Idina Menzel found becoming a parent “liberating”.
The 50-year-old actress and singer is mother to 11-year-old Walker – whom she has with her ex-husband Taye Diggs – and has said becoming a mother has taught her about “priorities and perspective”.
She said: "It was actually really liberating when I became a mom, because everything was so focused on the self. And when you had these beautiful, little humans that you have to worry about, it teaches you priorities and perspective.
"And you screw up every day in some way. But if you come from a place of love and forgiveness and try to be a stable, strong sort of rooted tree for your kids, and they know that you're not going to — you may bend — but you're not going to break. I think that's the greatest way to show them that you will always be there and that you love them."
Idina also said she feels nervous about sending her son back to school after taking more than a year out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, she’s also “really glad” her son will be able to see his friends and have a social life once again.
She added: "I'm really glad that my son's going back to school. Knock on wood. That's a relief, although we don't know what to expect, and we hope they'll be safe, and teachers will be safe.
“It's just a very anxiety-provoking time because we can't control anything. And we also can't plan very much. We're always taking everything day by day, and the world seems to just be changing at such a rapid pace. But, it's kind of a good life lesson. Just try to stay in the moment. So, that's what I'm trying to do for myself, stay in the moment, look for silver linings."
And the ‘Frozen’ star does feel thankful for the extra time she got to spend with her family – including her husband Aaron Lohr – during the health crisis.
She told People magazine: "All the extra quality time I got to spend with my family, the fact that I couldn't travel or go on tour this year very much afforded me real downtime to reflect and be introspective and be home with my family even more.”
