Tamron Hall On Honoring Her Mom — & All Types of Moms: ‘It’s a Blessing to Have a Woman in Your Life That’s Rooting for You’

Tamron Hall is celebrating. The multihyphenate mama — journalist, author, SheKnows cover star, and of course, host of an eponymous talk show — has become a daytime television powerhouse: Tamron Hall, her nationally syndicated show, has just been renewed for a sixth season. But that’s not what has the two-time Emmy Award winner in a jubilant mood on the gorgeous late April day we meet. Instead, it’s the fact that we’re at Wave Hill, in the Bronx, New York, for the taping of Hall’s third annual Mother’s Day Extravaganza show — an extra-special episode that not only brought together all-star guests (from Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard to ParentData author Emily Oster) but honored two moms making a difference in their communities and included lucky “Tam Fam” contest winners in the audience. Oh, and did we mention loads of gifts were given away? Celebration, indeed!

Between guest panels, SheKnows chatted with Hall about the importance of honoring mothers of all stripes and her own motherhood journey. Watch the video — and read below!

SheKnows: This is the third extravaganza for Mother’s Day that you’re doing. Tell us how you are evolving this celebration of moms.  

Tamron Hall: You know, I think the stories are always evolving, and the thing that distinguishes our show, I think, from other shows — and it’s not a comparison, it’s just an intention — from the day we started, we wanted to tell stories. And so this year we’re elevating the stories. We’re celebrating two women who are doing phenomenal things, and building the community, and building the relationship that we have with nurturers. It was so important from the very start of our very first episode of the show, and also our first Mother’s Day, that as many women would be included to the party [as possible]. So that means moms, bonus moms, people who are like moms, the nurturers… we are leveling up the stories of the nurturers around the country.

SK: You’re now five years into your motherhood journey. Congratulations on Moses’s birthday! How has your motherhood journey evolved?

TH: Wow, you know what, my motherhood journey has evolved in ways that I expected, but far more ways than I could have ever imagined. People tell you it goes fast, for example, and you hear that and you receive it. But I just celebrated his fifth birthday, you know?! The other day he walked up to the Alexa and said, “Alexa play ‘Levitating’ by Dua Lipa.” I’m like, “Wait, who is this person in my house?” It’s hard to wrap your brain around how fast it goes. And I think for me, evolving to recognize his independence, you know, evolving to recognize that I’m part of his journey, but I’m not his journey… that’s hard. That makes me want to cry, the mere words… because we are part of their journey. And I’m understanding every day and trying to get a grasp over hovering, and just having a hug and saying “Go…”

SK: He’s progressing from the baby to the boy. 

TH: We are in full boy mode. He has progressed from baby to boy and he’s got his opinions on what he wants to wear. And he’s now referring to his best friend, Elias, and, these different things. And it’s a remarkable thing. I mean, we’re outside of his beautiful location. And we’re watching the birds go by and we know the adage of pushing your bird out of the nest and letting them fly. And it seems weird that at five, that’s where we are. He’s beginning to get that confidence and that means as a loving mom, I have to prepare him for it and me. And as you can see, I’m having a hard time preparing for it!

SK: What is on the docket for Mother’s Day for you this year? Do you plan it? Do they plan it?

TH: So my husband Steven and Moses, they conspire and collaborate. I think Moses has more say than ever before, since he’s now five. In the past, breakfast in bed was really, really big. Last year, I got really extra-crispy bacon and, um, some interesting eggs — we’ll just leave it at that. But they know I like to snuggle up in bed and watch a movie.

I don’t know what they’ve got planned [this year], but I’m sure it includes their eggs… And Moses is all into making little pancakes. So I’ll have a fingerprint pancake and some interesting cheesy eggs. But it’s all from love. I can’t wait.

SK: That sounds great! One thing we’ve covered on SheKnows before is the Mother’s Day letdown that sometimes moms experience. What would you say to any mom who’s felt a little bit of a Mother’s Day letdown?

TH: I think the Mother’s Day letdown is a real thing. I think I experienced it with [Moses’] birthday… We’re running in this swirl of excitement and then you go home exhausted from a joyous moment, right? And it doesn’t mean you’re not appreciative. That doesn’t mean it’s not a beautiful thing. But I think, as moms, this journey often wires us up. And so you’re going to crash. Listen, I’m new at this mother thing, but I can tell you, when we look back at the things that made us smile, the things that make us happy… I always look at… on my last day on this beautiful journey, what will I think about? I’m not going to think about some birthday letdown or Mother’s Day letdown. I hope that I have the blessing of thinking of love. And that’s what you have to focus on. You know, they say live every day like your last… that’s not morbid — I actually see it as the reverse. That’s a reminder of how precious that moment is. So don’t let anything let you down, you’re on this blessed journey with a family that loves you, even if they don’t always seem like it when there’s a sock on your head.

SK: What is a Mother’s Day highlight for you that comes to mind?

TH: My mother’s mother passed away when she was 10. And now my mom is 74. She had me when she was 19 — a baby, right? And now, being able to wholly and fully understand that journey as a mom myself, and wholly and fully be able to say ‘thank you’, and know what it means to receive that. Because when my kid says ‘thank you,’ I know what that feels like. And now I understand. So it’s a blessing to have a woman in your life that’s rooting for you, no matter what.

SK: That’s beautiful. One last question: If you could give one piece of advice to all the mothers and mother figures out there, listening to this, what would you say?

TH: Advice is a tricky thing, right? But I can tell you the best of this journey as a woman — as a mother — has been when I’ve allowed other women and mothers in. I think sometimes we put ourselves in this little room and we hide away our fears, our joys, and I think letting more people in… even if you have 1500 people around you right now, like I do in the studio audience, letting more of that love in. Whether it’s a neighbor, whether it’s a sister, whether it’s somebody at your church or another mom and the mom group… I get the WhatsApp sometimes I’m like, “Oh boy, the mom group again.” [But ] let that in. Don’t block out that advice and that joy we can get from each other.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.