Kia Rondeau is a 13-year-old 7th grader in Rhode Island. She spends most of her free time hanging out with her best friend Lauryn, taking selfies and posting them on Instagram. A few weeks ago she was riding the school bus when a casual friend confided that her Mom left her Dad for another woman and that she now has two Moms.
“Me too,” Kia told her, sharing a kinship with her classmate that many do not understand. Kia has two moms. Well, she has three Moms if you count her two Moms, who have since split up, and her mom’s new partner. Her mom, Christina Rondeau, the owner of a kickboxing gym, is a vibrant spirit who juggles a growing family, business and being a neighborhood celebrity with style and grace. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree as Kia is far more mature than those her age. It may stem from the fact that Kia has been raised by strong women from birth.
Being raised in a home with two moms, Kia was—and continues to be—very aware of what different types of relationships are like. “When two girls are together and they’re married, they both have the same love for each other as having a marriage with a man,” Kia explains.
As with any relationship, things don’t always work out; Kia’s moms split up when she was very young. “I remember when they broke up,” she says. “I remember the fighting, and I remember having to go from house to house after they broke up. I was sad for a long time. I missed both of my moms being there for me all the time.”
It took a while for things to settle after the separation. Eventually, though, Christina found love again with another woman, and the two decided to blend their families. Christina’s new partner had two daughters, meaning Kia had two little sisters.
“It was hard to get used to them being around a lot, but I did,” Kia admits.
While being in a non-traditional family isn’t as shocking as it used to be, Kia still braces herself for any type of reaction, and she offers some words of wisdom for others in her shoes:
“If you ever tell somebody about your two moms and they say mean stuff, don’t let it get to you,” Kia says. “If they are your real friends, they won’t judge you. At some point everybody is going to know, and it’s going to be fine. It won’t be a big thing forever. By the next week, there will be new drama at school.”
Even though she has to be a bit more mature and understanding of people’s reactions to her home life, Kia says being a teenager among so many women has a definite benefit.
“I get to go shopping more often, and my clothing selection is tripled since I get to choose from different wardrobes to borrow stuff,” Kia says with a laugh.
