Brooke Shields Shelters Her Daughters From the Spotlight

Hector Vallenilla/Pacific Coast News

Brooke Shields is no stranger to child acting: she starred in her first commercial for Ivory soap when she was only 11-months-old. However, despite her own experiences, a childhood spent in the spotlight is not one she envisions for her own daughters, she tells Time Out Kids. “Times are different. I wouldn’t let my children join the industry until they’ve graduated from college,” she shares. “They need a degree, and then at that point I’ll help them do whatever they want.”

While their mother may be sheltering them from the lense, Brooke admits that Rowan Francis, 5 ½, and Grier Hammond, 3, are already natural-born entertainers. “Like all little girls, there is a theatrical element to them,” she notes. That said, any tell-tale signs for a future in show biz ends there!

“They love singing and dancing and all of that, but I don’t think they have that hankering [to be in the business]. They know I work so hard, and they wouldn’t have the patience!”

Fortunately for the girls, a day with mom away at work – or enjoying time with her gal pals – means making fun-filled daddy-daughter memories with their father Chris Henchy. “He knows how hard it is for us mothers,” Brooke reveals. “He’s always like, ‘I’ll take them! You sleep in,’ or ‘You go and do something with your girlfriends.’ He’s not afraid of one-on-one time with them.”

The normalcy of the foursome intrigued publishing company Harper Collins, leading them to prompt Brooke to write a children’s book. With her first book — Welcome to Your World, Baby — a success, the 43-year-old was happy to pen a second children’s story. Her inspiration for It’s the Best Day Ever, Dad!? None other than her own family.

“Oh it practically is our family! [My girls] do all of that with [their dad]. It became a sweet way for me to pay tribute to [my daughters] without exploiting them.”

Source: Time Out Kids

– Anya

Comments

It’s funny that Brooke says that because she and her husband are in ads for linens, along with both daughters and Brooke and her daughters do another ad for something I can’t remember at the moment. But, maybe Brooke doesn’t consider that “industry” even though she began as a baby with ads for Ivory Soap. Seems like a contradiction there. If you don’t want your child in the “business” then don’t have them posing in print ads for products. And you are “sheltering” them then don’t pose for magazine articles with them. Just my opinion.

- mslewis on April 26th, 2009

She has had them in commercials already.

- rb on April 26th, 2009

Totally agree with those who have already posted: Brooke is always banging on about how she will give her girls privacy and not have them in the public eye and yet poses for ads with them and also gives quite personal anecdotes constantly.

I like Brooke Shields and think her daughters are lovely but she could be a little more discreet and less hypoctrical.

- Manon on April 26th, 2009

If you do a little research, you will find that the “daughters” in the commercials are only actors…..they are not Brooke’s daughters. So she is shielding them as she has said she would.

- Paula on January 30th, 2010