‘I’m lacking in all the skills to be a stay-at-home mother’: Angelina Jolie discusses the challenges of raising her ‘resilient’ children as she poses in elegant cover shoot for British Vogue
Angelia Jolie discussed raising her ‘resilient’ children as she graced the cover of British Vogue’s March issue.
In the new interview, the actress, 45, admitted she doesn’t view herself as ‘a traditional stay-at-home mum’ as she was ‘was never very good at sitting still’, but credited her six kids for ‘helping’ her motherhood journey.
The screen star – who co-parents Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and 12-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox with ex Brad Pitt – also reflected on ‘healing’ her family following a ‘hard’ few years, and ‘hitting my stride’ in her fifties.
”Well, I was never very good at sitting still’: Angelia Jolie discusses raising her ‘resilient’ children as she graced the cover of British Vogue’s March issue
On juggling her career with looking after her kids, the Tom Raider icon told the publication: ‘Well, I was never very good at sitting still.
‘Even though I wanted to have many children and be a mom, I always imagined it kind of like Jane Goodall, travelling in the middle of the jungle somewhere. I didn’t imagine it in that true, traditional sense.
‘I feel like I’m lacking in all the skills to be a traditional stay-at-home mom. I’m managing through it because the children are quite resilient, and they’re helping me, but I’m not good at it at all.’
The humanitarian has been single ever since she separated from fellow thespian Brad, 57, in September 2016, following two years of marriage and a 12-year relationship.
‘I’m not good at it at all’: The actress, 45, admitted she doesn’t view herself as ‘a traditional stay-at-home mum’ as she touched on her ‘hard’ few years and approaching her fifties
The former couple are said to be ‘in a better place’ after battling over finances and the custody of their children.
Confessing she ‘doesn’t know’ whether she’s currently happy, Angelina insisted she has a positive outlook on the future.
The Girl, Interrupted star shared: ‘The past few years have been pretty hard. I’ve been focusing on healing our family. It’s slowly coming back, like the ice melting and the blood returning to my body.
‘I’m looking forward to my fifties – I feel that I’m gonna hit my stride in my fifties. Though we were on the trampoline the other day, and the children said, ”No, Mom, don’t do that. You’ll hurt yourself.” And I thought, ”God, isn’t that funny?”
‘There was a day I was an action star, and now the kids are telling me to get off the trampoline because I’ll hurt myself.’
On championing the ‘spirit of the youth’, the filmmaker added: ‘Maybe it’s just the young punk in me but I like the spirit of the youth. I believe they can see right and wrong with more clarity.
‘I see a lot of older people making excuses for certain behaviours, and it tends to be the younger person who is quicker to say, ”But this is simply wrong, and we stand against it.” I’ve wanted to remain that person.’
See the full feature in the March issue of British Vogue available via digital download and on newsstands Friday 5th February.