Dolly Parton, often hailed as the mother of country music, has openly discussed her decision not to have children, emphasizing that she has no regrets, even at the age of 77. In a recent conversation with Exceptional on December 23, Parton shared insights into her perspective on motherhood.
Despite serving as a maternal figure to many in the music industry and holding the title of Godmother to Miley Cyrus, Parton and her notoriously private husband, Carl Thomas Dean, have chosen not to have children of their own. Parton expressed, “I haven’t missed it like I thought I might.” Reflecting on her younger years, she explained, “When you’re a young couple, you think you’re going to have kids, but it just wasn’t one of those burning things for me. I had my career and my music, and I was traveling.”
- Additional Article: Dolly Parton’s “Rockstar” Album Review: A Rhinestone Rocker with Explosive Positivity
Parton further revealed that, given her career commitments, having children would have meant staying at home and worrying about them. She stated, “If I’d had kids, I’d have stayed home with them, I’m sure, and worried myself to death about them. With everything that’s going on, I’d hate to be bringing a child into this world right now. I always say God didn’t let me have children so that all kids could be mine.”
Highlighting her commitment to supporting children worldwide, Parton discussed her outreach work through the Imagination Library. The initiative has successfully delivered 220 million books to children globally. Parton’s dedication to children through this program aligns with her belief that not having her own children has allowed her to contribute to the well-being of kids on a broader scale.
For more information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and its impact on children’s literacy, visit here.