DOING IT Her Way

Country strong! Jessie James Decker talks to Us about motherhood, marriage and tuning out the trash talk 

- JAIME HARKIN

Like most celebrity parents in the public eye, Jessie James Decker is no stranger to being mom-shamed. “There was definitely a time when it used to get to me,” admits Decker, 35, who shares Vivianne, 9, Eric Jr., 7, and Forrest, 5, with her husband of 10 years, former NFL player Eric Decker, 36. The country singer gave fans an inside look at her family’s life at home on their E! reality series, Eric & Jessie: Game On, which ran from 2013 until 2017; in recent years, she’s been criticized for posting photos of her kids in swimsuits and breastfeeding while holding a glass of wine. “It hurts your feelings when people are unkind, but as I’m getting older, I don’t have time to focus on negativity anymore,” says the Kittenish designer. “I have three children to love and look after. We’re all just trying to do our best,” she adds. “We should be supporting one another.”

Between your music, Kittenish and an upcoming cookbook, you have so much going on. How do you juggle it with family time?

I know what’s coming, and I’m very strategic. [Last] week, I booked my music video shoot when the kids were at camp and Vivianne had a long gymnastics practice. That way, they didn’t have to be away from me that much. And I have a rule: I don’t do work after I pick up the kids from school.

It also takes a lot of help. It takes a village! My husband has been retired from football, and he’s been helping so I can live out my dreams. My mom is really helpful, and my sister lives up the street. There are times when I’m like, “Hey, can you pick up Forrest?” and I do the same for her kids.