Reba, Wynonna, Denise Austin, Patti LaBelle and Other Stars Share The Best Advice Their Moms Ever Gave Them
Read on to see what Naomi Watts, Dolly Parton, Jane Seymour and more learned from their mamas!
There’s nothing quite like motherly advice. Whether your mom shared brilliant fashion hacks or heartwarming life lessons, it’s likely that you carry some of her wisdom with you years after she first shared it.
Mom advice can be useful for everyone — even celebrities! In honor of Mother’s Day, we’ve gathered some of our favorite pieces of motherly wisdom passed down from the moms of the many stars who’ve graced the covers of our magazines.
1. Reba McEntire: “Always be on time”
“I could write a book on good advice momma gave me,” said redheaded country queen Reba McEntire. Some of her favorite mom advice? “Always be on time and be prepared. Don’t hold other people up, since their time is very valuable.”
2. Wynonna Judd: “Have a sense of humor”
Country singer Wynonna Judd got down-home, tongue-in-cheek advice from her late, great musical mom, Naomi. “She gave me so much stuff,” she told Woman’s World.
“She was always making jokes. I remember walking to the stage and her telling me to never watch sausage being made — we’re about to take on this major emotional moment and she’s telling me that! She was always telling me stuff, like ‘Don’t swim with boys, sperm floats.’ That’s my mother, that’s it.”
3. Miranda Lambert: “Prioritize family dinners”
“We were pretty poor growing up,” country singer Miranda Lambert recalled. “But mom always found a way to make beautiful meals and she was a big stickler about sitting together as a family at dinner at least five days a week. In my teenage years that was kind of annoying, but now looking back it’s so important to me to sit around the table with friends and family.”
“She would make something out of nothing, so I learned from her to dig around in your pantry, dig around in your garden, find something in your freezer. She could make a beautiful meal with just whatever we had on hand.”
MUST-READ: Miranda Lambert Credits Her Mom with Her Take on Aging: “You’ve Just Got To Lean Into It”
4. Jane Seymour: “Have empathy for others”
“My mother’s advice was always to find some way to stop in your tracks, be in the moment, and open your heart up,” Live and Let Die and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman actress Jane Seymour told us.
“There are other people in the world that have much worse circumstances than you do,” Seymour added, “So take yourself out of the pity party and have a purpose — find some way to be of comfort or help someone else.”
MUST-READ: Jane Seymour Talks ‘Unseenism’, Aging Joyfully, Advocating for Yourself & More
5. Denise Austin: “Practice positivity”
Fitness guru Denise Austin got her positive attitude from her mom. As she explained, “When I was little, my mom was always the fun, robust one in family, doing cartwheels and doing all different things. She told me to always be yourself, and be able to laugh at yourself.”
MUST-READ: Denise Austin Shares Mother of the Bride To-Do Tips, Plus Sweet Throwback Photos With Daughter Katie
6. Dolly Parton: “Be true to yourself”
“My mom told me that old thing, ‘To thine own self be true,'” said country icon Dolly Parton. “Be true to who you are, know what you do and learn how to do it well to have a good life and a good career.”
MUST-READ: These Dolly Parton Quotes on Joy and Perseverance Will Inspire You (Like Only Dolly Can)
7. Savannah Guthrie: “Give generously”
“I remember being a little girl and my mom saying something like, ‘It’s better to give than to receive,'” recalled Today anchor and author Savannah Guthrie. “I’d think, ‘What is she talking about? That’s crazy.’ But there’s truth to this saying because there is something valuable in giving of yourself. When you give of yourself, the gift you’re getting back is purpose.”
8. Patti LaBelle: “Put yourself out there”
“When I was young, my mother would tell me to go out and play in the park. She would say, ‘Just go out and play. Find some friends,’” said R&B diva Patti LaBelle.
“I was very shy as a child but my mother always made me try to make friends with people. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. That advice from my mom is still something I try to follow because I’m a very shy girl still. I’m not a talker.”
MUST-READ: Patti LaBelle Talks New Music + Her Advice For Women Turning 50
9. Marie Osmond: “Never forget your lipstick”
“My mom told me to never leave home without your lipstick,” said singer and businesswoman Marie Osmond. “I still wear lipstick all the time. It’s crazy! She said to try to always look your best. She just really tried to be her best in every way possible, and it carried over to me as her only daughter.”
10. Naomi Watts: “Don’t be afraid to say no”
“My mom always said, ‘Don’t be afraid to say no,” Oscar-nominated actress Naomi Watts told us. “I definitely have been a people-pleaser for a long time, and saying no and trusting your instincts is an important thing to be able to do.”
