What were your thoughts on motherhood growing up as a young girl?

As a girl, I didn't think much about motherhood, I do remember saying to myself that "When I grow up, I would never beat my kids..." So, I guess I thought motherhood was to be gentle. As a young woman, which is when I started motherhood, I thought and felt it was to be joyful, exhausting, and challenging. 

What do you think about motherhood now that you are a mother?

Now, being a mother to three, I think motherhood is a constant journey of learning how to mother while parenting and learning about yourself. Motherhood...motherhood is raw. 

How did growing up in the United States shape your perception about motherhood?

Being rigid is what shaped my perception of motherhood growing up in the U.S., particularly in an all black community. For instance, children had to do what the adults said; children weren't allowed to express how they felt about it growing up. Children had no voice or ability to show emotion. If a child cries because they want something and couldn't have it, the parent would 'give them a real reason (beating) to cry.'

Raquel Bizzell is a mother of three, a certified prenatal yoga instructor at "You Roc Yoga." Raquel lives and works in Fort Pierce, Florida.