Pink told daughter Willow she wasn’t allowed a phone until she could prove one thing

The singer made sure her daughter was aware she has ‘a lot of eyes’ on her

Imagine your pre-teen being the only one in their class without a smartphone. In 2023! The horror, right? Well, not if you’re Pink’s 12-year-old daughter, Willow. You see, Pink, the pop queen with a punk rock attitude, firmly believes that social media isn’t necessarily the holy grail of communication it’s cracked up to be.

In a series of candid interviews before launching her new album last year, Pink, 44, pulled back the curtain on her unique parenting style. She’s all about tough love and no-nonsense rules when it comes to her kids, Willow, 12, and Jameson, 7. The world, according to Pink, is a beast that’s ready to devour the naive and unprepared.

During a lively chat on KTU 103.5 FM’s Carolina With Greg T In The Morning Show, the singer spilled the beans on her approach. Walking a tightrope of protecting her kids’ innocence and prepping them for the real world, she explained her decision to keep them off social media.

Much to the envy or maybe relief of Willow’s classmates, Pink’s kids don’t have phones. Yes, you heard that right. As Pink shared with a wry smile, “It’s hard. A lot of my friends have their kids on TikTok, and I don’t. I told Willow, ‘that doesn’t move my needle, they’re not my kids, you’re my kid.’

For a pop star’s offspring, the spotlight shines a bit brighter. Pink made it clear to Willow that having a famous mom means extra scrutiny. Anything she posts online would get way more traction than her friends’, creating a ripple effect she isn’t quite ready to handle.

But it’s not all draconian. Willow does have a smartwatch that allows her to text Pink when needed. And about that phone? Pink’s conditions are pretty straightforward. “I told [Willow], point blank, ‘If you can produce literature from a reputable source that tells me that social media is good for you, then you can be on it. Otherwise, good luck.’”

Oh, the things we do for our kids, right? Pink’s ultimatum has a touch of humor to it too. She muses that Willow might someday find that elusive piece of literature and win the argument. But for now, it’s an uphill battle.

Despite the tech embargo, life for Willow isn’t all doom and gloom. The pop star mom ensured her daughter’s life wasn’t completely overshadowed by her celebrity status. Willow and her brother Jameson have joined Pink on recent tours, but with a catch. The 12-year-old frequently shuttled back and forth to keep some normalcy in her life.

Before hitting the road for another tour week, Pink gushed about the experience: “I’m so lucky to be able to bring my kids with me, and all of my guitar players’ kids are going to be there… it’s amazing.”

Balancing work and family life is a fine art that Pink seems to have mastered. She and her husband Carey Hart, whom she’s been married to for almost two decades, share the joys and challenges of raising their two kids in a world where everyone’s eyes are on them.

While Pink’s parenting style might not win her any popularity contests among pre-teens, it sure does reflect a thoughtful approach to raising kids in the digital age. Whether Willow will ever find that miracle study that convinces her mom to loosen the reins remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: she’s learning the value of critical thinking and resilience along the way.