Friendly mother Brandy
Brandy is keen to be her daughter’s friend. The singer-and-actress wants a close relationship with eight-year-old Sy’rai so doesn’t want to have too much authority over her as she believes it will make Sy’rai more honest with her as she grows up.
Brandy – who is separated from Sy’rai’s father Robert Smith – said: “I’m raising in a different way than how I was raised.
“A lot of mothers feel like they’re the mom first, with that authority. But for me, I’m a friend first. I believe that just being there for my daughter as a friend more than ‘I’m in charge.’ causes her to be more open with me as a person.”
Although Brandy admits she does have to discipline Sy’rai occasionally, she thinks being a bit more lenient with her is already playing dividends.
She told Parade.com: “I know I’ll probably get flack for being a friend first, but it really works. Sy’rai’s really honest with me. I’m just teaching her how to trust herself. I tell her all the time that my life is not your life – you have your own life.
“At the end of the day we’re going to be friends. When she grows up, it’ll be about that friendship that we’ll have. She’ll come to me for any problems that she has.”
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