For him and Foster, “our [kid’s] an endocrinologist is a mutual basis.”
Still, says the star, “It was a task. It’s very complicated because the kids, along the way, will find a way to work you against each other. You have to watch what you say and always be listened to and more than that. They’re always watching.”
What has worked best for him and Foster, with whom he shares sons Usher Raymond V, 15, and Naviyd Eli Raymond, 14, is trying to be understanding. “Her experience is what it is. My experience is what it is, and if we can find a place where we can meet in the middle to make the right decisions and also be aware of each other or at least be sensitive to things that are important to both sides, then hopefully that’s a win for all .”
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Usher Raymond and his sons Usher “Cinco” Raymond V and Naviyd Raymond. Paras Griffin/Getty
Usher recently teamed up with Sanofi’s The 1 Pledge Movement to get the word out about early detection of type 1 diabetes, something he wishes he had been aware of years ago. “If I had honestly prepared better, I would have appreciated it,” he says.
After years of helping his child manage life with the disorder, finding normalcy became his priority: “It doesn’t have to be a life void of fun or the experience and excitement of being a carefree young person.”
And even as Usher prepares to headline the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show in February, he still faces the same challenge as any parent of a teenager.
“Am I cool with them?” the star says with a laugh. “I think I’m really cool with my 2- and 3-year-old [Sire Castrello and Sovereign Bo, with longtime girlfriend Jenn Goicoechea]. They don’t know any better. But my almost 16 and almost 15 year olds may think I’m not. They’ll say ‘You need to update this’ or ‘You might be doing that’. I try to make sure I stay cool with them.”
Most importantly, Usher adds, “Dad’s life is everything. I live for my children. I saw every first step and I missed a few starts as a result of my dedication to the party. But it’s a sacrifice. I just hope they see me as the dad I never had. I am a father who takes care of my family 100 percent.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education