Madonna is a living legend, a world famous artist, a controversial figure, and somehow in the midst of all that, she also happens to be a very involved mother of 6 children.
She has two biological children, Lourdes and Rocco, and 4 children she adopted from Malawi. David, Mercy, and twins Estere and Stella. While there's certainly nothing conventional about this household, Parents reports that one thing is for certain, she loves her children and makes sure they are always aware of that fact.
Being raised as Madonna's child goes hand in hand with as many challenges as it does advantages, and this family journeys through ups and downs just like the rest of us –well, maybe not "just like the rest of us," things are a bit different.
Madonna's Love is Never in Question
In spite of many ups, downs, challenges, and unique experiences that this family journeys through, one thing remains obvious for all to see, and her children have attested to this fact, that their mother loves them very, very much. The lengths that Madonna went to in order to obtain her adopted children is unprecedented. Changing the lives of her adopted children and essentially saving them from poverty and illness, came hand in hand with an uphill battle and many legal challenges.
When it comes to her biological children, Madonna has entered into custody battles and has seen them through some unsavory situations, never once turning her back on them, even during times of deep disagreement and adversity.
Life Under the Lens
Of course, being children of such a famous figure means increased scrutiny for her brood. Her children have not gone unscathed when it comes to media scrutiny and online slandering. Her eldest, Lourdes, was body-shamed for her natural body hair, and her other children can't seem to do anything without millions of people watching. Being a child of Madonna means intense media scrutiny at every turn. As privileged as these children are in so many ways, they are not free to live and develop without interference, and often times they can't even travel outside of their home without security by their side. This isn't exactly a free-spirited way for a child to grow.
Living a life of public scrutiny, and one that is so drastically different than what most of us perceive to be "normal," led Rocco down a path of destruction. At one point, he was supposed to be a backup dancer on Madonna's tour but abandoned the tour entirely. Shortly after that, he wound up arrested and facing numerous charges. In spite of all of this, Madonna was there to pull her son out of his troubled time.
Strict Rules Must Be Adhered To
Madonna is known as a rebellious risk-taker who pushes the envelope regularly. Most of her life and career have depicted living-on the edge and risque behavior. Those of you who think this translates into her home life couldn't be more wrong.
When it comes to her personal life, Madonna fosters a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude. She has no intentions of allowing her children to follow in her behavioral footsteps. In fact, quite to the contrary, you'll be shocked to learn that she's very strict when it comes to her kids.
According to Nicki Swift, Madonna spent years refusing to allow her children to watch television or look at magazines. We presume she was shielding them from her own content! Eventually, she conceded but nonetheless, that was a strict regulation. She has also banned milk and ice cream from the household. Notorious for her dislike of dairy products, Madonna has insisted that her children abandon the idea of consuming these products altogether.
Rocco has publicly gone against the grain when it came to Madonna's strict upbringing, and he has voiced concerns over how his mother tried to control and micromanage too many aspects of his life. She's very hands-on and tries to influence his decision making. Page Six reports on how the power struggle and strict upbringing has affected their bond.
Madonna is apparently a neat-freak who insists that they tidy up after themselves. During an interview with Newsweek, she revealed that she would "confiscate all of her eldest daughter's clothing if she left dirty laundry on the floor." She ultimately made Lourdes wear the same outfit to school until she "learned her lesson." Incidentally, Lourdes was not permitted to dye her hair as a teenager, despite the fact that Madonna is clearly a bottle-blonde.
Preferred Status & Life Lessons
While most parents would never speak of being closer to one child than another, Madonna fosters a philosophy of truths. Her relationship with each of her children is different, and she's not shy about stating the details surrounding this.
According to Counter Culture Mom, Madonna has cited her closest bond as being the one she shares with David. "He's the one I have the most in common with. I feel like he gets me; he has more of my DNA than any of my children so far," she was quoted as saying. This mode of favoritism isn't one that most of us are used to, but for Madonna's kids, well, this is just 'very Madonna,' and it has become their norm.
By now, all of Madonna's children have discovered just how privileged their lives are. They're obviously all aware of "who she is," but Madonna is just as good at reminding them how to give back as well.
She tells Parents that Lourdes "goes to children's hospitals to read my books to other children, and as she and my son get older, I'm sure they will become more involved in community service."