Janet Jackson, became a mother for the first time at the age of 50 when she welcomed her son Eissa Al Mana, in January 2017, to the world. In a recent interview with The Guardian, the “Velvet Rope” singer opened up about her transformative motherhood journey, explaining why she decided not to have more children.
The youngest of ten siblings, Jackson initially envisioned having three children. However, she decided against expanding her family further, stating, “I wanted to have three children, but thought, ‘I should stop there, that’s probably all I can handle,’” Jackson said in her interview. “Because you have to give all of yourself, you have to spread the love, and I wouldn’t want any of them to feel left out if I had three.”
She added, “Obviously, you have to work, but you don’t come first any more. Your life completely changes. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Reflecting on her childhood compared to Eissa’s, Jackson highlighted the stark contrasts. While she was thrust into the spotlight early in her career, she wants her son to fully enjoy his childhood. “I want him to experience being a child, because you don’t get to do this over,” she said.
Addressing her parenting style, Jackson acknowledged learning from her own parents, Katherine and the late Joe Jackson. She expressed gratitude for the grounding upbringing but also recognized the desire to do things differently for Eissa.
“There are some things you wish your parents had done differently and you say, ‘No, I’m gonna tell [my son] this.’ Because if they had done this with me, it would have been much better for me as a child. I hated it as a kid, but I’m thankful for it now. I have to give credit to my parents for keeping me grounded.”
In her 2022 documentary, Jackson described motherhood as her favorite “new job,” underscoring the challenges she faced in conceiving Eissa but celebrating the joy he brings. Though she keeps her seven-year-old largely out of the public eye, she shared that she’s preserving her awards for him, stating, “I’m just saving them for my baby, whatever he wants to do with them.”
For Jackson, the essence of success lies not in accolades, but in the love and experiences she is able to share with her son.
Photo: Janet Jackson Instagram