Angelina Jolie is opening up about motherhood in a new way now that all six of her children have reached adulthood, and her comments are striking a chord with parents everywhere.
In an interview with L'Officiel published September 9, the 51-year-old actress reflected on watching Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 18, grow into their own people. "They're definitely individuals. That makes me very proud, because one of the most important things, I think, is to basically not get in their way," Jolie said.
She described parenting older children as a shift from guiding to simply supporting. "As a parent, you try to do many things, but you also try to not get in the way of this human being who has a life separate from yours and so much potential in their own mind," she explained. "You want to make sure that you support them."
Jolie also touched on her children's individual pursuits, noting that Maddox is focusing on becoming a pilot and Pax has taken up photography. Even when working alongside them on set, she said the dynamic stays simple: "I am just Mom, wanting to be around her family."
With her youngest now grown, Jolie shared she's looking forward to a new chapter defined by "more connection and community," including travel and field work.
For a mother who has spent two decades raising six children largely in the public eye, the reflection is a reminder that some of the deepest parenting wisdom is also the simplest: love a child enough to let them become who they're meant to be.
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