Tia Mowry Says She Feels Like She's 'Always in Survival Mode' as a Newly Single Mom to Her 2 Kids

Tia Mowry/Instagram

Tia Mowry is rolling with the punches as a newly single mother to her two kids.

While chatting with PEOPLE about her partnership with Lactaid, the actress, 44, also opens up about home life with her two kids, son Cree, 11, and daughter Cairo, 4, whom she shares with ex-husband Cory Hardrict.

Noting how she is "really learning how to really be present" in her new parental role, Mowry tells PEOPLE exclusively, "I feel like, especially as a mom wearing so many different hats, I'm always in survival mode."

"I'm always making sure everybody is okay, everybody's alive, everybody's healthy, everybody's fed," she continues, "and making sure everybody's fine, they have no holes in their socks, et cetera."

"But for me," Mowry adds, "it's about learning how to be aware and present with myself, and tapping in and making sure I too am taken care of. [Because] how can you take care of other people if your cup isn't filled?"

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Mowry and ex-husband Hardrict, 42, married in 2008 and announced their separation in October 2022.

At the time, the Sister, Sister star said the pair would be maintaining a friendship to co-parent their kids after 14 years of marriage.

"I am grateful for all the happy times we had together and want to thank my friends, family and fans for your love and support as we start this new chapter moving forward in our lives," Mowry wrote at the time.

According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, the Seventeen Again alum requested joint physical and legal custody of the former couple's children.

Tia Mowry/Instagram

Mowry tells PEOPLE that her two young children "are doing well" amid their new normal, adding: "They're continuing to thrive so beautifully."

"I'm in awe of my children, especially my son right now," she continues. "I told him the other day, 'I'm so proud of you,' that he's learning at such a young age that sometimes life will give you challenges, but that doesn't mean that you give up, that doesn't mean that you don't believe in yourself."

As for her daughter, Mowry says she is all about being active and is "constantly walking on her tippy toes."

"I just believe that she's going to be a ballerina one day, but I also think she's going to be the President of the United States," the proud mom adds. "She is so incredibly smart, she has a mind of her own. I'm obsessed with my kids."

RELATED VIDEO: Tia Mowry Files for Divorce from Husband of 14 Years Cory Hardrict: 'Not Without Sadness'

Mowry recognizes the importance of quality time with her children even more so now amid the family's new dynamic, and one way in which she loves to spend cherished time with her kids is in the kitchen at breakfast time.

"Breakfast is huge in our family. The kids, they absolutely love breakfast and being in the kitchen with me," she says, also noting how making and eating food is "all about creating memories and experiences."

But sometimes it isn't always the best digestive-wise for Mowry and her children, given they each suffer from lactose sensitivities, which is why they are big fans of Lactaid.

"It gives me the freedom to be able to enjoy an entire glass of milk, because it's 100 percent real milk, just without the lactose," she says.

"We're able to enjoy a lot of our favorite dishes and recipes now as a family," Mowry adds, detailing that her brood loves to eat Cookie Monster pancakes, which she says is a "fun, practical and recognizable" morning treat.