Wanda Sykes Talks About Her Decision to Start a Family

Here’s a story you might not know about the hilarious and sharp-witted comedian, Wanda Sykes. When she first met her wife, Alex Niedbalski, Wanda wasn’t exactly sold on the idea of having kids. But as it turns out, that decision turned out to be one of the best she’s ever made. In a candid 2019 interview with NPR’s Fresh Air, Sykes shared her initial hesitation. “When I met Alex, she was very upfront about wanting kids. She said, ‘Look, this is what I want,’” Wanda recalled with a laugh. “And I thought, ‘Well, can you give me six months to think about it? Let’s date, figure things out, and if it’s not for me, we’ll part ways, and you’ll find someone else who wants kids.’”

Building a Family Together

Fast forward to October 2008, after two years of dating, Wanda and Alex tied the knot. Not long after, their family grew in the most magical way possible. In April 2009, Alex, a French-born businesswoman, gave birth to twins, Olivia and Lucas. “I’m so happy,” Wanda gushed to Ellen DeGeneres in September 2019. “I’m sure every parent feels this way, but being a mom has been one of the greatest joys of my life. God bless teachers, though—they deserve all the credit!”

The Realities of Parenthood

Of course, motherhood isn’t all rainbows and unicorns, and Wanda Sykes isn’t afraid to talk about the tough parts. In a 2016 interview with Vulture, she admitted that the hardest part of parenting was the sheer exhaustion. “The lack of sleep? Oh, that was brutal,” she joked. “At one point, I was seriously considering returning one of them. I mean, I was like, ‘Can we do this? Can we just send one back?’ It was a joke, of course, but I was so tired that I thought, ‘How are we going to handle this?’”

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Homework Wars and Summer Reading Struggles

Parenting isn’t just about sleepless nights; it’s also about navigating the world of schoolwork and summer reading lists. Wanda opened up about the challenges of helping her kids with their homework. “Let me tell you, the summer reading was absolutely kicking our butts,” she joked in a conversation with a talk show host. “I wish I could just trust my kids and say, ‘Here’s your list. Go read those books.’ But no, I had to dive in myself. This summer, I ended up reading three books with them. As school started to approach, I realized I still had 200 pages left to cover. So, I’d read to them while they were sleeping, hoping some of it would sink in. It was chaotic, but we got through it.”

Parenting Through a Pandemic

When the pandemic hit, Wanda’s life as a mom took on a whole new dimension. In an April 2020 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she joked about her new roles at home. “Now, I’m the cafeteria lady, the janitor, and the hall monitor all rolled into one,” she said with a laugh. “It’s wild. By the time the kids go to bed, Alex and I finally get to sit down and watch something, but we barely make it through an episode. We both fall asleep within minutes. It’s been a crazy time, but we’re making it work.”

Ready to learn more about Olivia and Lucas? Dive into their world below!