*Tia Mowry recently shared her parenting philosophy for her children, Cree, 14, and Cairo, 7, co-parented with ex-husband Cory Hardrict, prompting varied reactions online.
In a Parade interview, Mowry explained her departure from the strict “my house, my rules” approach of her upbringing. “I think growing up, it was definitely a cultural thing where it’s like, ‘My house, my rules.’ I didn’t want to do that with my children. I wanted my children to never be afraid to express themselves,” she said.
Mowry emphasized fostering independence in her children, believing it’s not her role to ensure their happiness. “I don’t think it is your job to make your kids happy. I think that it is your job to keep your kids safe, nurture them, guide them, but they have to learn on their own how to make themselves happy, because we don’t want to create co-dependency,” she stated.
Mowry added that she respects her children’s boundaries, noting, “If you’re not in the mood, then you’re not in the mood,” regarding situations like refusing affection with relatives.
Online responses to Mowry’s approach, as seen in BuzzFeed article comments, were mixed. Supporters agreed, with one stating, “Let them learn to be responsible for their own happiness so they don’t grow up expecting others to be responsible for making them happy.” Another commented, “Parents have to teach kids how to deal with struggles and disappointments so they can effectively deal with negative situation when they are older.”
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Critics, however, questioned her perspective, with one writing, “I think you can make your kids happy and foster independence. I’m not sure why these are mutually exclusive in her world.”
In a June Entertainment Tonight interview, Mowry discussed protecting her children from Hollywood’s pressures, saying, “I think it’s all about just staying true to who you are.”
She added, “Trends, they come and go. I’ve never been that type of person to hop on a trend. I’ve always been myself, you know. So I think just walking in truth, in authenticity, has been really, really really important. So I definitely want that for my children, you know.”
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