Sarah Jessica Parker isn’t just raising kids, she’s raising future adults who can take care of themselves.
The Hocus Pocus star, now 60, opened up in a recent episode of The E! News Sitdown, revealing what she really wants for her children, and it’s not red carpets or fame. It’s about independence. “You want for them to be pursuing things that are exciting and challenging and hard and gratifying,” she said, adding that her hope is they can “ultimately take care of themselves, support themselves, emotionally, financially.”
She and her husband, Matthew Broderick, have three children together: their 22-year-old son, James, who just began his acting career, and 15-year-old twins Tabitha and Marion. For Sarah, it’s not about following a set path or fitting into some narrow definition of success. She said she wants her children to be educated in ways that are “fulfilling to them” and not just about ticking off college degrees. “I don’t think that there is one way to be an educated person or to be equipped to be an adult and try to fashion a life for yourself after what would be considered ‘finishing college’, let’s say 22 years old,” she shared.
What’s refreshing is that Sarah Jessica Parker’s parenting style doesn’t sound preachy or cookie-cutter. She talks to her kids about work and life as something you actively build. It’s not about being handed things, it’s about doing the hard stuff and feeling proud of it. “We talk about work like that,” she added, making it clear she’s aiming for long-term self-sufficiency in her children.
She also admitted she’s “curious” to see where her kids’ lives take them, both personally and professionally. But at the end of the day, she hopes they feel empowered to make their own decisions. “I hope all young people feel, to some degree, that they have choices and that there isn’t one way,” Sarah said.
And while she’s happy to talk about parenting and her hopes for her children, there’s one area she’s a little more tight-lipped about, her marriage. Sarah and Matthew have been married since 1997, a Hollywood eternity by any standard. So what’s their secret? According to her, it’s about keeping it private. “Probably that I don’t talk about it! It really is a secret,” she told HELLO! magazine with a laugh.
But there’s more. She also thinks living in New York rather than L.A. has played a big role. “Maybe it’s because we’re not a Hollywood couple. We live in New York, maybe that’s good,” she said. The couple has always done things a bit differently, steering clear of the over-the-top celebrity scene in favor of something more grounded.
Sarah also got candid about her self-image. Even now, after decades in the public eye, she still feels “insecure” about how she looks. “I’ve always been insecure about my looks, so nothing has changed. But I’m happy. I don’t mind,” she said. And while she’s aware that being photographed is part of the job, she’s no longer losing sleep over it. “Every day when I leave the house, I have to think twice about how I look. I know I’m going to run into someone with a camera and have to worry about whether I want to wear my favorite baggy pants or what my hair looks like,” she shared. But ultimately, she’s over trying to please anyone but herself.
Between raising thoughtful, independent kids, navigating a long-lasting marriage in the spotlight, and learning to stop stressing about how she looks in front of the paparazzi, Sarah Jessica Parker is quietly rewriting the rules of what it means to be a celebrity mom in 2025.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
