Tia Mowry says she doesn’t think parents are responsible for their children’s happiness.
In an interview with Parents published on Friday, the actor said her parenting style is different from the way she was brought up.
“I think growing up, it was definitely a cultural thing where it’s like, ‘my house, my rules,'” Mowry told Parents. “I didn’t want to do that with my children.”
Mowry said she wants her kids to feel free to express themselves, including knowing how to say “no.” She would not force her kids to do something they’re uncomfortable with, either, she added.
“If you’re not in the mood, then you’re not in the mood,” the “Sister, Sister” actor said.
While parents have a lot of responsibilities, Mowry said keeping their kids happy shouldn’t be one of them.
“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 said.
Mowry has two children with her ex-husband, Cory Hardrict, whom she divorced in April 2023 after 14 years of marriage. The two now co-parent, and Mowry says it’s important for kids to see divorced parents still communicating and treating each other with respect.
“That’s what keeps children beautifully adjusted. It keeps their nervous system calm and at ease when they see their parents are still together, we all come together as a family.”
During a June appearance on the “Jennifer Hudson Show,” Mowry recalled the moment her 13-year-old son told her he didn’t want to be featured on her reality show — and said that respecting his choice was part of her parenting approach.
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“He didn’t want to be on the show, which I was OK with. You know what? I want him to be able to express himself, and then I want to nurture that,” Mowry told host Jennifer Hudson, adding that while her son does love being on Instagram, she still has to get his approval first.
A representative for Mowry did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.
Mowry isn’t the only celebrity parent who has spoken about the parenting lessons they’ve learned.
In March, Kate Hudson, who has three kids, said parents should learn to apologize to their kids when they’re in the wrong.
“And what you find in going to your kids and saying, ‘I could have handled this better’ or ‘I made a mistake’ or ‘I’m sorry I didn’t trust you’ — whatever the scenario — is that connection becomes stronger,” Hudson said.
In June, Michelle Obama said good parenting involves understanding “your children are not your friends,” and making tough decisions to keep them safe.
“You will be disappointing them, and scaring them, and making them hurt, and arguing with them, and doing all the things that you don’t wanna do with your best friends,” Obama said. “But in the end, as parents, we are responsible for securing the safety and the health of the children we bring into this world.”
