Sarah Jessica Parker Talks About Parenting 3 Children and Being Able to Talk to Them Openly

Sarah Jessica Parker parenting skills Lasting Marriage Matthew Broderick

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Oct 01, 08:04 pm

Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/Adam Rountree)

She may be Carrie Bradshaw, the last single girl in New York City on her HBO hit series "Sex and the City," but the woman who breathes Bradshaw into life has been happily married for 25 years.

Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick tied the knot in 1997. In a People interview, she depicted marriage as a "dazzling organism," with a lot of vitality if one is fortunate. And how fortunate this couple is to reach 25 years of marriage and counting.

In their 25 years of marriage, they are parents to son James Wilkie, 19, and twin daughters Tabitha Hodge and Marion Loretta Elwell, 13.

Parker described her children as curious people, and as parents, they are proud of them because they can openly talk to them. She said they can't always be there beside them and do drop-off and pick-up, yet their children can converse with them about anything and everything under the sun.

Parker on parenting

In her Instagram account, the "And Just Like That" actress shared that she and her husband now have a college freshman and two 7th graders. She said that the house is different now, as well as the family. The children need them more, and yet far less. But one thing is sure; she is "exhilarated by the possibilities" that await her children.

In a 2008 interview with Parade, Parker talked about her kind of parenting style and raising her then-only child, James.

"I think that if I had been raised a child of privilege, I wouldn't be the working person I am today. I have a great appreciation for work," said Parker.

She added she believes it is hers and Broderick's obligation "to show James Wilkie by example what it means to owe your community something and that he is not entitled to the benefits of our hard work."

She and Broderick are so down to earth that James' wardrobe when he was little consisted only of "hand me downs." Carrie Bradshaw would never approve, right?

According to the actress, she never can recall a time she bought new clothes for James, except for maybe a winter coat and shoes, because her mother saved all her brother's clothes and she had all these older nephews that brought hand-me-down clothes for James as well.

However, it's a different kind of parenting when it comes to their twins, who they had through a surrogate, basically because these are girls, and they have a lot of things in common and love. One of these is, of course, fashion.

She recalled the moment when she showed her daughters her Vogue cover, and both hands went into their mouths, shocked that their mother was on the cover of Vogue. Parker said that she was unaware that they already knew what Vogue was, so seeing her two daughters proud of their mother being on the cover of the number one fashion magazine in the world made it a very touching moment. Even Bradshaw will be touched.

Bonding with the twins in Hocus Pocus 2 premiere

Another thing she loves about her twins is that they admire her in the movie "Hocus Pocus." Her daughters watched the first Hocus Pocus three years ago and were just in awe of her. Thus, when they found out that she would be filming for a sequel, they were so delighted.

Fast forward to the sequel's premiere Tuesday night, the twins made sure to be beside mommy to celebrate her, ABC News reported. Broderick came along with the gang as well.

"Hocus Pocus 2" had Parker reprise her character Sarah Sanderson alongside her witch sisters Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, played by Bette Midler, and Mary Sanderson, played by Kathy Najimy. The trio reunited for the sequel, which comes out on Disney Plus this Friday, nearly 30 years after the first film.