Sarah Jessica Parker Inspired by Dolly Parton’s Advice –Give Kids What They Need but Not Always What They Want
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick’s children made a rare red carpet appearance for their parent’s Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite Broadway premiere and keeping them out of the limelight is a purposeful decision.
Parker and Broderick made intentional decisions to keep their three children out of the spotlight, so they stay grounded. In fact, Parker tapped into a remark Dolly Parton made about how she keeps loved ones focused on what is important in life.
Dolly Parton knows best … Sarah Jessica Parker leaned into this remark
Parker discussed her philosophy on raising her children, son James Wilkie, 19, and twins Tabitha Hodge and Marion Loretta Elwell, 12. “When [Parton] finally had money, she told her relations I will always give you what you need, but not always what you want,” she told the 3 PM Pick Up radio show (via Daily Mail). “And that’s what I tell my children. I will do my best to make sure you always have what you need, but I want you pining towards something.”
“Parents who aren’t well known can have children who aren’t grounded because of the example set in their home,” she added.
Sarah Jessica Parker is fiercely private with her relationships
Parker said parenthood is joyous but can also be a tough road, especially when it comes to avoiding family life becoming tabloid fodder. “You’re in a constant state of worrying about your children. It’s this weird thing where they’re out in the world and forming relationships and people are liking them or not liking them … It’s so different to be caring and concerned and part of that,” she said on Girlboss Radio podcast (via Today).
She added, “It’s exhausting. You’re basically cleaning up after people all day. You’re one big old-fashioned secretary. All I do is organize people’s lives and get them here and there. It’s what I wanted. And with that, though, comes witnessing somebody hopefully develop into a really interesting, decent person who contributes something.”
Keeping everyone grounded includes being protective of her marriage. “Relationships are hard. I always felt that I wanted to invest more. I love him and I think he’s brilliant. And I’m sure I annoy him. He annoys me sometimes, but I’m enormously proud of the person he is,” she said about Broderick.
Dolly Parton credits her mother for staying grounded and smart
Parton said her mother is the one who gave her the best life advice. “Always keep something back for you,” she said her mother told her on The Kelleigh Bannen Show via CNBC.
“You can give what you’ve got, but don’t give it all away,” she added. “I pray also that God will, you know, give me enough to share and enough to spare when it comes to my money, but also to myself. Let me share everything I can, but let me keep me.”
She also stayed true to herself when it came to her signature style. “Even in the early days, a lot of people told me I should change my look or nobody’s going to ever take me serious,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘Yeah, they will, when they see [the talent] I’ve got.’”
But when it comes to giving advice to young people, Parton prefers to let everyone find their way. She’s singer Miley Cyrus’s godmother and preferred to live as an “example” over giving advice. “I’ve told [Miley] some things that I think are valuable and that she uses, but I’d rather live an example,” she said via People. “[I’d rather] be an example rather than just try to tell somebody to do this, do that because I don’t think that’s right. Everybody’s different. You’ve got your own journey. And some people are going to help you along the way and they can kick a few rocks out of the road for you, but you got to walk it.”
