Brooke Shields has long been open about the challenges she faced in her personal life, particularly 

when it came to her tumultuous relationship with her late mother, Teri Shields. 

In her memoir, *Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed To Get Old*, the actress shares poignant details of her upbringing, 

revealing the lasting emotional toll her mother’s alcoholism had on her.

Teri Shields, who also managed her daughter’s career from an incredibly young age, passed away in October 2012 after a prolonged battle with dementia. 

Reflecting on their relationship, Brooke recalls her mother’s assertion of being non-judgmental, yet Brooke often felt the opposite. 

“I always felt like I was going to be in trouble for something or that I was wrong,” she writes. “I was often waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is a consequence of being raised by an alcoholic.”

Brooke Shields describes the emotional pain of growing up in a household where stability was constantly in flux. Her mother’s alcoholism was a daily source of distress, creating an environment filled with unpredictability. “Plans would change at a moment’s notice. So would moods,” Brooke confesses, comparing her home life to the controlled atmosphere of her work. On set, Shields found refuge in the structure and routine of professional life. “Work, even if I knew both the industry and public opinion to be fickle, felt stable,” she writes. “When you were on set, the space was contained and there were rules by which you had to abide. You and your schedule were always accounted for. That was freeing in a way.”

From an early age, Teri Shields managed her daughter’s career with intensity. Beginning when Brooke was just 11 months old, Teri took on the role of her manager, navigating the world of show business alongside her daughter. However, at home, the young actress was often on edge, never knowing what to expect from her mother. Brooke admits that her home life was far from comforting: “I never knew what was going to happen,” she explains.

As Brooke grew older and became a mother herself, she was determined to offer her own children a different experience. Together with her husband, Chris Henchy, she worked hard to create a stable and nurturing environment for their daughters, free from the fear and instability that defined her childhood. “I wanted to protect my own kids from living with feelings of instability, uncertainty, or fear,” she writes in the memoir. “So I built in routine and ritual wherever I could.”

Shields wanted her children to feel empowered, encouraging them to be outspoken and confident in expressing their opinions. “I encouraged them to be outspoken and opinionated rather than timid,” she shares. “I urged them to express their opinions.” She also emphasized the importance of open communication, ensuring that her daughters knew they could talk about anything, no matter the subject. “Nothing was off-limits,” she notes, “that didn’t mean there weren’t consequences, but we’d discuss why they acted a certain way.”

Despite the difficult experiences of her childhood, Brooke’s bond with her mother was undeniably complex. She describes the relationship as magnetic, with an emotional pull that was impossible to ignore, even when it caused her pain. “My whole life I went to her for absolutely everything,” she writes, acknowledging the deep-seated fear of disappointing her mother, yet feeling an unbreakable connection to her. “Love is a very powerful motivator,” she concludes, underscoring the complicated nature of their bond.

Brooke’s reflections on her relationship with her mother are also explored in the 2023 documentary *Pretty Baby*, which delves into her career and personal life, particularly during the controversies of her early years in Hollywood. The film touches on the backlash she faced for her roles in provocative films and her infamous Calvin Klein jeans campaign. 

Looking back, Brooke Shields’ life has been marked by both professional success and deeply personal struggles. Her journey to understand her relationship with her mother and its impact on her life continues to resonate with many, highlighting the complexities of family, fame, and the emotional scars that often accompany them.

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