Sophie Ellis Bextor talks about her parenting philosophy and offers a rare glimpse into life as a mother of five.
In a new conversation with The Telegraphthe 46-year-old singer explained why she has chosen not to impose rigid rules at home, but instead lean on communication and trust.
“I’m a communicator,” Sophie said.
“I often ask them, ‘What would you do if you were the parent in this situation?’ We like to talk about things – we don’t have set rules for anything [but they] self-regulating.”
For those unfamiliar, Sophie shares children, Sonny, 21, Kit, 14, Ray, 11, Jesse, seven, and Mickey, four, with her husband, Richard Jones.
She further clarified that while she avoids strict rules, boundaries still play an important role in her household.
“I have boundaries. I want us all to have a moral compass. Kindness is something important. Also freedom,” she explained.
“The world is all about what you dial in and what you dial back – there’s a lot going on for the boys with schools and exams.”
She added that the home is meant to be a sanctuary, saying, “I want home to be a place where they can feel good, safe and supported by their siblings. So I’m pretty firm around the edges of all of that because I really appreciate it.”
