I’m not sure whether to file this under “Slightly Hard To Believe” or “Refreshing”.

Sarah Jessica Parker says she’s never bought her 5 year old son any clothes. Any. Clothes.

This is because SJP grew up as one of eight siblings in an impoverished family, and doesn't want her son to be spoiled. “James Wilkie only wears hand-me-downs because I’ve got all these older nephews” 43 year old Parker told Parade magazine. “That’s the God’s honest truth. Plus, my mother saved all my brother’s clothes. I am not kidding.  I don’t think I’ve ever bought him any clothes. Maybe a new winter's coat…."

Before you call DOCS, the kid does get his own shoes. New ones. "I do buy him shoes, because everybody's feet are different," says Parker.

"I think that if I had been raised a child of privilege, I wouldn’t be the working person I am today," she says. "I think it’s incumbent on my husband [Matthew Broderick] and me to really stress and to show James Wilkie by example what it means to owe your community something and that he is not entitled to the benefits of our hard work.

"That doesn’t mean that I’m withholding or keeping from him the joys of childhood — I’m not Joan Crawford," she stresses. "But I also don’t want him to think the world he lives in is the real world. It’s not.”

Comments

[Anon]

Please tell me that child is not five - !

It must be incredibly difficult to raise your children "normally" when the world you occupy is not normal. I admire them for recognising the world they live in isn't normal and at least trying to do normal with their kids.

I wouldn't qualify for the baby bonus but would look poor as a church mouse next to these guys. Even where I am, teaching my kids that you have to work for things, that you aren't entitled, that going without has its virtues etc is incredibly difficult. So how much worse if you are SJP and MB with paparazzi and enough money to buy anything you want!

[michelle]

I can totally see where SJP is coming from but am wondering how she explains the $1500 manolo blahniks shoes she wears to her son.

[michelle]

I can totally see where SJP is coming from but am wondering how she explains the $1500 manolo blahniks shoes she wears to her son.

[Nina]

Good on her! Why waste money on things unnecessarily?

Also, why would you say, 'Before you call DOCS...". Like making your kid wear second-hand clothes is abusive or something? Please!

[Jelica]

Go SJP! I wonder how Micheal Jackson, P-Diddy and all the other rich celebrities keep their kids humble. It's great that she put some thought in how she wants to rase him.

[Bess]

@michelle- maybe because she is the one that earned the money? I know my parents earned well above average incomes but I was always aware that I was not entitled to the fruits of their labour, I would have to work for my own Manolos.

I get it and all, and it's great that she wants her son to recognise that they don't live in the real world... but I'm not sure the second-hand clothes thing is necessarily going to achieve that. He's five! Personally I think that a more realistic reason for giving him second-hand clothes would be that they grow so fast, what's the point of buying all new things? I wonder if she'll keep this up when he is 10 or 13 or 16?

He sure is a cutie :)

[Dataceptionist]

Perhaps Bess she means she's refusing to dress him in Ralph Lauren Baby and stuff like that. As far as I'm aware, if you have the money, you can spend loads of money on designer kids clothes.

[Jelena]

I am having a bit of trouble agreeing with Bess, yes children shouldn't be spoiled rotten, but I have been taught that parents work hard so they can give their children all the things they missed out on (obviously within reason). That is how I have been raised, and I am far from spoiled, I have had a part-time job since I was 15 and I still work and study.

[Rochelle]

It sounds very noble and admirable, but really I do feel sorry for the poor kid. Remember what it was like growing up and feeling like your stuff was inferior, and the extreme discomfort at being the odd one out? James Wilkie is surely the freak amongst his wealthy peers. few new clothes will not spoil a child. Any kind of extreme with childraising is to be avoided, I reckon.

[lu]

I think the clothes thing is a bit weird but each to their own. I hope some of my fellow school mums read this column though - some kids today are so indulged its ridiculous and their parents dont think there's anything wrong with it. I do applaud her though for not having hand me down shoes. Its so important for kids to have properly fitted shoes and it really irks me when people recycle their kids shoes. You dont have to spend a lot of money to buy new shoes for your kids.

[Kelly@SHE-POWER]

Good on SJP for wanting her son to realize he lives a privileged life and trying to teach him to make his own way in the world. Whether I think buying no new clothes is a bit extreme is irrelevant really because her thinking is spot on. It is hard to teach your children that money and STUFF does not make them people worth knowing and it is not the key to a happy satisfying life.

I struggle with this one a lot because I grew up poor and while I want my son to have some of the luxuries I didn't get, I appreciate the fact that my background has given me a strong work ethic, resilience, an independent and entrepreneurial spirit and good financial sense. I want him to carve his own niche in the world and I don't think the way to do that is to buy him designer clothes to "fit in" (so over-rated) and give him parties that cost $1,000 every year. The world is a magical place and the more we connect with it and each other and the less we rely on bought status symbols, the better off everyone will be.

Kelly

[melanie]

I think it's great. As with any kid - rich or not - he's 5 and probably doesn't give a rat's if he were wearing baby couture or an old tea-towel. People who dress their kids in baby couture are doing it for themselves, not for the kid, so if it makes you happy fine, but would you be happy if your 5 year old then dumped chocolate icecream down the front? Anyway, 2nd hand clothes are cool...vintage - tres chic!

[Mel]

I think there needs to be a bit of balance. Some second hand and some brand new stuff that can be special. ALL hand me downs will be a bit sad for him when he gets older, like God Mum! cut me some slack!!

[Mel]

I think there needs to be a bit of balance. Some second hand and some brand new stuff that can be special. ALL hand me downs will be a bit sad for him when he gets older, like God Mum! cut me some slack!!

[Cerry]

Honestly, the thing that weirds me out the most is that she constantly refers to her son as James Wilkie...if he was my kid, he'd just get called James.
I would believe that she's never had to buy him clothes though - I'm the youngest girl in my family, and we used to do the hand me down thing a lot. My parents never really had to buy me new clothes until I was 10, and got to a point where I was taller than all the female relatives/family friends, and I wore my brother's hand me downs until I was about 12, and he started wearing stuff out instead of out growing it. Never bothered me in the least, and I thought it was great that most of my clothes were at the worn in and comfy stage when I got them.

[lu]

Yeah, James Wilkie is annoying. Why are Britneys kids also always called Jayden James and whatever the other kids name is. Why not just Jayden and whatever the other kids first name is ?

[Rosie]

Like Kelly, I grew up poor. 99% of my clothes were hand-me-downs from older cousins. The only new stuff we got (aside from underwear) was a new pair of school shoes at the start of the year, and 1 or 2 other items for school as the year wore on, if they couldn't be bought 2nd hand, or made at home.

I don't want my children to miss out on anything, but at the same time, I want them to appreciate what they have. To that end, no expensive brands until you can pay for them yourself. We pay for good shoes, as foot problems run in the family, but if you want a $80 jumper, or $100+ pair of jeans - you save your birthday/pocket money and buy them yourself. I won't buy it for me, so I am sure as shootin' not buying it for you.

So far, this has worked, my oldest has a very good grasp on the value of a dollar, and my youngest is getting there.

[Emily]

Cerry sometimes people really like their child's whole name. My Mum always called my sister Claire, "Claire Louise" she named her kid and liked it.
It also has some significance for her and Matthew Broderick with Wilkie beng their favourite author.