Greek singer Kelly Kelekidou said raising her children to be good citizens is far more important to her than their academic performance in school.
Speaking during an interview on the Greek television programme Happy Day on Tuesday, November 3, the singer explained that she frequently consults a psychologist to help manage the everyday challenges of motherhood.
Kelekidou, who shares a son and a daughter with her husband, singer Nikos Kourkoulis, emphasised that her primary duty as a mother is to keep her arms open to her children regardless of the circumstances.
Open communication at home
The singer described her relationship with both her son and daughter as exceptionally positive, noting that she values how readily they approach her whenever they want to share their thoughts or problems.
Although both children are currently moving through adolescence and the preteen stage, Kelekidou said family life has remained steady and aligned.
She added that she experiences great joy when she telephones their school and receives glowing feedback from teachers, or when mutual friends praise their character.
She explained that she does not worry about whether they become top students, as her true priority is for them to grow into respectful individuals who care for others and show generosity in daily life.
Parental guidance and self-reflection
Parenting effectively requires adults to examine their own behaviour before attempting to manage what happens with their children, Kelekidou told the programme.
She remarked that while consulting a therapist can provide useful advice on how to navigate difficult parenting situations, real success requires extensive personal effort and self-honesty.
Discussing moments when tension arises, Kelekidou admitted that she sometimes bites her tongue and resolves to remain silent, only to speak out impulsively and later regret her reaction.
Whenever that happens, she said she does not hesitate to offer an apology to her children.
She stressed that expressing emotions openly is a practice shared by everyone in her home, pointing out that true dialogue means listening to children even when parents hear things that make them uncomfortable or unsure of what to do next.
Tribute to Giorgos Mazonakis
During the same television broadcast, Kelekidou addressed the death of Greek singer Giorgos Mazonakis, who died in September at the age of 54.
She said Mazonakis would live on through his songs, remarking that the warmth shown by audiences across his career demonstrated that he was an authentic performer.
Kelekidou added that his loss brought deep sorrow to everyone around him, describing his passing as an untimely tragedy for Greek music.
Both Kelekidou and Kourkoulis have remained prominent figures in the Greek popular music industry since establishing their careers in the early 2000s, while Mazonakis spent more than three decades as one of the country's most distinctive modern laiko artists.
