Showbiz

Paris Jackson reveals dad Michael’s parenting life-hacks: ‘If we wanted five toys, we had to read five books’

Paris Jackson reveals dad Michael’s parenting life-hacks: ‘If we wanted five toys, we had to read five books’

Micheal Jackson’s daughter has given a rare insight into having the King of Pop as a father.

Appearing on supermodel Naomi Campbell’s YouTube series No Filter Paris Jackson, 22, shared nostalgic memories of her dad, saying he was keen on his kids “earning” their privilege.

“My dad was really good at making sure we were cultured, making sure we were educated, and not just showing us like the glitz and the glam, like hotel hopping, five-star places,” Jackson said.

The Thriller star’s only daughter was conceived in Paris and born in LA but recalls growing up “kind of everywhere”.

She was only 11 when her father died in June 2009, but claims his memory lives on in her.

Read more:

“Growing up, it was about earning stuff. If we wanted five toys from FAO Schwartz or Toys R Us, we had to read five books,” the 22-year-old model, actor and musician explained.

“It’s earning it, not just being entitled to certain things or thinking, ‘Oh I got this.’ It’s working for it, working hard for it - it’s, it’s something else entirely, it’s an accomplishment.”

Michael Jackson poses with real estate developer Mohamed Hadid (back left), Hadid's children and Jackson's children Michael Joseph Jr. (left), Paris (centre) and Prince Michael II in 2008

When Campbell suggested that she was too famous to turn up at auditions or model castings, Jackson insisted she remained “a full believer that (she) should earn everything.”

“I work hard, I study scripts, I do my thing,” she added.

Doing her “thing” has recently included fronting a Stella McCartney vegan leather campaign and releasing her debut album Wilted in November.

Jackson said she was influenced by her father’s love of all styles of music, from Top 40, rock and Motown.

While he was alive – and following his death – the pop superstar was hit with numerous allegations of child sexual abuse.

He was acquitted of these in 2005, but the 2019 two-part documentary Finding Neverland, detailed some of the accusations in graphic detail, which sharply divided opinion.

More: What Evan Rachel Wood’s ​Westworld character taught me about abuse and survival ​

The Conversation (0)
x