Drew Sidora says her kids are navigating her divorce from Ralph Pittman with an impressive show of "resilience."
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 39, tells PEOPLE her three children — Josiah, 13, Machai, 9, and Aniya, 6 — are "thriving" amid their new normal following the couple's split in February 2023 after eight years of marriage.
"I couldn't be more proud — [they're] super respectful and just doing great," Sidora says, while chatting about her role in the hit Bounce TV sitcom Mind Your Business.
"Throughout this process, I know it hasn't been easy for them too, but they give so much love to me, and I think they're doing a great job just balancing and dealing with the changes," she adds.
Sidora says her kids' handling of the difficult family development has inspired her as she navigates her own emotions in the process. "Their resilience has given me strength," the Bravo star notes.
She marveled that she now has a teen on her hands in Josiah, whom she shares with ex Ricky Brascom. "He's a little taller than me now, so I'm accepting that he's growing, and it's crazy," she tells PEOPLE of her eldest child.
Machai and Aniya — whom she shares with Pittman — are also growing up fast, she says, adding that all three kids are keeping busy with their various sports.
While Sidora and Pittman have chosen to end their marriage, they continue to cohabitate more than a year after their separation, making the situation challenging for the pair and the kids.
"It's still not settled and yes, we're still living together under the same roof," Sidora says of the divorce, which has seen her and Pittman engaging in a contentious legal battle with each other. "I didn't even know that could happen. I was like, 'What?' But yeah — he is living in the basement, and that was court-ordered."
"It'd be much easier if we were able to move on separately; you know, out of sight, out of mind, with your own space and your own energy. But that's clearly not in the cards," she continues. "So sharing space has been a double whammy."
While certainly not an ideal scenario, Sidora says having both her and Pittman in the same house at least provides "some normalcy" for the kids.
"The kids, because we're still under the same roof, the energy has definitely shifted. But to keep some normalcy for my babies has meant everything to me. To be able to put my arms around my kids during those tough times ... I think it's been helpful for all of us," she explains.
Through it all, the reality star has been relying on the support of her family.
"My village is my everything. My sister, my sister-in-law and my cousin came out to be there for me emotionally and help me with the kids. My mom, she's been back and forth, she takes the kids with her to Chicago whenever needed," she says, adding of her loved ones, "They have been my rock through it all."
Reflecting on the breakup of her marriage, Sidora tells PEOPLE she "never saw [a divorce] coming in a million years" and that it "saddened" her that she and Pittman were not able to fix their issues and stay together.
However, she says she hopes to one day find a bigger "purpose" in the divorce, especially by sharing her personal story with others.
"I just always hope my journey will help inspire other people in similar situations and be able to pull healing and strength from that," Sidora says. "That's kind of how I have to walk through this situation and understand that could be the purpose and bigger picture of it all."Mind Your Business airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bounce TV. Episodes can also be viewed on the streaming service Brown Sugar. The Real Housewives of Atlanta can be streamed on Peacock.
