Naomi Campbell's children will always "come first".
Naomi Campbell covers ELLE. Photo by Quil Lemons
The 53-year-old supermodel has a two-year-old daughter and a seven-month-old son and admitted her life has changed since she welcomed her kids into the world and she will willingly turn down jobs she would like to take if they mean missing out on one of their milestones.
She told the new issue of ELLE UK magazine: "Things change when you become a mother, and I’m no different from any other parent. I’ve had to make decisions in my life.
"Since my daughter started going to school, there have been things I’ve been offered that I’d love to do and would if I could. But I have to be there on the first day my daughter is starting school. That is very important. I have to be there to pick her up. My children come first.
"And my daughter is really cool. She understands mommy works. But, for me, it’s important to be there, especially when I tell her, 'I’m coming to get you.' If I say I’m there, I’m there.
"And in friendships, if I say I’m there, I’m there."
Naomi is excited to travel with her children.
She said: "I want my kids to see the world and get to understand different cultures like my mom did with me."
Five years ago, a video of Naomi in plastic gloves and a mask wiping down the area around her on a plane went viral but she insisted there is nothing "extreme" about her ritual.
She said: "I was called all sorts of names. I’ve been wearing a mask for 20-something years. I’ve been cleaning the plane for as long as I know.
"It may be extreme to others, but it’s not extreme to me. When I travel, we have to be ready to go when we get to our destination for work. We can’t afford to get sick. And so all the prevention measures I take is to maintain my body. To be good enough to get off that plane and to work."
The March issue of ELLE UK is on sale from 01 February. Read the interview with Naomi at https://www.elle.com/uk/NaomiCampbell
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