Madonna talks candidly about the hardships of being mother
Madonna acknowledges that being a mother is difficult.
"Growing up with a mother like me is a challenge," the pop icon, 64, said in her cover story for three different European editions of Vanity Fair.
"It has been the most difficult, the hardest battle."
Madonna has six children: twins Estere and Stella, age 10, who she adopted from Malawi; David, age 17, Chifundo 'Mercy,' age 16, and daughter Lourdes, age 26, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Carlos Leon; son Rocco, age 22, and with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.
"Today, I am still struggling to understand how to be a mother and do my job," the Vogue singer revealed.
"Because, whoever you are, having children and raising them is a work of art. And no one gives you a manual. You have to learn from mistakes. It is a profession that requires a lot of time. And it is exhausting because there is never rest."
The Grammy winner says that she derives much pleasure in seeing how "each of them has discovered their own creativity and that it comes from an authentic place."
"I have never encouraged my daughter Lola to make music or my son Rocco to paint. But I’ve always exposed them to art, to music, and I’m happy that they’ve found ways to express themselves. I have respect and admiration for them and for what they do."
Madonna, whose own mother passed away from cancer when she was just five years old and was 30 years old, claims that her children are "much of my happiness."
"And also to a great extent the inspiration that some artists give me," she added.