Is Diana Ross The Best Parent Ever?



“She’s just a mom, she’s amazing .” — Evan Ross

March 26th was Diana Ross’s birthday. And she received lots of congratulatory messages on social media.

Those that stood out the most were from her five children.

I have been following Diana Ross and her children on social media for several years now. And there are some of the most beautiful and healthy spaces I have encountered. The support the siblings show each other and the love they have for their mom and how they display it on the constant is inspirational.

Diana Ross is a phenomenal woman. She built the house in which most of the women in entertainment currently live in. She overcame the hurdles of racism and sexism and thrived in an industry that was still in its infancy. She triumphed over bad press, rumours and innuendos, built a rich career and an even bigger legacy. Professionally, she is a legend who still has it today and one that should be venerated every day.

All these factors considered I think she is an even greater and wonderful mum.

“Our mum is a mum before she is anything else.” — Tracee Ellis Ross

Her children always speak highly of her. All five of them. I have never ever heard any of them share a side joke or even a sarcastic remark about her as a parent.

“I credit my mother with that. She allowed for us to have our own and to know that our own was important.” — Rhonda Ross while speaking about being her own person.

They are all independent living fruitful and healthy lives.

In pictures and videos of her with them, you can see and feel the love. It flows genuinely.

Ms Ross has been a strong presence in the careers of her children. In video archives, she can be seen proudly inviting her eldest daughter Rhonda as a teenager to sing at one of her events. In other videos, she performs with or while holding her other sons and daughters.

“My mom is so supportive. I have a really good mommy. ” — Tracee Ellis Ross

Not even the glamorous life of the stage could take away her love, care, attention and pride in her children.

As adults, she still performs regularly with them and has even toured jointly with her eldest daughter Rhonda.

Son Evan Ross shared in an interview with Variety that watching her mother’s performance in Lady Sings The Blues is what inspired him to go into acting. He also sought his mother’s blessings and opinions in his duet I Do that he sings with his wife Ashlee Simpson.

Daughter Tracee has shared that her mother visits regularly on the set of Black-ish a show she stars in.

“I have got five beautiful children, a wonderful career, a wonderful life.” — Diana Ross speaking at her Super Bowl performance rehearsals in 1996

Her children have shared on many occasions that growing up, she never left them for more than a week. When she was touring nearby, she made sure to come home every night and be there in the morning to help them make their beds and to make breakfast.

“My mom had an amazing career and she is also an amazing mom. She was able to raise kids and that’s a huge focus of hers.” - Evan Ross

When the Jacksons first moved to California when their record label Motown changed locations, the young boys lived partly at Berry Gordy’s and Ms Ross’s house.

Michael Jackson remembered this time in his life fondly and credits Ms Ross for treating him kindly and lovingly.

At a time when as a child star, he worked long hours making millions for corporations at the expense of a carefree childhood, she took him to museums and taught him to draw. Many people around him were more interested in him working. She also taught him about public relations as a young star in the music business which might have been very helpful in the outlandish public situations he found himself in later in his life.

When he became a mega superstar after Thriller and Ms Ross felt that the life of mega-stardom was getting too overwhelming for him, she invited him on a cruise together with her children so that he could relax and unwind.

At his home Neverland years later, he had a shrine dedicated to her that was decorated with her pictures and memorabilia.

He also dedicated his 1995 HIStory album to her.

In his will, he indicated that upon his death, in the event that his mother would be unable to take care of his three children, Diana Ross would be their legal guardian.

Michael Jackson’s children were his life.

The fact that amongst all the other women he knew in his life, his sisters, other close relatives and friends included, he entrusted the responsibility of taking care of his underage children to her is a testament to the great faith he had in her parenting.

Daughter Tracee recently shared in a social media post that her phone was running out of space and she was really feeling bad as she had to delete some voice messages from her mother. She shared she found it hard because she sends such sweet messages. ❤

“She always made an effort to be a mom first.” — Chudney Ross

I don’t know much about parenting, but I would want my future children to love me as much as Diana Ross’s children love her. I would want to enjoy that healthy, warm and cordial relationship with them throughout my life.

I would want to be a great parent. I would want my children to know that I love them no matter what. No matter how big they get and no matter where I am in my life. In good times and in bad times. I would want them to feel my support and for them to know that I will always have their back.

I always remain hopeful that Ms Ross will one day write a book on parenting that will help guide most of us who admire her parenting and the wonderful loving relationships that she has with her children and those others that she helped nurture.

I’d also hope that one of her children would write a book about her parenting so that we can all learn from it.

Thank you for being a wonderful parent Ms Ross. And thank you for inspiring us all.

And happy birthday!

“She really gave us space and the courage to live the lives that we want to be living, and to have time to dream and conjure up the life that I wanted to be living. ” — Tracee Ellis Ross