Tennis legend Serena Williams is opening up again about how serious she is when it comes to raising her children. The 23-time Grand Slam winner recently shared that she once refused to stay away from her oldest daughter, Olympia, for more than 24 hours during her early childhood. Serena Williams admitted that some people may see her parenting style as 'extreme,' but she believes being fully present for her children matters more than anything else.
Serena Williams on Balancing Motherhood and Career
Williams made the comments while speaking on the 'IMO' podcast with former First Lady Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson. During the conversation, Serena Williams explained how difficult it can be to balance motherhood with her busy work life, especially because she still travels often for business projects and public appearances after retiring from tennis in 2022. The tennis star said she always tries to stay closely involved in her daughters' lives. Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, share two daughters together, Olympia and Adira.
Serena Williams Says She Never Stayed Away from Daughter Olympia for Over 24 Hours
While speaking on the podcast, Serena Williams gave a very personal look into how she handles motherhood. She said, 'I really try to be a present parent. And sometimes that's hard, especially with the lives that we live; it's very hard to be present, but I try to be extremely present.' The former world No. 1 then shared just how far she took that idea when Olympia was younger. Serena Williams said, 'I'm never gone more than 24 hours, ever. I didn't leave Olympia until she was 6 for 24 hours.'
Williams also admitted she understands why some people may think her parenting style is too much. She added, 'That may have been a little extreme, but that's who I am.' Even with a packed schedule, Serena Williams said she still tries to spend as much time as possible with both of her daughters. She explained, 'I show up as much as I can every single day for the girls. Because I feel like they mean the most to me, and I feel they need me.'
She continued by saying, 'I wanna raise my children. I'm a person that's raising my kids, and that's teaching them how I want them to live and how I want them to be.'
Serena Williams on Disciplining Olympia
Last month, Serena Williams also spoke honestly about disciplining Olympia. She revealed that she stopped her daughter from attending a sleepover after Olympia refused to go to bed. Williams later shared online that the punishment was emotional for her as well. 'She cried. But what she did not know is I cried harder. I hate when she cries. Discipline sucks. But sometimes it's important,' Serena Williams wrote. The comments quickly became a major talking point online, with many parents debating her approach to discipline and motherhood.
