Serena Williams is learning that parenting comes with constant self-checks, especially when it comes to treating her kids equally.
During an appearance on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle that aired Wednesday, Jan. 28, the tennis legend and entrepreneur said she sometimes has to check herself to make sure she is not playing favorites with her daughters Olympia, 8, and Adira, 2.
Asked what her daughters are like, Williams said, “The older one is so sweet, Olympia is so sweet.”
When co-host Sheinelle Jones followed up by asking whether Olympia is a good big sister, Williams did not hesitate. “She’s the best big sister! And then the little one, Adira, she’s feisty, but she’s nice,” she said.
Williams said being the youngest child herself sometimes influences how she parents and that she has to be careful not to be overly lenient with her youngest.
She went on to explain, “I mean, I’m obsessed. I’m the youngest, so I always have to make sure that I’m not being, you know, not necessarily favorites, but being too nice. ‘Let her have it! Let her do it!’ Because Olympia will be like, ‘No!’ And I’m like, ‘No, let her do it!’”
Williams added, “Like, okay, that’s not right. So I’m — it’s a — life is — you are learning the whole time, I feel. Each stage is a new learning process. Now I am learning that. It’s like, okay.”
The conversation later turned to sports and whether her daughters might follow in her footsteps. Williams shared that their interests are already quite different.
“[Olympia} likes golf because she doesn’t have to run. She is not into running. Adira, she likes to run. Golf might be for Olympia. Maybe tennis for Adira,” she said.
That said, Williams made it clear there is no pressure. She would never push her daughters into a sport they are not interested in playing.
