Angelina Jolie might be even more famous for her world-class parenting than she is for her acting and directing at this point. The actress and activist is mom to six children—Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
In a new interview with Elle France, Jolie opened up about how her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who died from cancer in 2007, influenced her parenting style and what kind of grandmother she would have been.
"She would have thrived as a grandmother," Jolie said, according to People. "I know how much she would have contributed to their lives and I am sad they will miss out on that. I would give anything for her to be with me at this time. I've needed her. I talk to her often in my mind and try to think what she might say and how she might guide me."
For Jolie, being a good parent is all about leading by example.
"It is the greatest gift and responsibility," she said. "It means doing everything that you can to live by your values and try to be an example to your children."
And it's no accident that Jolie's children are so well-traveled and conscious of other cultures.
"I try to lead by example, being conscious of others and being responsible. And to help them have a broader view of the world," Jolie explained. "But really the only way I know to raise them is to really listen. It's perhaps the most important thing any parent can do. They are resilient children but they are children, and as much as they need help to understand the hard truths in life they also need what we all need–protection and love."
