It isn’t easy for mamas to watch their babies grow up. But it’s inevitable — and rolling with the changes is the only way to move forward! Keke Palmer is going through this right now with her 17-month-old son Leodis “Leo,” who she shares with ex Darius Jackson. She just revealed a “schedule” adjustment she made to help her toddler live his best life, and he is absolutely glowing with happiness in the resulting photos.
The Nope star posted the updated on Leo’s Instagram account, written from his perspective. “Play. Nap. Repeat. 🙂 I have been having a fun week!” the caption said, adding that things are moving a little differently lately. “My mommy made me a baby schedule to help me start socializing and learning more intentionally,” it said.
“She misses me so much I know! But a baby has to have a life too 🤣🤣♥️✌🏼,” the caption added. You go from spending all your time holding and cuddling a newborn, to teaching them to sit up and crawl and walk and talk, to then having to sit back as they explore the world. It’s not easy for us to do! Palmer is doing a fantastic job though, as she is embracing Leo’s growing independence and encouraging him to meet other kids and learn at the same time.
In the pictures, Leo looks so happy. In one, he wears the coolest red circle shades. In another, he practices his fine motor skills by using a silicone whisk to move fuzzy balls and dry pasta shapes. He plays with a stick and leaves and toy cars in other photos, grinning with joy every time. There are also photos of Leo napping on the couch and in his stroller — because all this learning is hard work!
“I love when you can tell a child is truly happy and stress free,” one person commented on her post. Someone else wrote, “So handsome and sweet!😍”
This isn’t the first time Palmer’s considered Leo’s interests in making a decision. In an interview with PEOPLE earlier this year, the Bosses star said she is “definitely more selective with projects” now that she’s a mom. “Looking for stuff that allows me to be with him either at home, or it’s somewhere I can go and have a room or a trailer,” she continued. “I also want to respect his individuality and his freedom and space. It’s not just like you come to mommy’s world, only mommy’s world.”
“You have to always think about that, with kids,” she continued. “While we want to take them everywhere and we want them to be our world, they are their own little people, so you have to also give them their own sense of structure. Because as an adult, I’m kind of here, there and everywhere. I really try to keep that in mind.”
What a beautiful way to look at it! And even when they are little and probably won’t immediately notice, it’s good practice as a parent to remind yourself that our kids are their own people with their own preferences and desires, and we can respect that. They will be happier and better off for it!
Before you go, check out Keke Palmer’s best quotes on motherhood.
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