Romper

Latifah Miles

Latifah is a graduate of New Jersey City University in Jersey City, NJ where she majored in English with a concentration in Journalism. She writes for her lifestyle blog at Youngfabulousandnatural.com. When she isn't writing, she loves trying to master all of the baked goods she's pinned on her Pinterest.com boards and binge watching Netflix.

Fears Every Black Mom Has About Back-To-School That White Moms Just Can't Understand

Every year of high school, I had a different group of friends. As a freshman, most of my friends were well-liked and white. As a sophomore, most of the girls I clung to were Latina. By junior year, I had a group of friends for each class of the day.…
By Latifah Miles

Becoming A Mother Help Fix My Relationship With My Own Father

Standing in the fifth grade grade lunch line, I remember talking to a friend while we waited for our turn to grab our food. I don’t remember why or how the conversation came up, but I distinctly recall her turning around and saying, “Neither one of…
By Latifah Miles

My Son Met His Dad’s Girlfriend & TBH, I’m Freaking Out

Every Sunday, after my son comes home from his dad’s house, I talk to him about what he did and how his weekend was. He usually rambles on with half stories about going to the park or the workout place or an in-depth recap about what they ate. This…
By Latifah Miles

Can We All Agree That RSVPing "Yes" Is A Lie?

My name is Latifah Miles and I am a flake. There, I said it. The word flake, when it comes to showing up to social events, describes a person that RSVPs "yes" to coming to an event and then doesn’t show up. Whether you send a text explaining a…
By Latifah Miles

I'm A Single Mom & Here's How I'm Spending My Valentine's Day

Growing up, every Valentine’s Day my dad would come home with an armload of chocolates, teddy bears, flowers, and cards with handwritten notes for us girls in the house. Through my awkward phases where the idea of a boy liking me was equivalent to…
By Latifah Miles

I Hated My Boobs After Breastfeeding

The moment I became pregnant, I was bombarded with an endless list of choices that needed to be made. From choosing bed-sharing versus room-sharing to epidural versus unmedicated labor, it seemed like there was always something that needed to be…
By Latifah Miles

If You Think Meghan Markle's Engagement Is No Big Deal, You're Probably White

Whether you are all heart eyes over the royal family or can’t even name Prince William's kids, Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle is worth tuning in. The royal family's big announcement Monday wasn't just the promise of another royal…
By Latifah Miles

Please Stop Saying That I'm "Lucky" to Co-Parent

Here's a rough rundown of my "co-parenting schedule": Monday through Wednesday morning, I am the primary parent for my son. Wednesday after school through Thursday evening, my son’s dad takes on the role. My son is back in my care from Thursday…
By Latifah Miles

Millennial Moms Aren't Lazy And Narcissistic, We're Just Trying To Raise Our Kids

You see them all over the internet: a Millennial mom holding up her perfect baby, a 'gram perfected using some of the best lighting and photo-filter programs known to man. I am a 20-something mother of a toddler who has grown up in the thick of the…
By Latifah Miles

Here's What A Single Mom's Sex Life Actually Looks Like

During the work week, I am rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off. I'm constantly shuttling my 4-year-old to daycare, doing laundry, making dinner, and trying to be a mom. By the time Saturday evening finally hits and my son’s dad picks…
By Latifah Miles

I Tried Gwyneth Paltrow's Jade Vagina Egg For A Week, & TBH, It Was Awesome

After giving birth almost 5 years ago, I've decided to accept the truth: my vagina will never be the same. The physical trauma that comes with bringing a child into the world creates some irreversible changes. While most of the issues that I felt…
By Latifah Miles

Honestly, I'm Worried About My Black Son Dating White Women

On a hot summer day in August 1955, a 14-year-old black boy was hanging out around a grocery store in Money, Mississippi. His friends dared him to walk into the store and ask the white cashier for a date, so he complied. The cashier, Carolyn Bryant,…
By Latifah Miles

Dear Single Moms: I See You

Once, I was sitting around with a few of my fellow moms, and we were chatting about our children. One of my friends went on and on about how adorable her sons are when they are able to get along and play with each other, and how her husband is like…
By Latifah Miles

I Refuse To Let My Child Be The Token Black Kid

For the first few years of my son’s life, his grandmother watched him during the day while his dad and I were at work. It was a total blessing that she was around and willing to watch him, because I was not ready to send him off to daycare or…
By Latifah Miles

The One Thing All New Moms Should Know About Jaundice

Last week, Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly welcomed their twin babies, according to multiple press reports. While Bey and Jay have yet to issue a statement, today TMZ reported that Beyoncé and Jay-Z's babies are probably being treated for jaundice. The…
By Latifah Miles

Yup, I Tried Vaginal Steaming

Mentally preparing myself for giving birth to my first child was anything but easy. I had no clue what to expect. I’d heard horror stories from other women about their own birth experiences, so the night that I went into labor, I worried about…
By Latifah Miles

The Important Reason Why I Chose My Son's Name

Growing up, I hated my name. It was long and difficult for people to pronounce, and I thought that my parents were unbelievably cruel for giving it to me. The first day of school was always filled with anxiety, because I'd constantly wonder if my…
By Latifah Miles

An Open Letter To My Ex

To my ex-partner and the father of my son, The birth of our son was just 5 years ago, but it feels like a distant memory. The entire pregnancy was unexpected and unplanned. We managed to get our finances together, grow up, and become parents in the…
By Latifah Miles

I'm Never Going To Force My Kid To Talk To Someone

As a kid, my mom expected my brother and me to avoid embarrassing her at all costs. She'd coach us before leaving the house and before arriving at our whatever destination, saying, “eat while we are home so you don’t go begging for food at Susan’s…
By Latifah Miles

No, I Won't Use "Cute" Names For My Son's Privates

As a child, I remember the women in my family specifically prancing around the correct terminology for my vagina. They would tell me about how to clean my "lady bits," educate me on when it was the right time to try out tampons for my "sugar bowl,"…
By Latifah Miles