Tina Knowles, mother to music sensations Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, is not only a business owner and entrepreneur but also cherishes her role as a grandmother.
The 70-year-old businesswoman shares her two daughters with ex-husband Mathew Knowles, 72, and is a loving grandmother to four grandchildren.
Beyoncé, known for her hit song “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” has been married to Jay Z since 2008 and is the mother of daughter Blue Ivy, 12, and twins Rumi and Sir, six. Meanwhile, Solange is the mother of son Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr., 19, from her previous marriage to Daniel Smith.
During an appearance on the Today Show’s 4th Hour with Hoda & Jenna, Tina opened up about her roles as both a mother and grandmother, and how the family embraces the creative spirits of all the children.
Asked about being a grandmother, she said: “It’s the best,” before joking: “I mean with grandkids you don’t have the pressure of taking responsibility for how they turn out, so you get to just indulge them and let them have noisy toys that drive their parents [crazy].” She further gushed: “It’s just the best, they are the best, my grandkids are all super creative and I just love them to death.”
Furthermore, when asked about how closely the family is monitoring the kids’ creative endeavors — Grammy-winning Blue has joined her mom on stage and screen, while Daniel recently made his modeling debut — Tina shared: “We’re keeping an eye on things, but you know, they still have plenty of time.”
She noted: “They’re all super –– they’re great artists, visual artists, and very smart so, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” and emphasized: “Whatever they want to do we just want to support them.”
Tina also opened up about raising her girls, and how she instilled so much confidence in them, telling the hosts: “Just for them I think the first thing [I taught them] was to be a good person, no matter what you choose to do in life. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s very true.”
“Just lessons I instilled in them, you gotta work hard if you want good results, there are no shortcuts, but to treat people how you want to be treated.”
She endearingly added: “I’m most proud that my girls –– including Kelly Rowland who came to live with us [when she was 11] –– are all just wonderful human beings first.”
Finally, when asked about how she raised such hardworking women who are so dedicated to their craft, she noted that for both Beyoncé and Solange, music was all they ever wanted to do growing up: “I think it’s important to not push them in any direction or to force them to do anything, but when they love something, then encourage them and find every opportunity for them to do that.”
