Gabrielle Union Explains Her Tried-and-True Approach to Raising an Extended Family

Gabrielle Union is an awesome stepmom to her husband Dwyane Wade's kids, and she says that is thanks to the "it takes a village" mentality that she was raised with.

Gabrielle and her mom Theresa explain that, in their town, everyone cared for everyone. Family wasn't necessarily about who was blood-related and who wasn't, a philosophy that Gabrielle has used in her own life. She shares, "Being a stepparent, I try to remember there's a space and a place for everyone, but also to respect the fact that they do have parents and to find your way and to find your space in an unobtrusive, organic way." She continues, "And I found that way, but that comes from just the family that I come from and the way that we were raised, and nobody's left out. Not even stepparents. We don't even call it that!"

Her mom adds, "We don't call it that, but we really have an extended village."

Celebrate and honor the woman who raised Gabrielle to be the awesome bonus mom that she is today by tuning in to Dear Mama: A Love Letter to Moms on Monday, May 7th at 9pm ET/PT.