Life, Parenting & Confidence Lessons From Our Mother | Dr. Valerie Vaughn | E49

Summary

For Good Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Life, Parenting & Confidence Lessons From Our Mother | Dr. Valerie Vaughn
Host: Joseph "JoJo" Simmons
Guest: Dr. Valerie Vaughn
Co-host: Vanessa Simmons
Release Date: May 5, 2026

---

Overview

In this heartfelt Mother’s Day episode, JoJo Simmons and his sister Vanessa sit down with their mother, Dr. Valerie Vaughn (formerly Simmons), for an intimate, multi-generational conversation on intentional parenting, overcoming adversity, building confidence, and the lifelong power of education. Dr. Vaughn shares her experiences as a young mother, her career as an educator, wisdom on navigating divorce, and the real story behind the Simmons family dynamic both before and after the public spotlight. Together, they explore legacy, personal growth, breaking cycles, and honoring one’s roots.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growing Up as a Young Mother in Queens

• Dr. Vaughn shares the realities of becoming a mother at 18, balancing high school with parenthood, and the pivotal support of her own mother.
  • “It was late nights, lullabies, and algebra homework. I was raising a child, and I was a kid myself.” (03:24, Dr. Vaughn)
  • Valerie graduated high school with infant Vanessa in the audience, thanks to her mother's promise to care for the baby if Valerie kept her education on track.
• The crucial role of family support and education as tools for breaking generational cycles.
• Dr. Vaughn’s commitment to responsibility, always planning for the future (having a “plan A and plan B”), and instilling resourcefulness.

2. The Importance of Education and Purpose-Driven Work

• Valerie’s journey from paraprofessional to special education teacher to college professor was deeply personal:
  • “I often struggled. […] I wasn’t seen as I should’ve been in school. So I wanted to make a difference in those kids’ lives that needed to be seen.” (12:29, Dr. Vaughn)
• Valerie has accumulated several degrees—including a doctorate—motivated by thirst for knowledge, opportunity, and the desire for stability.
• Education as the key to upward mobility for herself and her children:
  • “Once you have this education behind your belt, no one can stop you. There is no limit.” (16:52, Dr. Vaughn)
• Both JoJo and Vanessa reflect on their own educational experiences and decisions, influenced by their mother’s determination.

3. Family Dynamics: Parenting Styles, Blended Families, and Breaking the Mold

• Valerie highlights the importance of non-judgmental, tailored support for each of her five children:
  • “With the five of you, you got different personalities—no judgment, right? […] I listen without judgment.” (23:39, Dr. Vaughn)
• Vanessa was “the leader,” JoJo “not a bad boy” but mischievous, and each sibling had a unique, cherished role.
• Dr. Vaughn and JoJo reminisce about pivotal moments, including moving JoJo to New Jersey for better supervision, illustrating the challenges and love of co-parenting across homes.
• Open discussion about navigating divorce:
  • “Divorce changed the structure. It didn’t change the family we made out of love. […] When you have children in a marriage, you make it work. You make it work no matter what.” (28:47, Dr. Vaughn)
  • Maintaining civility with their father and among both sides of the family, never forcing the children to take sides.

4. Family in the Public Eye

• The transition to fame with Rev Run’s rise in music and the entire family’s reality TV exposure on Run’s House and later projects.
• Valerie’s protective instinct as her children’s TV journey began:
  • “With the spotlights, now judgment... I was more protective, like, I hope they don’t read comments. […] Just knowing how cruel people can be…” (44:57, Dr. Vaughn)
• The perceptions and misperceptions from the broader community—including stereotypes about “nepo babies”—and Valerie’s defense of her kids’ grind.
  • “Don’t think my children have been handed a silver spoon. They worked for everything you see them do.” (51:19, Dr. Vaughn)
• Despite opportunities, both Vanessa and JoJo affirm their hard work in making the most of their platforms.

5. Legacy of Resourcefulness and Confidence

• The Simmons family’s pride in “making it look good on a budget”—shop at Marshalls, HomeGoods, and just “wear it well”—rooted in Valerie and Grandma June’s teachings (06:59).
• “It’s not how much you spend—it’s how it looks on you when you put it on.” (06:59, Dr. Vaughn)
• Valerie’s optimism, solution-oriented mindset, and commitment to having “a plan B”:
  • “My life challenges helped me always be able to solve problems. Whatever comes my way, I’m going to solve it.” (21:27, Dr. Vaughn)

6. Parenting, Grandparenting, and Giving Flowers

• Reflections on being proud of her children’s evolution into parents themselves.
• Vanessa and JoJo close with “For Good Flowers” (words of gratitude), honoring their mother for her guidance, optimism, faith, and unconditional support.
  • “All the things that make us great is because of you.” (56:24, Vanessa Simmons)
  • “...There’s more to life than entertainment. You’ve always shown us that there’s more to life than what we seen. […] Thank you for raising non-judgmental kids, kids that love, that care, that are aware.” (57:05, JoJo Simmons)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Perseverance in Parenting:
  “I was still learning me.” (03:24, Dr. Vaughn)

• On Navigating Fame:
  “It went from no filters, no cameras, just everyday life to now your dad’s in the spotlight.” (11:18, Dr. Vaughn)

• On Educational Drive:
  “I just kept going... you become addicted to it. The more you know, the more you learn that knowledge is just powerful.” (20:01, Dr. Vaughn)

• On Blended Families:
  “Divorce... it doesn’t mean you don’t love each other, right? But you move on. You’re not for each other. You’re a chapter in my life. I’m glad you were a chapter in my life.” (29:37, Dr. Vaughn)

• On Sibling Roles:
  “Vanessa was the leader, right? Vanessa was the one who, over the years, would sort and make sure y’all were okay.” (24:18, Dr. Vaughn)

• On Growing Up on TV:
  “When the lights went out, you guys were home and you were just Vanessa, Angela, and JoJo.” (41:41, Dr. Vaughn)

• On Social Media and Public Scrutiny:
  “[Social media] unleashed all of that and showed all of those things right at our doorstep.” (45:51, Vanessa Simmons)

• On Grandparenting:
  “It is—I am so honored and blessed to be… I got five grandchildren... I am still in la la land and I’m still in cloud.” (55:06, Dr. Vaughn)

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Segment | |------------|--------------------------------------------------| | 03:24 | Valerie’s story of young motherhood & graduation | | 04:40 | Support system and family educational legacy | | 08:25 | Memories of early hip hop success with Rev Run | | 12:29 | Purpose in education & special ed teaching | | 16:52 | Education as a “way up, out, and forward” | | 23:39 | Parenting: non-judgmental support & personalities| | 28:47 | Navigating divorce and blended families | | 40:28 | Family fame & public perception | | 44:57 | Hesitations about kids going into TV/reality | | 51:19 | Addressing “nepo baby” assumptions | | 56:11 | Giving “For Good Flowers” (gratitude segment) | | 54:52 | Reflections on becoming a grandmother |

---

Tone and Language

The episode is warm, familial, honest, and full of humor—matching the Simmons family’s authentic, uplifting dynamic. Dr. Valerie blends practical wisdom with sincere emotion; JoJo and Vanessa bring lightheartedness, respect, and plenty of personal anecdotes.

---

Takeaways

• Intentional parenting and unshakeable belief in education create resilience and stability, regardless of public perceptions.
• Blending families—when approached with maturity, non-judgment, and love—can work and heal across generations.
• Growth and healing are ongoing journeys, anchored in resourcefulness, humility, and support.
• The importance of owning your own story and roots—honoring the legacy while forging new paths.
• Giving loved ones their “flowers” (recognition) while they can appreciate them is as important as any public accolade.

---

For listeners who value authenticity, real-life wisdom, and intergenerational conversations about legacy, this episode is a rich, inspiring glimpse behind the scenes of a family story still being written—rooted in love, faith, hard work, and the power of owning your narrative.

Transcript

[Valerie Simmons]

Hey, you there.

[Vanessa Simmons]

In the baby registry rabbit hole, the thing experienced parents agree on.

[Valerie Simmons]

A Nanit Smart baby monitor.

[Vanessa Simmons]

One camera, one app for video, breathing, motion monitoring and personalized sleep insights all in one place. Check in from anywhere, get real time safety notifications and capture every sleepy smile and goodnight kiss.

[Valerie Simmons]

The best part?

[Vanessa Simmons]

Those insights help you get more sleep. Starting night one, add it to your

[Valerie Simmons]

registry or shop at Nanit.

[Vanessa Simmons]

N a N-I-T.com I grew up in

[Valerie Simmons]

the lower middle class family, single parent home. My mom raised us. I always had a plan A and a plan B. If it can't be done this way, guess what? We're going to do it this way. So just my life challenges helped me always be able to solve problems.

[Jojo Simmons]

Education was something you always push hard in our house.

[Valerie Simmons]

Education. Because I saw a way up and out and forward. Once you have this education behind your belt, no one can stop you. It went from no filters, no cameras, just everyday life to now your dad's in the spotlight. Everywhere we went. They needed to get his autograph. He couldn't eat, he couldn't walk. At times it was a little stressful. Divorce, people, doesn't mean you don't love each other. That's what's so hard about divorce. You do still love each other, right? But you move on. You're not for each other.

[Jojo Simmons]

And today's episode is sponsored by Van Dammes, the luxury energy drink that keeps your grind sharp and your vibe clean. Premium energy, no crash. Level up your day with Van Dammes. Stay woke. What's good, everybody? It's your guy, Jojo Simmons and Vanessa Simmons. And welcome back to the For Good podcast where we focus on the good, never the bad. And we're measured by what we do, not what we have. So a lot of our lives have been shown on television over the years.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yeah.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yep. And people watched us grow up on tv, saw different versions of our family, and a lot of our stories played out publicly. But there's another huge part of our lives that maybe people didn't get to see as much.

[Jojo Simmons]

And today we're bringing her story right here to the podcast. Our mom. Our mother.

[Valerie Simmons]

Hello, everybody. Thank you for having me.

[Jojo Simmons]

Of course.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Our mom raised us in Queens, worked hard, believed deeply in education. Yes, she did. And always made sure we understood the value of discipline, faith, and putting work first.

[Jojo Simmons]

She's someone who's overcame a lot, becoming a young mother, continuing her education, and eventually building a career in education. Mommy. Welcome to the For Good podcast.

[Valerie Simmons]

Wow, I'm flattered. All this good Stuff. Keep going, keep going.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Today is literally about giving you your flowers and letting people hear your story

[Valerie Simmons]

directly early Mother's Day.

[Jojo Simmons]

I'm actually really excited you came. Like Vanessa. I didn't know I could get my mother on the podcast. I didn't know how vulnerable you wanted to be. I didn't know if you wanted to come on here. I know that. I hear through the grapevine. Everybody's so proud of me, of everything I've been doing in the podcast. But to be able to get not only my sister to be a co host, but mommy here, it's a big deal for us, you know what I mean? And, you know, I think a lot of the world, as nosy as they could be, they need to hear your story. You know what I mean? They need to know the upbringings, not only just our upbringing in Run's house, but our upbringing in mom's house. Right? So let's get into it, you know? So, mommy, for people who may not know the full story, can you take us back to the beginning, what life looked like for you as a young mom in Queens?

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, it was late nights, lullabies, and algebra homework. I was raising a child, and I was a kid myself. I was a teen when I had Vanessa. So me myself was still learning me.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. How old were you when you had me?

[Valerie Simmons]

Actually, I was at 17 when I became pregnant with you. I had just turned 18.

[Jojo Simmons]

I thought you were 16 when you came pregnant and had her at 17.

[Valerie Simmons]

No.

[Jojo Simmons]

Oh, so 17 you were pregnant.

[Valerie Simmons]

17. I was at the top of 11th grade when I found out I was having you. And you were born in August, so in May, I had turned 18.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And it's true, I was at your high school graduation, right?

[Valerie Simmons]

Yes. Yes. You cried the whole way. They were saying, whose baby is that crying? You were with my mom, my dad, and my grandmother, grandfather at that time.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Here's a crazy story. Being so young, I actually remember being in that auditorium. Were we sitting, like, high up, kind of far away? Or maybe I was just young and it seemed like you were far away on the stage.

[Valerie Simmons]

You were far away. You were far away.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Isn't that crazy that I have a memory that far back?

[Valerie Simmons]

You cried because you were sick. You had an ear infection, and I had no idea.

[Jojo Simmons]

So we were trying to debate this the other day on our podcast call meeting. Did you have to take a break from school with Vanessa or you seen it? You went all the way through?

[Valerie Simmons]

No, I went all the way through.

[Jojo Simmons]

I thought you had took a break.

[Valerie Simmons]

No, I had A support system. My mom was. I was still living at home with my mom. So my mom was my biggest support system. She said to me that if you want to finish school, go back to 12th grade in September. I watch Vanessa for you because it matters to me to see you graduate. Because my mom only went, I think, as far as the eighth grade and my dad went as far as the 11th grade. So she was like, you know what? I would be really proud if you could at least finish high school. So I said, okay, let me do that.

[Jojo Simmons]

That's amazing recipes Grandma June for that one. That's huge, man. I didn't know. That's really cool.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You, obviously, we talked about it. You had me at a really young age. What do you remember about that time in your life? And what kind of, like, mindset did you have Stepping into motherhood?

[Valerie Simmons]

Wow. The mindset. Stepping into motherhood again. Young. Being young and the challenges that lay ahead. Filled with nervous. Because I wanted to not fail as a parent. I wanted to be a good mom. Right. So I felt like, wow, you know, my choices from that point on had to be good choices. I couldn't make bad choices. It had to. It wasn't about me anymore. It was about, now I have a child to take care of. So now it's about you.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. I always remember you being super responsible. I think I definitely get that from you. When I tap into my super uber responsible like you.

[Jojo Simmons]

You feel like Mommy when you're responsible.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. When I'm pulling all together and I'm doing all my errands and running around and doing what I need to do, I'm like, okay, I'm pulling it together.

[Jojo Simmons]

I mostly feel like Mommy when I'm doing, like, math or doing numbers. Math as in, like, figuring out bills, finances, money, how to make it work, how to stretch it, how to find deals.

[Vanessa Simmons]

How to find deals, coupons, remember? You know, it's something I always tell Mike. If I can't get something done and I call, like, a company and I'm trying to work out something, I'm like, I bet you if I call my mom right now and she calls back, she'll get a different answer from the representative on the phone.

[Jojo Simmons]

I be shopping in Marshalls. Ross, Burlington. Somebody say, what you doing here? I say, I'm my mother's son. That's what I'm doing here.

[Vanessa Simmons]

First of all, look at some deals.

[Jojo Simmons]

Polo and all that. Listen, Joey just got a whole gap sweatsuit for $14 from Ross. Brand new tan fly.

[Valerie Simmons]

And my mom always taught Me, it's not how much you spend. It's how it looks on you when you put it on. So she always took me to stores. I always shop with my mom, and she would find the best thing. She said $10 for the whole outfit. But people thought she spent so much money because of the way she wore it. It's not about the money. It's how you wear it and how it looks on you.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah, that must be where I got it from. Cause that's how I tell people. It don't matter how much money you spent on it. It's how you wear it. You know what I mean? I do remember grandma being like that too. Very resourceful, I would say. She was very resourceful.

[Valerie Simmons]

Absolutely.

[Jojo Simmons]

You wanted to add something. Cause I want to get into this next generation.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I was just gonna say, like, Marshalls and a home goods trip is one of me and Ava's favorite thing to do. And I definitely got that from you. I'm like, we need to spend some time together. Let's go. We gonna go to Marshalls.

[Valerie Simmons]

We'll get to the. I was just there last week.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Everything we spent $200 come out with.

[Jojo Simmons]

Oh, my God. Bags. You spent $200 you could be feeling.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She'd be like, when are we going back to Marshalls?

[Valerie Simmons]

Yes. Yes.

[Jojo Simmons]

I just started shopping with Mia at Marshall's. She got a good pair of jeans, and she was like, oh, I like this store.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Good jeans.

[Jojo Simmons]

Tanise doesn't really. Not really be a fan of it. Not because of. Not because of. Oh, it's a good deal. Because she. Her brain is so everything in there. She's, like, so unorganized. This shirt's here, this dress is here. I'm like, I take the time and go through everything. You know what I mean? Now, Mommy, we spoke the other day, and we spoke about you coming on the podcast, and you told me a story that I really enjoyed about you being pregnant when daddy played, you know, you being pregnant with Vanessa. When daddy first played you his first hit record. What do you remember about that moment? What record was that for the people?

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, the record that he. I remember being was about four months, five months pregnant. And he comes over with the 12 inch at that time, the records. And I had a record player in my mom's living room, and he said, I got it. It's here. It's here. So the first record he played was. It's like that, and it was nice. I loved it. But then when he turned it over and he played the sucker MCs was on the other side. That was my favorite record. He said, but that's not the one. That's the hit. It's like that was the one that was supposed to be the first one. He released the biggest hit, which was good. It was really good. But I like suck MCs. That was on the other side of it.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Suck MCs end up being the first one.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yes. Well, that's what the world must have felt.

[Valerie Simmons]

What Mommy had felt. No, no, I think it's. Wait, it was supposed to be.

[Jojo Simmons]

So what happened was. Yes. What you just said. Exactly true. It's like that was on one side, and on side B was Suck mc. It's like that was supposed to be the hit record. People turned it over and sometime C's became the hit record because they liked it more. Which mean Mommy had the ear.

[Vanessa Simmons]

What's crazy is, I didn't know that you turned.

[Valerie Simmons]

It was two, right? One on one side, one on the other.

[Jojo Simmons]

That's horrible. You don't know. You older than me. I know. There's a side A and a side B.

[Valerie Simmons]

The whole thing would play. You're DJ Run's daughter.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I know, but I don't. I.

[Valerie Simmons]

You don't know records.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I do know records.

[Jojo Simmons]

And our stepfather F is a dj, too.

[Valerie Simmons]

He has those.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I didn't know that. Ava just told me she. I was gonna get her record play. She have records, and I was going to get her a real record player. Turns out she has CDs. She was like. I was just showing her.

[Jojo Simmons]

She was like, she need a CD player?

[Vanessa Simmons]

She goes, no, mom, they're the little records. I go, jesus, those are CD players.

[Jojo Simmons]

She's a CD player.

[Valerie Simmons]

That's so funny.

[Vanessa Simmons]

So, yeah, I'm like her. So you were balancing motherhood and life at a really young age. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during that time?

[Valerie Simmons]

The biggest challenges was just stability. The biggest challenges was not only was I juggling motherhood, I was also, you know, wasn't efficiently a wife, officially a wife yet to your dad, but we were living together. We were together. So it was like I was balancing motherhood as well as kind of like wifey. Wifeyhood as well.

[Vanessa Simmons]

At a young age.

[Valerie Simmons]

At a young age. At a young age, right. So just balancing just everyday tasks. Dinner, making sure you. If we put you in school. Which school to put you in. Just simple everyday things that you guys juggle today. I was juggling it at a very young.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I always think about that when I'm doing the very adult things. Now in my 40s, I'm like, wow, like, mommy was doing this stuff in her 20s. Like in my 20s, I was, you know, I was having fun college out

[Valerie Simmons]

in the city, no kids. I should have been, but I did it early. Yeah, I just started early. And, yeah, hey, I'm finished now. At least.

[Jojo Simmons]

Now to stay on the topic, a little bit of Run dmc. You were there during the early days before any of the Run DMC success. What was it like watching dad's career start to take off?

[Valerie Simmons]

Wow. It went from no filters, no cameras, just everyday life to now we're in the spotlight. Now your dad's in the spotlight. Everywhere we went. They needed to get his autograph. He couldn't eat, he couldn't walk. So it was a little. I'm gonna say at times it was a little stressful. I didn't actually realize what was really happening. And so I guess the touring and then how people just fell to their feet, they loved him. It was a little stressful at times. A little stressful and a little. I was uneasy a lot of times. It was hectic.

[Jojo Simmons]

Huge transition.

[Valerie Simmons]

Let me use hectic. It was a hectic time for me. I felt like time flew. Right. Once he started becoming, you know, his career took off. I felt like at a blink of an eye, I turned around and you guys were all like, big, you know, it went really fast. It was very hectic, very hectic life. It was stress, a lot of stress.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You turned your passion for education into a full career. What inspired you to dedicate your life to teaching and working in schools?

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, one, I felt like education, for me, it wasn't a job, it was a purpose. And the reason I turned my life to students because in school, I often struggled, right. And teachers did not see me. So I wanted to make a difference and I wanted to see those children that needed to be seen. And I feel like it all came from me not being seen as a student, just being kind of like, okay, I was just the average student just making my way. And a lot of teachers. I had a lot of teachers that were good, but I felt like I wasn't seen as I should have been seen in school. So I wanted to make a difference in those kids life that needed to be seen. I would see them.

[Jojo Simmons]

That's a great answer. Before I get to my next question, I wonder if that ever pushed you more towards special education. I remember growing up and you taught a lot of, you know, in special education. And now hearing that you just wanted to be seen and you wanted to help other kids be seen.

[Valerie Simmons]

Did that help me? And it. It pushed me more towards special education because before I became a teacher, I was a paraprofessional, which is a teacher's assistant. And there was a class, that particular class that came into the school I was working at. And they were. I'm going to say, they had down syndrome. They were mixed. And I fell in love. I put myself in that class because I asked the principal. I was about to be excess like, meaning that there was too many teachers. But we have this one position open. I said, I'll go. I'll go. She was like, are you sure? I was like, absolutely. I'll go. I went into that special ed class and I spent. Now they came in when they were like, I'm going to say first grade. I stayed with them until fifth grade. I remember I stayed with them. I fell in love with just the population of students. And these students just needed. They needed someone actually to see them as well. Right. They needed the support. They needed to be seen. They needed to be understood. They needed to be taught the way that they were able to learn. So there's where my passion laid. So special education was that purpose for me. I felt like that was where I was supposed to be in education. I mean, I've gone a lot farther now. You know, I. Since after 30 years of teaching, I did retire. I went through the special ed, gen ed, and now I'm an adjunct professor at college.

[Jojo Simmons]

You say you retired with 40 different master degrees to under her belt.

[Valerie Simmons]

Absolutely. Went from. Okay. I just kept going to school. I just felt the thirst for education. I knew that no one could ever take that away from me. The more education I got, the more opportunity I would have, the more stability I would have. Right. So I went all the way up to the doctorates in education. I just kept going. Yeah, I'm doctor. I don't say it much. The university, the students call me Dr. Vaughan, but I just go west, you

[Vanessa Simmons]

know, it's crazy that you said you retired, but you're still.

[Valerie Simmons]

I did.

[Jojo Simmons]

No, you still work.

[Valerie Simmons]

I do, but it's not a full time. It's nothing. It's nothing like nine to five. It's completely different. I am retired. I got my pension. And when I teach at the college, it isn't like five days a week. The classes are about an hour and 40 minutes. Two days a week. If I have two courses, it's so different than working like full time.

[Jojo Simmons]

I think something you said is very important. Before I jump into this next question about education that I think a lot of people need to hear is coming. Watching Vanessa, myself, the rest of us, from Run's house, and knowing who our father is, it's easy for people to see the entrepreneurial spirit that we have in the things that we try to build and how we try to move. But I think that they don't understand that. We were raised with someone like you that said that saying, yeah, I saw that life. But I realized education gave me stability and education gave me more resources. So that when you weren't with dad anymore, you found yourself and you knew how to continue to stay strong and do it, what you needed to do, and not really be shackled by what your past situation was, but look towards the future and say, this is who Valerie is, and this is who I'm gonna become, and this is how I'm gonna become stable. It's through education. And I think a lot of people don't understand that, especially when they see us. They're like, oh, they're entertainers. They didn't have to be educated. Although I'm sure you almost feel in college. I didn't, but it was pushed very hard in our household. Right. Like, education was something you always push hard in our house. Where did that value come from for you?

[Valerie Simmons]

Education? Because I saw a way up, out, and forward, you know, that's it. I mean, there's no other answer than to say, look, once you have this education behind your belt, no one can stop you. There is no limit. There is no limit to how far you can go. And that's what I saw. And not only just doing it for myself, doing it for my children, doing it for my children. You know what I'm saying? Making you proud and being able to be there for you if you ever did need me.

[Jojo Simmons]

I love that.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I mean, and looking back at that now, how important was it for you that I went to school?

[Valerie Simmons]

It was extremely important because I seen opportunities for you that maybe I didn't have. Right. You were younger. You had your education, you went to college. So I saw stability and opportunities for you.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You did. You always took that really seriously. Because I remember when I got my first choice, college, I didn't get accepted to ucla. Then I stopped talking about it. I just stopped talking about it. I had plans. I was gonna. I was gonna. I was assigned model to Ford, and I was just gonna do modeling. And you asked you, like, what's your plan for school? And you pushed me. You're like, you have to have that experience. You have to go. And it was just always really important to you. And I'm so happy that I had that experience. Like St. John's was a great experience. Sadly, I didn't feel finish, but I am looking into it and I found out I only have three credits.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, wow.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah, you need to go.

[Valerie Simmons]

You can do that right on there.

[Vanessa Simmons]

When they. When I called in to find out, they were like, you. This is. This is doable. They were like, you know, work with me.

[Jojo Simmons]

Can our people in the comments drop, Vanessa finished college. You only got three credits. I wish I had three credits.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I left to start filming college. Vanessa, I did pastry and you know, life.

[Jojo Simmons]

She made a lot of money. We understand. But drop in the comments, finish college. You're so close.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I mean, I'm beyond close. Like three is absolutely.

[Valerie Simmons]

You're practically aggressive.

[Vanessa Simmons]

They want me to just take one online class so you'll be happy.

[Jojo Simmons]

I wish I was sending you my

[Vanessa Simmons]

diploma when I finally do it.

[Valerie Simmons]

All these hours later, right on the wall.

[Jojo Simmons]

I wish I was that far along. And I have been debating it and I will say this here live on this podcast. I am going to be going back to school for psychology. I have been looking into it and I think that it is my time to educate a little bit more and do stuff that I have been super passionate about. And I think this podcast now. Not a thing. I know this podcast has helped me understand that I love the world of psychology and I'm going to go back to school, guys.

[Valerie Simmons]

So I think that's a great thing.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I think that's a great thing.

[Valerie Simmons]

You'll be happy.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I do see you like you have evolved.

[Jojo Simmons]

I gotta find the time. But I'm going to online it.

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, right now online is good. I mean, I wish when I was going to. Well, maybe not. Maybe I don't wish. But it's all online now. It makes it easier for a lot of people to go ahead and get that education. Education that builds that strong foundation, that stability.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And it keeps your brain going.

[Valerie Simmons]

If you stop learning, you literally stop learning.

[Jojo Simmons]

You stop living. You know what I mean? You stop learning, you stop living.

[Valerie Simmons]

That's true.

[Jojo Simmons]

Now, you continued learning your whole life as we keep talking about. And you've earned so many degrees. Mommy, can you let everyone know what you've studied and what kept motivating you to go back to school? You kept going back.

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, I studied childhood education, grades one through six, special ed and general ed. Then I did do science, technology, engineering and math degree. Then I did. I did so much. Then I did a special education and general education master's degree program and then I did the doctorates, which is a curriculum assessment and instructional program under education so that I can write and build curriculum if I needed to. There are so many more I forgot.

[Vanessa Simmons]

To be honest, I didn't even know. I didn't know all that. I didn't know you couldn't know.

[Valerie Simmons]

So I just kept going. Because you get a thirst for education. You start and then it's almost like it's an addiction. I'd rather be addicted to education, to anything else. You become addicted to it, right? Because you start. The more you know, the more you learn that knowledge is just powerful. Having knowledge, right, and being able to teach other people things that you've learned from your experience is powerful. It's words can't even explain how good you feel when you're able to help or you're able to share or you're able to teach someone something that you learned. So it's.

[Jojo Simmons]

That was a great answer.

[Vanessa Simmons]

It really was. And yeah, you've always had a way of making us feel like our problems were solvable. Was that something you were intentional about as a mother?

[Valerie Simmons]

No. What happened is my life challenges and what I've been through as just a young girl just growing up, you know, I grew up in the lower middle class family, my single parent home, my mom raised us. So my life challenges helped me always look at things from a optimistic, right point of view. I always had a plan A and a plan B. I never wanted to look at it like in a bad way. I always said I always gave the benefit of the doubt. If it can't be done this way, guess what? We're going to do it this way. If you ask my best friend Narol, she will always say Val has always plan A, B and sometimes she got a plan C. So just my life challenges help me always be able to solve problems. Whatever comes my way, I'm going to solve it.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I used to be so upset when I was younger and I always had this dream being a movie star. And you'd always be like, have a plan B. And I'd be like, well, you don't.

[Jojo Simmons]

You don't believe in me, you don't believe in me.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And now as a full on blown adult, now I get it. Like you just wanted me to be able to sift through challenges when they present themselves.

[Valerie Simmons]

You have to have other plans.

[Jojo Simmons]

That's right. Now, you know, speaking of you making us feel like everything is pretty solvable and being optimistic and always Being the voice of reason, I would say amongst both parents, I want to talk about a moment that I remember of you being a voice of calm reasoning for me. The day I was arrested for marijuana and I was in central bookings, and at the time, I was in phone with my girlfriend, and dad kept calling her. I wouldn't pick up. You called once. I picked up. And your first thing to me was, just talk to your dad. He loves you. He just wants to get you out of there. Jojo, you're see this through. You're going to be fine. I never. Whenever I used to speak to dad, I used to know I was in trouble. I used to know I'd get judgment. But whenever I hear my mom was calling, I would want to talk to you because you would make me feel better about whatever I was going through. And I want to know where does that supportive energy come from in your parenting? I know you said just through life and you going through it, but, like, I've never. I don't remember a time that you've ever made me feel like I've done wrong. You've always made me feel like it was a lesson and that I can move on from it.

[Valerie Simmons]

Mm. Well, looking at each one of my kids, because the five of you, you got different personalities. No judgment, right? So that's how I deal with all of you. All of you are dealt with differently. Right. I don't judge you for what you did. I listen and understand. I know sometimes I don't seem like I listen, but I listen without judgment. And that's how you have to. That's how you have to do it.

[Jojo Simmons]

Now, before Vanessa goes to her next question, I know she has one. I want to go off script for two seconds. I just want to ask this question. Can you tell the viewers, the listeners, I wouldn't say the differences, but what were we like growing up? What was Vanessa like growing up? What were our personalities? What were our attitudes? What kind of kids were we? You could start with Vanessa.

[Valerie Simmons]

I'm not going to say all you were good, but Vanessa was the leader, right? Vanessa was the one who, over years, the sore and made sure y' all were okay. If you were doing something down the street with your friend Gorpy, she's gonna come running in there, Mommy, you better go. But she might. If she can't handle it, she's gonna come to me. But most of the time, she can handle it. Jojo, you can't do that. You better come. So she was really, like, the leader of the. Of the Pack.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You were.

[Valerie Simmons]

You was not a bad. A bad boy. Even though I hear horror stories about boys. You were good. You got into things. You break the ladies window, and y' all come running.

[Jojo Simmons]

Oh, my God. I told the story I told you.

[Valerie Simmons]

Poor little lady come running.

[Jojo Simmons]

So I'll tell her.

[Valerie Simmons]

This poor little old lady had a hunchback, and she came running to my house. All I know is I heard somebody fly up the stairs. I'm like, what happened?

[Jojo Simmons]

I was out, and I so.

[Valerie Simmons]

And Angela was my little bag lady. You know, she carried bags everywhere. No matter what she. She'd be. I don't even know what was in the bag. Dolls, this, that, whatever. She would just be that little bag lady. Whereas Darian was pretty. Not calm. She was not calm.

[Vanessa Simmons]

No, Darien.

[Valerie Simmons]

I was gonna say calm. No, she was not calm. I would take her to the store, and she's hiding all in the right. And then I'm almost having a heart attack because I think somebody stole the child. And she comes out, and she's laughing, and Tiffany was pretty, pretty, pretty calm.

[Jojo Simmons]

Chill. Yeah, she was chill as one.

[Valerie Simmons]

I think she was.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Me and Mike called. Daring me and Mike call Tiffany baby Auntie.

[Valerie Simmons]

She was a pretty calm one.

[Jojo Simmons]

Grandma always said I was pretty calm.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She's mini you.

[Valerie Simmons]

Tiffany's mini you.

[Jojo Simmons]

Auntie was always on the menu.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She's very young, but she's very mature and very mature. Like, she makes me sometimes I'd be

[Jojo Simmons]

like, oh, she'd be dropping gels. That's right.

[Valerie Simmons]

She dropped.

[Jojo Simmons]

But then she tells me this, and I'm gonna get on. She's like. She calls me and she's like, I get it all from you. I'm like, for me, I'm not that smart. Am I that smart? But I. I love to.

[Valerie Simmons]

Five kids, five different personalities. No judgment. That's all I'm saying.

[Jojo Simmons]

Well, any of us, who. Who was the hardest to deal with,

[Vanessa Simmons]

she don't want to put down.

[Jojo Simmons]

It's okay. It's a podcast. We. It's fun. We all grown now.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She could still be dealing with.

[Jojo Simmons]

I'm talking about as growing up.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Just joking.

[Jojo Simmons]

Who has grown up?

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, my God.

[Jojo Simmons]

Who gave you the biggest head? Addicts. Probably nobody.

[Valerie Simmons]

Let me think me when I started

[Vanessa Simmons]

going out, when I got the car.

[Valerie Simmons]

Probably that one time. That one time, you know, when, you know, you want to go out, you want to be a little boyfriend. You man. And, you know. But that was only that one time. And I was like, you're gonna. You gonna need fathers. No, I don't wanna go. So only that one time.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Well, that was right after I graduated high school. Right. That summer I had the eclipse. Couldn't tell me nothing.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yes. Yes. Couldn't tell me nothing. But you know what? I don't even have a bad thing to say or say. That out of the five children, none of y' all gave me the biggest headache. Darren might have gave me, Darian might have gave me a little more headaches, but none of y' all really gave me a bad headache. Okay.

[Vanessa Simmons]

That's good to know.

[Jojo Simmons]

I found it funny you bring up the boyfriend thing, even though it was after high school. One story I do remember is Vanessa in 8th grade having a boyfriend. Yeah, George was his name. George. And Daddy changed.

[Vanessa Simmons]

George follows me, so he's gonna change.

[Valerie Simmons]

Love you, George.

[Jojo Simmons]

It's all good. But D, Daddy came to the school and told you it's a rap.

[Valerie Simmons]

That's it.

[Jojo Simmons]

I remember this.

[Valerie Simmons]

I was there.

[Jojo Simmons]

Daddy came to school and was like, this is not your boyfriend. She's not old enough to have a boyfriend. And this is not your boyfriend. You remember that?

[Vanessa Simmons]

How could you forget?

[Jojo Simmons]

Embarrassed.

[Vanessa Simmons]

He came home from off tour.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, my God. Yeah.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Came into the classroom. He was like. Vanessa walked out, saw George in the hallway.

[Valerie Simmons]

I was like, what is. Poor George?

[Jojo Simmons]

I remember being out at the end of the day. Cause daddy had picked us up from school. And I was like, like. And everybody was saying, you know, your dad spoke to Vanessa's boy. And I was like, how did everyone

[Vanessa Simmons]

in the school know?

[Valerie Simmons]

Small school.

[Jojo Simmons]

Highland was a very small.

[Valerie Simmons]

How did everybody know it was Guss.

[Vanessa Simmons]

It was gossip.

[Jojo Simmons]

We were all, you know, Daddy was also always Daddy.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah.

[Jojo Simmons]

He walked in the rental school, walking into school. You know what I mean? So my fault, to get off topic, but I just.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Why are we bringing up that.

[Jojo Simmons]

Cuz people love to hear those fun stories here, right?

[Vanessa Simmons]

Oh, my God.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah, we got.

[Valerie Simmons]

Now we don't even remember why we're here again.

[Jojo Simmons]

Van Deezy, Van Dammes, man. The luxury energy drink. You wanna keep your grind sharp and your vibe clean with a luxury premium drink. No crash. Make sure you tap in with Van Dams. Yes, sir. Stay woke.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Okay, so

[Valerie Simmons]

you.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Our parents divorced at a young age, but you guys still created a blended family environment for us. How did you navigate that while raising us?

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, first of all, divorce changed the structure. It didn't change the family we made out of love. Right. So when you divorce someone. We divorce for, I guess, our own reasons. Irregular, salable differences. But you must still move on because we had three children out of this marriage that was made out of love, right? So we had to keep it going, and everybody had to be cordial. It's just. It isn't anything that you must. You have to think about when you have children in a marriage. You make it work. You make it work. No matter what, it's just gonna work. That's me. It's soluble. I like the way soft. I don't have problems. I don't want to make problems. I just want to make memories. How about that?

[Jojo Simmons]

I hope the new generation hears that of these women that, like, just gotta make it work. You made these kids out of love. And if you move on, you move on, but you keep it cordial. And that's one thing I've always.

[Valerie Simmons]

People. Doesn't mean you don't love each other. That's what's so hard about divorce. You do still love each other, right? But you move on. You're not. You're not for each other. You're a chapter in my life. I'm glad you were a chapter in my life. And I've learned from that chapter. And we both just move on. It doesn't mean that you hate each other. Well, I don't know. Maybe some people that are divorced hate each other.

[Jojo Simmons]

That's what I'm saying. I think people need to hear this because you've clearly don't hate each other.

[Valerie Simmons]

It just means that chapter's over. It just means that, you know, you wrote that chapter in your book and you have to close that chapter for all kinds of reasons, various reasons. Right. So, you know, don't look at divorce as a bad thing. It is bad because we have children, right? And we made these children. And now they. They go from seeing two people together to two people apart, and they go from one life to now they got a blended family. Right. It's hard on the kid. I think it's harder on the children than it is on the adults. Adults. But the adults need to come together and realize, look, we end our roads. Our hearts are still the same, but our roads that we travel are different. They're not the same roads. We haven't. We wasn't meant to travel the same road.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah. Yeah, that's. Yeah, that. That's real.

[Valerie Simmons]

I don't regret it. Yeah, I don't. I don't regret it. I. I say I'd probably do it all over again. I don't regret that chapter in my life.

[Jojo Simmons]

You better do it all over again. I wouldn't be here

[Valerie Simmons]

because look what look what we got out of this, this chapter. We got so much. Look at the kids that, you know, come on, y' all are adults now. So it's something to look at and be proud about.

[Jojo Simmons]

One thing I will always say is, you know, speaking about blended families is I always respected how our family was able to do it. A lot of families aren't able to do it successfully. You've never down talked or talked bad about the other side. And same on the other side. We never had to pick a side. We never had to choose someone. We always were taught to love and respect both of you guys with the same amount of love and the same amount of. Amount of energy. And I think a lot of that came from you making sure that we respected who was in the household. You know what I mean? You made sure that you respect that person. That's who's in that role now. And you're gonna treat her just like a mother when you're in that household. And you've a lot of women, I think, have a problem doing that. And you are very mature to understand that. My kids are now under a household with, yes, my ex husband, but now his new wife. And the same for our household. Right. With Fonz, it's like it's the same for our household, which was great because like I that a lot of people don't know. Both families have been in same places at multiple times. Graduations and parties and things like that. And what were you doing? Pageants and stuff like that. Like a lot of, you know, the blended family was in the same room at a lot of the times because it was able to be a mature resolve to everything where we never. I say, me as a kid, I've never felt no beef. I've never felt no animosity. I've never felt any of that ever. So I do honor that and respect that you guys were able to keep it together. Yeah, I wanna talk about this moment. And she claims to forget this moment though. I wanna bring it back up. You said that Vanessa was the leader. Always make sure I was alright. When I was up the block, she couldn't find me. Now, I don't know if you remember this. When I moved to Jersey during high school, it was a big transition for me. I don't remember if you remember the night where dad called looking for me and I was out a little bit late and you guys came out in the car looking for me. Do you remember? Vanessa was in that car. Vanessa was in the car with you? She was in Saint Jojo she was screaming, Jojo.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, yes, yes. I came home from school.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I came home from school.

[Jojo Simmons]

You remember that now, right? Yes.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, my God.

[Jojo Simmons]

I was coming from the park with Gurpreet in them. Oh, my God. I'm doing things I shouldn't be doing at that age. But I was coming from the park with Gurpreet.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yes, yes.

[Jojo Simmons]

And you guys were calling for Jojo. It was like 10 at night, maybe 11 at night. It was late.

[Vanessa Simmons]

What were you doing at 10?

[Valerie Simmons]

That's right.

[Jojo Simmons]

Being a ninth grader figure in our

[Valerie Simmons]

life, I would have gotten stolen or something.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Stolen that we could have been here

[Valerie Simmons]

because it was so dark. Because it was around the time when the time changed and it started to get darker. So I was. I'm thinking maybe he lost track of time. Maybe he doesn't know it gets dark early.

[Jojo Simmons]

But I was walking home when you guys found me. I was walking home and I talked about this.

[Valerie Simmons]

Unbothered. Walking home.

[Jojo Simmons]

I was chilling.

[Valerie Simmons]

We all nervous, and he's unbothered.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Unbothered.

[Jojo Simmons]

So, yeah, I bring that up because I remember finally, when I did get home, you said, call your father. Your father called. He wants to talk to you. Called my father. He said, your mother wants you to move to Jersey. That's it. You need to come. Be a man. He hung up the phone. Now, I would love to know, was that a hard. Was that hard for you to let me go at that time and transition in my life? It was ninth grade. I just started this high school, St. Mary's I've only been in there two, three months. And then he's like, yeah, I didn't make it long in there. I could tell you a story how Daddy pulled up on me at school, too. I thought I was the coolest. St. Mary's St. Mary's to tell me, Give your books in. You're leaving next week. This is all true. I'll tell you the story in a minute, but. So I'll let Mom get the question off first. So was it hard to let me go at those times?

[Valerie Simmons]

You know, it was very hard to let you go. But I thought when I said, you're going to your father's, honestly, I thought you were just going for the weekend. Right. And then once you got there, he was like, no, you know, I went in the state. I was like, wait a minute, what have I done? So, no, it was very hard because I was so used to you being there. I didn't think you did anything that bad that I should have. Have agreed to Let you go live there. Like I said, I thought it would be a few weeks. I didn't think it was going.

[Jojo Simmons]

I had no inclination I was going.

[Valerie Simmons]

In fact, I thought it was going to be a few weeks. I promise you, I didn't. I didn't really send you with the mindset of, okay, this is it. Take all your stuff and go. So it was hard, but at the same time, I didn't know what I had just done. You know how sometimes you make these decisions and you're like, oh, what have I done? So it kind of was like, I played it day by day. Let's see how it works. As soon as he calls me to say, come get him, I'm going. That's the mindset that I had.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah. I remember going there on a Friday, thinking, I'm coming to Queens on Sunday. Monday morning comes, I'm like, what's going on? He's like, come on, get in the car. We drove by the new school. He's like, that's the school you're gonna be going to right there. Ramsey New High. Ramsey, New Jersey. Ramsey High School. You're going to that school. You're starting in a few days, and that's it.

[Valerie Simmons]

You're here.

[Jojo Simmons]

You're living here. And I was just like, huh? And, you know, he got me happy. You're gonna play basketball there. It's gonna be great. He didn't let me know none of that stuff. He didn't let me do none of that. He was a huge. I want you to remember, my grades were horrible. Leaving New York. I wasn't doing the homework. I was getting detentions. I was getting a bunch of academic detentions. Mr. Cramps was killing me at St. Mary. Like, I was doing bad. I was skipping basketball practice. I had got an in school suspension. I tried to hide from Mommy, and she found out about it. It was the worst. I was doing so bad. I was on freshman. I was a. I was in freshman. I only got to play preseason because daddy took me out. Yeah, but two months basketball team. Let me let all y' all know,

[Vanessa Simmons]

that is very, very hard.

[Jojo Simmons]

Danny Green played there. I just want y'. All. No, I was. I. I was decent.

[Vanessa Simmons]

No, the St. Mary's basketball.

[Jojo Simmons]

I ain't gonna say I was a start. Now. I might have been like, 11th.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Were you in varsity or JV?

[Jojo Simmons]

I was freshman. I was only freshman. I came in. Yeah, I was a freshman and I tried out. And I mean, I remember hearing.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Was Danny Green in your class?

[Jojo Simmons]

No. Yo, he was a senior. When I came in. So, yes, I had did a one basketball practice. They let us practice with the varsity team. And I remember going off that practice, I was shooting hella threes. I just, you know, when certain things, like, you know. But it was a crazy moment for me because just waking up and realizing, like, all right, that's it, that's it.

[Valerie Simmons]

I'm not going back to Jersey.

[Jojo Simmons]

I'm in Jersey. I'm done. And I'll tell you how it also happened. So, like, that same night, he called me. He's like, you're coming to New York. You're coming to Jersey. He had to take me out of St. Mary's little do I know, I don't know any of this stuff is happening. So I'm chilling. I'll never forget this. The same week he calls, I'm chilling. Mind you, you and amber went to St. Mary's before me. Amda left to go.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I graduated.

[Jojo Simmons]

Amda left to go to fit. She went to Fashion or Fashion High school first. Sorry. And she left.

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, she went to St. Mary's first and foremost.

[Jojo Simmons]

She went there for two years. Yeah. I'm two years younger than Angela once I became a freshman. Left.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yes.

[Jojo Simmons]

And I remember being in my locker, right? And this girl was Angela's grade crushing on her heart. I'm thinking, I'm cool. I'm at my locker, I got my elbow on the lockiest, you know? Yeah, yeah. I'm chilling. And all I see is this black suit with a white collar walking up the hall.

[Valerie Simmons]

Daddy. Omg.

[Jojo Simmons]

He was like, jojo, what are you doing? I was like, daddy, that's what.

[Vanessa Simmons]

At the time.

[Valerie Simmons]

Daddy, you were doing that.

[Jojo Simmons]

Swear to God.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Oh.

[Jojo Simmons]

She was like, oh, I'll talk to you later. She was in ambulance grade. That was cool. I'm talking to a junior girl. I'm a freshman. She's pretty. I'm like, oh, this is lit. She's like, yo, so what's up with you?

[Vanessa Simmons]

We.

[Jojo Simmons]

You know, MacKinnon, y' all ruined your world. I see a black suit with a white. Jojo, come. You know the finger. Yeah. So he gave me the finger.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Did your heart drop into your stomach?

[Jojo Simmons]

To my butt. So he was like, let's go see Mr. Krams. And he spoke to Mr. Krams. He's like, okay, Jojo will be leaving by the end of this week. It was like a Monday. He was like, he is gonna finish this week. He. He's handing you all his books and, you know, whatever he needs to do to, you know, Whatever we need to do to get him out of here. I just got to get him out of here.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And that's how the pop up at St. Mary's is crazy. Because Daddy didn't play.

[Valerie Simmons]

Daddy didn't play.

[Jojo Simmons]

Look, he popped up to plenty of my schools.

[Vanessa Simmons]

But walking down the hallway at St.

[Jojo Simmons]

Mary's almost got expelled from the first school in New Jersey.

[Vanessa Simmons]

A black suit with a white collar. That's funny, Jojo.

[Jojo Simmons]

I almost got expelled from my school in the first school, New Jersey. And he had to come to the school and talk to the principal. I was just doing things. It was in runs house. I was back staircase, being mischievous with a girl. And I was bugging in Ramsey, like, my second year. My first year I was good. Cause he was on me my second year, buggin'. And that's why he ended up making me go to the third high school, Northern Highlands.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Oh, that's why I was so confused. I was like, two different high schools. I didn't realize that.

[Jojo Simmons]

So the first high school was all good. And I started not doing good there. Getting into some fights, getting a bunch of little things going on. And I told this one teacher, you just mad cause you ain't getting any. I was really bugging out.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Bugging out.

[Jojo Simmons]

Like, the teacher caught me in the back, he was like, that's it. I was like, man, you just mad you ain't getting none. Like 14, 15.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You knew none of this, mommy bro.

[Valerie Simmons]

No. Cause by the time he got the jersey, everything, they didn't tell me the bad things.

[Jojo Simmons]

Oh. And then so the teacher was like,

[Valerie Simmons]

I didn't say everything's good.

[Jojo Simmons]

And that was one of my favorite teachers. He's my wood shop teacher. Loved him. I was just being bad. And I remember he's like, that one's gonna cost you, right? And I remember the principal called me to his office and was like, listen, listen. You either could be expelled or we have to talk to your father. You wanna call your father or I'll call you. And he called Daddy. And Daddy was like, all right, I'll be in the next day. And they gave me three weeks worth of detention in the principal's office. And every week I had to write a paper on, like, integrity, respect, something, something, something.

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, that's good. You learned something from that.

[Jojo Simmons]

I learned something. I learned I didn't want to be in that school no more. And I told Dad, I said, I want a new start. And I went to Northern Highlands and ultimately met my business partners that I now have. Three is four with and we produce this podcast, so it's all in God's. Even though you didn't want me to

[Valerie Simmons]

go, you went and look at that. Right.

[Jojo Simmons]

Look at where we at.

[Valerie Simmons]

So everything always happens for a reason, right? Don't question it at the time. You'll find out soon why. Yeah, you'll find out.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Bars. Okay. So what was it like seeing how fame affected our family and our life with your side of the family?

[Valerie Simmons]

With my side of the family.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. Was it really a change or were we just always the kids? Like, we just went on tv.

[Valerie Simmons]

You were always the kids. But some people always. I don't know, people always thought you. You had more and you should be doing more. They perceived you as these people. They put you on a pedestal so high above you know what I'm saying? So it didn't affect a lot of your immediate family, like, of course, grandpa and meet your immediate family. But people that were distanced, like cousins and aunties, they didn't know you. They thought you should be this way or, you know, I don't know. People think. Think right off the back when people start appearing on television, all of a sudden, they should have this big mansion. They should have be driving 50 cars at one time. So it's lack of knowledge to me, for people. That's what happened to the family. But for the most of it, like your grandmama and your grandma, everybody was. It was unchanged. It was just y' all on television, and we knew when the lights went out that you guys. When the television lights went out, you guys were home and you were just Vanessa, Angela, and Jojo.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah.

[Valerie Simmons]

You were just still.

[Jojo Simmons]

That's crazy.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Grandma Junior used to watch all my movies.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, my goodness.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah.

[Valerie Simmons]

And call you and comment and take pictures. And she. She was your biggest support. She was your. Your biggest cheerleader.

[Jojo Simmons]

Right.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She really was all the magazine clipping.

[Valerie Simmons]

She's. Yeah. Man, I regret not getting.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She had the best memories.

[Valerie Simmons]

I regret not getting. She had all my magazine clippings, too. When I was very young.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She gave me the copy. Well, she didn't give me the original, but the copy of the 1983. Maybe it was 84. People magazine. Yes, I think it was 85. People magazine. Me and Daddy article.

[Valerie Simmons]

And she had the Rolling Stone. She had the Rolling Stone of me and your father on his red car, that big car. He hadn't gotten an old car, but he souped it up. And I'm like, oh, my God. Mommy had everything.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Why don't.

[Valerie Simmons]

Where.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Where is that? I.

[Valerie Simmons]

Because when she passed away, she had such a big storage unit that nobody really went in the storage unit. So everything that was in the storage unit, I hate to tell you, it went into the garbage because it was so much stuff in Maryland in the storage unit.

[Jojo Simmons]

You know, Grandma was a hoarder.

[Valerie Simmons]

It was a hoard. No, she wasn't a hoarder. She was just a person that kept things and they very neat. She probably had it in the box labeled Vanessa's and Joe, you know?

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah, she was very neat.

[Valerie Simmons]

She had everything.

[Vanessa Simmons]

That's what I'm saying. She sent me a whole book.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yes. You know, I got a ton of pictures. I haven't memories. I got a lot of them in my basement. But I just. I still haven't got.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I cherish that book because she would get so artistic with it and put little stickers and scrapping.

[Valerie Simmons]

Scrapbook.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And she would, like, put little notes. Notes. And this was you. And we. We drove to California, cross country.

[Valerie Simmons]

Did you have that?

[Vanessa Simmons]

She sent it to me years and years ago. And then she sent. This is when I had Juicy. She was like, for my grandpups. It was like a little.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, my God. You still have that? That's awesome.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah.

[Valerie Simmons]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You were trying to get it. Look at me.

[Valerie Simmons]

I'm like, you're so happy. Oh, man.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I cherished that.

[Valerie Simmons]

She made that. I want to see it. I really want to see it.

[Vanessa Simmons]

It was a Betty Boop. The photo album is Betty Boop.

[Valerie Simmons]

I remember Betty Boop. I remember that.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah.

[Valerie Simmons]

I think it's so unchanged.

[Jojo Simmons]

It's interesting that you did say that. Cause I spoke to Vanessa about this the other day. I said you never felt like a different feeling from cousins. Like, not immediate like you said. Right?

[Valerie Simmons]

Not immediate. Immediate was okay.

[Jojo Simmons]

And I've always felt it was just your discipline. I've always felt like they treated us a little bit different because they felt

[Valerie Simmons]

like they were different. They were more, you know, maybe, but

[Jojo Simmons]

we grew up with them. You grew up with them. We played Beaches and this and then.

[Valerie Simmons]

But all of a sudden, you start getting enemies. Like, they don't. They're not.

[Jojo Simmons]

I wouldn't call our family enemies.

[Valerie Simmons]

They're not enemies, but they're not. Okay. Let's just say you start getting people that's. That used to be like. Like you so much, it seemed like you did something wrong. Like, what did I do? Why are you treating me like that? I mean, people should just know the truth. That, like, when I became, you know, with Joe or whatever, I was with Joe. Marion. I Was the same person. My friends will tell you to this day, she never changed. Yeah, she never, ever changed.

[Jojo Simmons]

I love that. To stay on the topic, like, when I went Run's House first started and we were suddenly on television, how did you feel watching your kids step into that world? And did you have any hesitation? Cause a lot of people don't know you had to sign off for us to go on this show. We weren't. I wasn't of age to sign off or, you know. So how did it feel to watch your kids step into that type of world? And did you have any hesitations about us being on TV and ultimately becoming who we've become?

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, first I felt proud. Cause that. It's my pride, right? I was like, those are my kids. But then the protectiveness came out in me, right? And my hesitation lie in the challenges that came with. With the spotlights, right? Because we all know when you're not in the spotlights, you know, you just. You. But when you become the spotlights now, judgment, you being judged by the whole world. Okay? So I was more protective. Like, I hope they don't read comments or, you know, like, just. Just knowing how cruel people can be. You know what I'm saying? And the mean things that people can say, not only about you, but they'll. They'll attack your family. So. So the hesitation for me lied there. But you guys handled it pretty well.

[Jojo Simmons]

Because we look like we did.

[Vanessa Simmons]

We're still handling.

[Jojo Simmons]

We're still healing. We're still healing.

[Vanessa Simmons]

We're still handling and healing.

[Jojo Simmons]

We're still handling and healing. But we're back.

[Valerie Simmons]

So the hesitation I had are just a challenge.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And you were right to feel that, because I feel like we went into it so fearlessly, and it's like, what can they hate? You know? And then there was the social media. We didn't think about that at all. But social media unleashed all of that and showed all of those things right at our doorstep. Like, right here.

[Jojo Simmons]

Like, look, I remember the moment the first episode aired, and me and you watched it together. You don't remember this movie theater in daddy's house. Daddy's house. It was just me and you. I don't know why. Why was it just the family wasn't. They were upstairs, everybody. And you was like, come on, George, let's go watch it in the movie theater. And your only question to me was, it came on. You was like, can you believe there's probably like a million people watching this right now?

[Valerie Simmons]

And that was me.

[Jojo Simmons]

That was my fair. Whatever because I'm 14. I'm like, what?

[Valerie Simmons]

And I knew you guys would never think of it like that because you were young. She. So you went into even being older? She didn't.

[Jojo Simmons]

She knew the stardom she was gonna step into.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Sometimes you think about how lit it was about to be for me to go to Lotus on Sunday and get into Cloud.

[Jojo Simmons]

I didn't think about none of that.

[Valerie Simmons]

Y' all didn't think about the cruelness of the world.

[Jojo Simmons]

I just wanted to be a part.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I was just like.

[Jojo Simmons]

I didn't know anything was gonna happen.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I got the velvet rope lifted everywhere. I was out all the time. I was like, wow, this is great.

[Jojo Simmons]

Now, when I saw that now when I walked through that mall and 40 girls ran after me, I said, oh, it's lit. It's lit. I said, oh, okay. This is what I tell this story all the time. Two years before Runs House was on tv, the Gotti boys were the biggest thing in the world. I don't know if you remember that show. And I was in a Roosevelt Field mall, and all the girls was chasing them. And I'm a nobody with Zac. And I'm like, wow, that must be cool. Two years later, Run's house is hot.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Growin up, Gotti.

[Jojo Simmons]

Where's the. Yeah. Two years later, Run's house is hot. They treat me like them Gotti boys. And I was like, oh, this is that feeling.

[Vanessa Simmons]

They were chasing you in the mall.

[Jojo Simmons]

Chasing me in so many malls. I shut Times Square down. Signing breasts at 15. Not joking. Not joking.

[Valerie Simmons]

Like, signing breasts.

[Jojo Simmons]

Shut it up. I can have.

[Valerie Simmons]

Shut up. 15.

[Jojo Simmons]

This is new suit, Danica. Ask your brother Dave.

[Valerie Simmons]

He was there.

[Jojo Simmons]

Dave was there.

[Valerie Simmons]

You see the challenges that came along. I was talking about that too. Not just people.

[Jojo Simmons]

It was. It was. It was a good time.

[Valerie Simmons]

The signing of the breast.

[Jojo Simmons]

No, the thing is. And I just say this to say, like, we were. We were that monumental, right? That I didn't understand the. The culture impact. The culture impact. Even at that. I understand it now, but at that moment, I was just Jojo trying to be JoJo. I still wanted to be very normal. A lot of people don't know, like, that's why I would fiend to come to Queens. I gotta go to Queens. I gotta be on Jamaica Avenue with my friends. I got JoJo Simmons on Jamaica Avenue. Jojo Simmons trying to be as normal as I can be, but being a doggone biggest star on MTV at that point. So it never hit me. It never hit me until older. Until I made so Many mistakes in the public, where people were like, oh, he's an idiot. He's doing all this. No, I was being a child. And you guys got to watch it play out in front of the whole world. You guys got to watch me from 14 to 20.

[Valerie Simmons]

That's right.

[Jojo Simmons]

Those are the most pivotal years in anybody's life. And you guys all got to see me try things, fail at things, win things, go through emotional, you know, problems, all of that.

[Valerie Simmons]

Everything was publicized. Your life was on public display. Pretty much.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah.

[Valerie Simmons]

You know, pretty much when it is. I mean, you still are, but being so young to be on public display, look at all the challenges that comes with it. People are going to judge you. Not only judge you, they're going to look at you. They're going to. They gonna scrutinize you. They're gonna say, oh, he's being an idiot. Everything.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Does that bother you?

[Valerie Simmons]

Even you. That's. That's right. That's what I'm saying. So not only was your challenges I worried about for you, it was like, me, too. Because when they started judging you, they judged me. They was like. Because even today, I'll get. People say, oh, really? Those your kids? What you working for? Because I want to, you know, like, they. They feel like I should not be working because I have kids that were on reality shows. They still do shows. So challenges comes with. When you want to go on reality shows or put your kids anywhere. Just know that it's going to come with some challenges.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. So I'm very careful with.

[Valerie Simmons]

It's going to come with.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah, all the stuff, like, very careful.

[Valerie Simmons]

They got to be ready for it, you know, they got to be. But you guys, like I said, in my opinion, you hand handled it pretty well. I mean, I know you might have gone through this and that, but you still was able to handle. And I think it was the balance of being in Queens with me, your dad, in Jersey. I just think it was the blended family kind of thing. We all was a big support system for you. It helped you through.

[Jojo Simmons]

Did it ever bother you that people didn't think we were as grounded as we are? Like, they thought we were just some rich kids that doesn't understand humble beginnings in the world. And I think you're a perfect reflection of us understanding humble beginnings and. And how to get it on our own and how to grind and not be nepo babies. Like, everybody says it, right? Like, we're nepo babies. But, like, we work really hard because we watched you work really hard, and we watched you Tell us to work really hard, no matter if we were entertainers or not. You always told us, once again, education. And you always told us to have a plan A, a B and a C. Does it ever bother you that people believe that we're not those type of kids that they think we are on this pedestal? Yeah.

[Valerie Simmons]

Bothers me all the time. I'm always justifying someone's always like. Like I said, they're always saying, those are your kids. Why are you doing this? And I always have to constantly remind them, look, my kids wasn't handed. My kids work hard for everything you see them do. If you see my daughter on a modeling thing or on a Lifetime movie, she works for that. She has to go audition. Nobody says, tyler Perry didn't come up to her and say, here you go.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You can be in my movie.

[Valerie Simmons]

But she work.

[Jojo Simmons]

Tyler, stop playing with her.

[Valerie Simmons]

Tyler Perry, we here.

[Jojo Simmons]

Stop playing with her, Tyler. She's great. Stop playing.

[Valerie Simmons]

But I said, they're not handed that. When you see JoJo on his grind, he produces certain things. He works for that. No one says, here you go, take this. When you see Angela working hard or doing this, and you see that she has this and that, she goes hard. She goes hard sometimes. She might be up a few nights. Okay? So don't think my children have been handed a silver spoon. They was not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Nor was I. You know, and they watched me on my grind, which made them get on their grind.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Here's what I will say. I will not deny that we were given opportunities.

[Jojo Simmons]

Opportunities.

[Vanessa Simmons]

We were given opportunities. But you still worked through privilege.

[Valerie Simmons]

Exactly.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And through, you know, dads. You know, we are nepo babies for being who you. But we're nepo babies who took that opportunity and stretched it.

[Jojo Simmons]

This is how we still stretching it.

[Vanessa Simmons]

How long ago was Runtel's?

[Jojo Simmons]

Too long ago. 36. So 20 years.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Hold on.

[Valerie Simmons]

Wait. Nope. I was getting. Cause I had 22 years.

[Jojo Simmons]

21 years.

[Valerie Simmons]

Turned 39.

[Jojo Simmons]

21 years.

[Valerie Simmons]

I had kids turned 30 years. I remember when we did the first one at Max House. I was about to be 40. Wow. It's been 20 years.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah.

[Jojo Simmons]

You're younger than what Vanessa is right now.

[Valerie Simmons]

I was younger than what Vanessa?

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. So we have stretched out.

[Valerie Simmons]

I was 39. Just. I was turning.

[Jojo Simmons]

Sorry, I didn't even cut you. She was only 40 when we was on TV.

[Valerie Simmons]

That's right. You don't remember.

[Vanessa Simmons]

We did Daddy's 40th birthday.

[Jojo Simmons]

I don't never pay attention to nobody's Birthday age.

[Valerie Simmons]

Do you know how little Tiffany. Do you know that Darian was.

[Jojo Simmons]

I'm not paying my parents. Age. They look young.

[Valerie Simmons]

Darien was 8 and Tiffany was what, 2? Y' all brought her the little. She was like 2 or 3 years old. And Grandpa.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I do think it's my grandpa. I appreciate you saying how hard we work, because like we said, we took those opportunities and we go after what we want hard. And we may fail and we may fall along the way, but we always pick ourselves back up and we go towards our goals so hard. So any opportunity you see us with is because we.

[Valerie Simmons]

We did it. Yeah. Nobody says he has this working hard.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Blood, sweat, and sweat.

[Jojo Simmons]

We in these chairs right now. Working hard. Y' all don't know what's going on behind the scenes.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Flew in last five. I'm here.

[Jojo Simmons]

Tired. Got her makeup done in a small room now. Oh, my God.

[Valerie Simmons]

I couldn't move.

[Jojo Simmons]

We didn't know we was on a ship.

[Valerie Simmons]

But it's beautiful. I gotta tell you, it's really beautiful.

[Jojo Simmons]

We made it happen. You have any more questions before we get out of here?

[Vanessa Simmons]

That was all my questions.

[Jojo Simmons]

I have one more thing I wanted to. I did want to ask before we get out of here, because I didn't know if you had any more questions. Dang, Did I forget it just now? It was a good question, too.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yeah.

[Jojo Simmons]

I don't know. I think we basically. We touched on a lot of the stuff. You know what I mean? I think we really got to show the viewer, the listener, where we truly come from. You know what I mean? And the grind that we truly put in. So anything you want to add before we give our mom her four good flowers.

[Valerie Simmons]

Flowers. Early Mother's Day, which.

[Jojo Simmons]

I wanted to give you some actual physical flowers, so I will. No, but I will be sending them to. We will be sending them to your house.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Yeah. Usually y' all don't have flowers.

[Jojo Simmons]

It was a very hectic morning for me.

[Valerie Simmons]

Y' all don't have flowers.

[Jojo Simmons]

From my car service.

[Valerie Simmons]

It's my pleasure to come to, you know, support on your platform.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Still deserve your flowers.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah. Yeah. That's why we want to make sure that you get physical flowers.

[Vanessa Simmons]

A beautiful bouquet.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yes.

[Valerie Simmons]

Wow. Beautiful.

[Jojo Simmons]

But yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's the question I wanted to ask before we get out of here. Vanessa, myself, Angela, all parents. How does it feel being a grandma? Oh, Tiffany, too.

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, I actually just brought a shirt that said. It's a T shirt. It says, proud to be a mother. Grandmother, and I rock them both. So it is I am so honored and blessed to be. I got five grandchildren. Like I'm still.

[Jojo Simmons]

Oh my God, you do.

[Valerie Simmons]

I got five grandchildren and I am all. I am still in la la land and I'm still like in cloud. Like I can't believe my oldest grandchild is 12.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Can't believe it.

[Valerie Simmons]

I can't believe it.

[Jojo Simmons]

And your other one is in there.

[Valerie Simmons]

And my 10 year old, which me and her just took some funny pictures cuz she's so silly. Every time me and Mia get together, I don't see her as much as I would like to. I don't see any of my grandkids, Melo who lives with me. I don't see any of them as much as I would like to. But whenever I do see them, me and her was just in there just cutting up and we got so many pictures in my phone. You should see her. But I'm, I am very blessed to be a grand grandma and well, I'm my mom, but I'm blessed.

[Jojo Simmons]

She was excited to come see you today, so I'm happy that.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I was devastated that I had to leave her behind.

[Valerie Simmons]

I was hoping I saw her.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I know, but it was a one

[Valerie Simmons]

day trip and yeah, it's too much

[Vanessa Simmons]

and she can't be missing too much school.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Talking about education and everything.

[Jojo Simmons]

So. Yeah. This has been an amazing conversation with our mother today on the four Good podcast. Before we get out of here, you know what we got to do. This is going to be a special flower giving because it's to our mom. So Vanessa, I'm going to let the oldest one crack it off first.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Okay. So here on the 4Good podcast, we give out. What do you, how do you say it, Jojo?

[Jojo Simmons]

We give out four good flowers.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Although they're not physical flowers. Although they're not physical, they are words of encouragement. And we will be sending you an actual real bouquet of flowers.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yes, we will.

[Vanessa Simmons]

We just want to give you your flowers and say thank you. Thank you for, you know, raising us and loving on us the way that you do and for all your wisdom and knowledge and support and just all the things that make us great is because of you. So just want to give you your flowers.

[Valerie Simmons]

Well, there's no thank you. It's not a job. It was my purpose. It's my children. It is what I, I was. This is, this is, these are my choices. This is what I made. And that's all I'm going to give y' all is love, encouragement and all that other good stuff you just said.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And what are you going to say, Jenna? Because I know you got something.

[Jojo Simmons]

To mom. As your only son, you know, I would want to say, I want to say that, you know, I appreciate you being the perfect mother to a young boy that needed a mother to understand him. A mother to under. A mother to be non judgmental. A mother to let me grow, A mother to let me learn, A mother to let me love. A mother to make sure that I was safe, but also smart. You know, everything you've done, not only for me, but for us has kept us grounded, it's kept us humbled, and it's just, it just shows us. You've always shown us that there's more to life than entertainment. You've always shown us that there's more to life than what we seen. You've always shown us that there's so many opportunities for us out here as long as we look for them. And, you know, we're forever indebted for you and to you, I mean, we're forever indebted to you for you being such a great mother and at a young age, being able to take on that task and never leaving outside, never leaving us. Letting us know you believe in us, letting us go out here and chase whatever we're chasing and support our fame. Support, support everything we've done to this moment, even supporting us now by coming on this podcast. It's a feeling that a lot of people I know would love to have with their mother and we have a great relationship with, you know, from the day I was born, I don't know nobody else. I don't know nothing else. All I know is that I have an amazing mother that is super intelligent, super, super full of love and, you know, shows up for everybody. And that's important. You know what I mean? So thank you for raising non judgmental kids. Thank you for raising kids that love, thank you for raising kids that care, and thank you for raising kids that are aware of everything that's going on.

[Valerie Simmons]

Wow.

[Vanessa Simmons]

He always gonna.

[Valerie Simmons]

That was spectacular.

[Vanessa Simmons]

No, I told you. And that's why you tried to block his way and get your short, sweet and simple answer. So I can go.

[Jojo Simmons]

I'm just a very long winded person with.

[Valerie Simmons]

With cute words.

[Jojo Simmons]

I'm a long winded person with cute words.

[Vanessa Simmons]

We get to that part, I'm like, here goes Jojo, where's the teleprompter? Where is it?

[Jojo Simmons]

She's always asked me about this. She's how you so good words. I said, you know, when you let things flow from your heart, they just come. That's why sometimes when you watch your

[Valerie Simmons]

mother talk and things.

[Jojo Simmons]

Now you're taking all the credit for my. My public speaking. No problem. No problem.

[Valerie Simmons]

Public speaking can come from what you exposed to, right? Your dad was really good at public speaking. He did get up speak. He still is. You know what I'm saying? So y' all grew up around two people? Or maybe many people that speak. They're public speakers, you know, it's what they do.

[Jojo Simmons]

And you're also a very good writer.

[Valerie Simmons]

Yeah, I write, I speak. I speak at colleges sometimes. So, I mean. And I never liked it. So who thought I would ever be here speaking? Because I am. I always thought of myself as not a great speaker. I'm like, I'm not great at public speaking. No, I don't wanna. I don't wanna make the speech. But then when I make it, they're like, you're good at it. So.

[Jojo Simmons]

Yeah, I was saying I took public speaking classes in college and I failed.

[Valerie Simmons]

You failed.

[Jojo Simmons]

The reason I failed, though. I'm gonna tell you why I failed. I didn't fail because I was bad at it. I did great. I aced every test throughout the year. And then, you know that one final test, that's 85% of your thing?

[Valerie Simmons]

I did it wrong.

[Jojo Simmons]

And that was the day I was like, man, she don't know nothing. I'm a great public speaker. Look at me now. You know what I mean?

[Valerie Simmons]

So. But no, you know, the more you

[Vanessa Simmons]

do, the more you do.

[Valerie Simmons]

But you're very well spoken, public.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Remember the first award I won, the public speaking when you ran a pageant, right?

[Valerie Simmons]

You was like, I think I saw it. I saw you mink. And I was there and I was saying to myself like this.

[Vanessa Simmons]

You helped me write it.

[Valerie Simmons]

She did this.

[Vanessa Simmons]

And I won first prize, $2,000.

[Jojo Simmons]

I remember.

[Valerie Simmons]

You did it really, really well too. That was like one of the. Why you gotta be laughing at me?

[Jojo Simmons]

It's funny.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Cause of my topic.

[Jojo Simmons]

I know they enjoying this, but we gotta get outta here. My four gooders, our good people.

[Valerie Simmons]

Okay, we love you guys.

[Jojo Simmons]

Guys, I hope you really enjoyed this conversation with our mom. Please drop a comment in the comment section. If you like this conversation, hit that like button. And also subscribe to the podcast. We growing every week, every day, the Instagram, the YouTube, we growing. Which means it's working, which means you guys are listening, which means you guys are loving it. And we loving you guys as much as you loving us. We will see you guys next time on the For Good podcast. This is your guy, JoJo Simmons.

[Vanessa Simmons]

I'm Vanessa Simmons.

[Jojo Simmons]

We're here with our mom. Right here.

[Valerie Simmons]

Follow me on Yellow Bumble be Tik Tok.

[Jojo Simmons]

Don't follow her on Tik Tok. Don't follow her on Tik Tok.

[Vanessa Simmons]

She post the worst picture.

[Jojo Simmons]

Don't follow her on Tik Tok. Don't. Please yo, your forehead be cut off. Like, she's really like an older one when it comes to that.

[Valerie Simmons]

Forehead cut off.

[Vanessa Simmons]

Why would you.

[Jojo Simmons]

And on that note, this is the For Good podcast. Till next time, guys. When we focus on the good, never the bad, and we measure by what we do, not what we have. See you guys next time, guys. Bye. Peace. Love you guys.