Nicole Ari Parker Opens Up About ‘Virtual’ Mother’s Day Plans (Exclusive)

Nicole Ari Parker is reflecting on what she loves most about being a mom.

The And Just Like That star, 53, is partnering with Jergens Skincare to create a custom, limited-edition bracelet with jeweler Adina Eden to go along with their Mother’s Day collaboration.

Speaking with PEOPLE about the partnership, Parker says that she “really wanted to celebrate moms and how we’re such an integral part of our children’s lives. Or if we had moms or mom figures…I have a great father, but my mom taught me to be a mom, and so she will always be the star of my life.”

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Parker is mom to daughter Sophie, 19, and son Nicolas, 17, who she shares with husband Boris Kodjoe.

“I think that moms in all figures, we just get a download of something intuitive about what a child needs and when they need it,” Parker shares. “And even if we’re not perfect, even if we do things wrong, there’s something about a woman’s wisdom that I think just kicks in when we have to care for someone.”

“And I just really love being a mom. It was very difficult at certain times, like any mom will tell you in terms of time management, self-care, doing the right thing, saying it in the right way, but I just feel like this was the greatest gift I could have ever been given.”

As she gets ready to celebrate Mother’s Day next month, Parker looks back on her proudest moments as a mother. Admitting that it’s a hard question, the star says that she thinks it’s in “different phases.”

“It would take a long time to go back to when they were little, but now that they’re 17 and 19, I can hear them on the phone with other people or my son online in a classroom answering a question about politics or theory. And he has his own opinions and my daughter has her own views and the ability to articulate them.”

“I really wanted them to, as a young mom when they were younger, I always ask them to use their words, express themselves,” Parker says. “So when I hear them speaking and being their own true selves, I am very proud.”

Parker plans to celebrate her special day “virtually” as her daughter Sophie is still finishing up her semester at college. “They’re always very creative,” Parker says of her kids.

“And nowadays I just love us being together. I don’t really need anything,” Parker adds. “I was talking about this earlier, about how much I love having breakfast with my kids, so I’m going to miss that this Mother’s Day. But we’ll celebrate soon.”