For Madonna, she’s a lot of things to a lot of different people, including her fans, her followers and her critics. For some, she’s a music icon. She’s a driving force in the entertainment industry. She’s also a person who writes the rule book when it comes to style. For others, she’s simply Madonna. But when it comes to her home life, she’s just mom.

Sure, Madonna has had plenty of roles in her life, but it’s her role as a mother that she takes the most seriously. After all, with six children it’s safe to say that she’s got her hands full at all times. But at the same time, she does her best to give everyone the individual attention that they need while also making sure that they are safe, sound, healthy and happy. What’s more, Madonna knows the value of a good, quality education. She also has strict rules and guidelines that her kids are expected to obey at all times.

For her eldest daughter Lourdes, it might not be easy. She’s in college now and doing thing her way. With that being said, here are 20 different ways Madonna raised Lourdes to be the young woman that she is today.

20 For Madonna, Education Matters The Most

Madonna has always been someone who has valued a good education over many other aspects of life. Even though the singer herself never completed her college studies, she’s made it a point to enroll all of her children in the best schools and to give them the best tutors that money can buy. When Madonna picked a crème de la crème French school for Lourdes back in 1999, one source told The New York Post, “Everybody knows Madonna wants her daughter to be educated in Britain, but this way she gets the best of all worlds.”

19 She Made Sure That Lourdes Was Bilingual 

Madonna made a point to make sure that her children would be bilingual, and that is why she enrolled Lourdes at a French immersion school very early in her life. Madonna wants her children to not only speak well, but speak several languages, too and that’d why she’s always motivated them to learn.

“Madonna is fluent in Italian and very good at French and Spanish. She has found her languages invaluable and is determined that Lourdes gets the opportunity to be immersed in a different culture,” a source close to the situation told Britain’s the Sun newspaper several years ago.

18 No Television Time

Growing up, Lourdes was not allowed to watch television at home. Even though they did occasionally watch movies as a family, the television set – or any other screen or device – was off limits at home. And there was a good reason for it. Madonna wanted to control every aspect of their lives, including the things that they watched, and it all has to do with her own religious upbringing.

“The provocative persona she projects is incredibly controlled,” says Lucy O’Brien, a biographer, “and the way she disciplines her kids is an extension of that. “Her mother was an austere Catholic. That heavy-duty Catholicism is about being disciplined almost to the point of self-punishment.”

17 She Has A Normal School Life

Believe it or not, Lourdes had a very normal school life and did the same things so many other kids her age do, despite the fact that her mother is the Queen of Pop. She did her homework, she participated in school activities, and she even went to her school prom! "Of course I had a beautiful time but I'll attribute that to the fact that I partied with my awesome friends all night," the 18-year-old wrote in her blog back in 2014. "Not to mention awkwardly avoiding teachers because you may or may not have had some champagne and it would be weird to talk to them."

16 She's Always Following Madonna’s Rules

Madonna might be a strict mother, but her formula seems to work at home. With the exception of a very public episode with her son Rocco, none of her kids seem to be complaining, including Lola. After all, the proof is pretty clear: the kids are well educated, they are well spoken, and most importantly, act like a tight-knit family. When asked about her parenting secrets, Madonna said that what works for her, doesn’t mean it will work for someone else. According to CBS News, Madonna once said, “I can’t comment on other people’s parenting but it does require a lot of time and effort and paying attention to.”

15 Madonna Is Just Mom At Home

Let’s face it, there is only one Madonna in this world and that nothing will ever change that. She’s been a household name for almost four decades now but at home, she’s just “mom.” Sure, Lourdes is well aware of what kind of megastar her mother is, but apparently her younger siblings haven’t learned her mother’s real identity, which according to Madonna makes parenting much easier on her. There are no diva meltdowns and tantrums in her house! The Queen of Pop told People Magazine: “They don’t have a clue,” she says, “and that’s a good thing. I’m just their mother.”

14 She Worked On Madonna’s Tours

Little does anyone know, but Madonna actually put her two children Lourdes and Rocco to work during her worldwide tours during her teen years. And while you would think that they would have complained about it, Lourdes was actually very thankful for the opportunity so much so that she wrote about it. Lourdes even wrote in her blog, “It's really a great experience to be able to work on a large production, traveling around like a family, setting up for an amazing show and all having the same purpose. To be able to be a part of such an inspiring production was one of my best summers so far."

13 She’s Not Spoiled

Madonna can easily give her children the most materialistic life that money can afford, but she’s not that kind of mother. Lourdes is clearly not a spoiled child, and neither are any of her siblings. "Being married and having children made me realize how making the world a better place starts at home," she told Parents Magazine back in 2001. "I regularly remind my children how fortunate they are to have the things they do and encourage them to share. My daughter goes to children's hospitals to read my books to other children, and as she and my son get older, I'm sure they will become more involved in community service."

12 She Was Caught Breaking Rules

Back in 2012, Lourdes was caught by the paparazzi breaking mom's rules with her friends near her high school in New York City. As anyone who has been following Madonna over the years know, the singer is all about staying healthy. The last thing she would do is ingest anything unhealthy, like nicotine. W

hen Madonna was shown the footage of Lourdes smoking during an interview with NBC, the pop star made it no secret that she wasn’t happy with her daughter’s behavior and that she would deal with it at home. Madonna might be one of the biggest names in the industry, but even she has parenting challenges!

11 She’s Not Into Show Business

Lourdes is at that age in which she could definitely have her own public profile and become a celebrity if she wanted to. But it’s safe to say that she is definitely not into show business. Yes, she’s starred in a few fashion campaigns here and there but she’s not a celebrity model like the Hadid sisters or Kendall Jenner. What’s more, she has no interest in wanting to be a reality television star or a social media celebrity like so many of her other counterparts. Even though her mother has been in the spotlight all her life, Lourdes clearly doesn’t want to be in it.

10 She’s Close With Her Father

Madonna and Carlos Leon had a brief relationship back in the late 2000’s. Unfortunately, after Lourdes was born in 2006, the couple broke up but they’ve always maintained a very special relationship in their lives. As a matter of fact, Lourdes is still very close with her father Carlos as they are often seen while they are out and about together in New York City. But at the same time, Madonna wishes that she still had a special someone in her life. She once said, “I love being a mother. My children fill me up in many ways, and inspire me in many ways, but I need a partner in my life, and I think most people feel that way.”

9 She Never Acted Out In Public

A lot of people would agree that Madonna should consider herself a very lucky mother. While there have been plenty of celebrity kids who have gotten in trouble, Lourdes has never acted out in public. Some people would say this is because Madonna has always been a strict, but loving and understanding parent. In other words, she knows what she’s doing when it comes to being a mother and tries to be a role model to her kids. Madonna also recognizes the importance of modeling compassion as a parent: "The best way to teach them about sharing and giving is to do those things myself and set an example."

8 Madonna’s The ‘Bad Cop’ At Home

Madonna has admitted that she is the “bad cop” at home. In other words, she has very strict technology rules with her kids, including Lourdes. It took years before she could convince her mother to have her own cell phone. “I’m bad-cop, I’m the one that says no,” Madonna one told People Magazine in an interview. Even though all of her children’s friends apparently have phones, Madonna admits that “I’m not the popular parent. I accept that role.” It’s her rules or her way, or it’s the highway. And without a phone, it’ll be hard to walk that highway, mind you!

7 Discipline, Focus And Tenacity As A Parent

Say what you will about Madonna, but one thing is for certain: she has always shown great discipline in her life and in her career and apparently, as a mother at home, too. As a matter of fact, one of the reasons why she’s managed to raise such good, responsible kids is because she’s always remained focused on what needs to be done and accomplished at home. "I owe my continued success to several attributes -- discipline, focus, tenacity, willingness to compromise and collaborate, patience, and commitment," she says. She notes that "these values can all be applied to parenting."

6 Madonna Taught Her Kids To Multi-Task

 

Another reason why Lourdes has successfully managed to work and go to school at the same time is because she has her mother’s great multi-tasking skills. Apparently, Lourdes runs and balances her life the same way. "Meeting the demands of my career and those of parenting is a big balancing act, but I'm able to do it with the help of my husband, an incredible staff, and the ability to go for long periods of time with-out resting. Multitasking and a steel-trap memory are also essential," she said in an interview back in 2001. This was when she was still married to her husband, Guy Ritchie.

5 Madonna’s Raising Her Children Differently Than Her Father Raised Her 

One of the reasons why Madonna is a strict parent is because she had a rather strict upbringing herself. Her mother passed away while she was young, which left her father to raise her and her siblings by himself. They always didn’t see eye to eye, but Madonna loves and respects him and credits him for a lot of her success.

Madonna once said in an interview (via Brainy Quotes): “My father was very strong. I don't agree with a lot of the ways he brought me up. I don't agree with a lot of his values, but he did have a lot of integrity, and if he told us not to do something, he didn't do it either.”

4 She’s Studying At Madonna’s Alma Mater

Lourdes might not be following her mother’s footsteps into the entertainment industry, but it looks like she did follow her footsteps to her alma mater at the University of Michigan, where she is currently a senior who is studying dance. And Madonna herself has admitted that she often visits Lourdes at her old stomping grounds, even though it’s not always easy.

That’s because her fans almost always recognize her, which makes things a little hard. "When I go to visit her I have to stay in her dorm," Madonna told Ellen. "I can't even go out on the streets with her. It's so embarrassing."

3 Lourdes Is Like A Second Mom To Her Siblings

For anyone who has seen Lourdes in action, they will admit that she often looks like a very caring and wonderful hands-on sister to her younger sisters. As a matter of fact, some would even say that she is a like a second mom to her younger brothers and sisters, because she’s very hands-on and maternal with them.

Say what you will about Madonna, but a lot of people can surely agree: her celebrity persona is nothing like the real person that she is behind closed doors. Madonna clearly did several things right, as her wonderful children as testament to just what kind of mother she really is.

2 They Are Still Close Today

While Madonna often makes headlines for the things she says and does (or even wears in public), she’s a mother who has her priorities straight. Her kids are the most important thing on the planet for her. In fact, while many celebrities often have strained relationships with their kids, Madonna and Lourdes remain close to this very day and the singer wants to keep it that way.

Madonna has said, “If you have children, you know you're responsible for somebody. You realize you are being imitated; your belief systems and priorities have a direct influence on these children, who are like flowers in a garden.”

1 What’s Next?

Madonna doesn’t speak about her children and their personal lives during her media interviews. While no one knows what’s in store for Lourdes and her future, one thing is for certain: it will definitely be bright. With her mother by her side and a college degree in her hands, Lourdes is definitely going places. We might not see much of her in the spotlight, but it’s without a doubt that she will always be around.

Watch this space! There’s so much more to come from this rising and talented girl. It’s in her genes. She is Madonna’s daughter, after all!