While many are showering their children in gifts and lashing out on over-the-top birthday parties, singer-songwriter Shania Twain has taken a complete opposite stance for her son that could be considered too extreme by some.
If you have money to spend and aren’t breaking the bank to get by, you would think a lavish birthday present might be something you’d consider for your child, especially in this day and age, but not Shania.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Mirror, the 52-year-old said she has never in his whole life bought her son Eja, 16, a birthday present.
“You have to make a real effort not to spoil your children. I have to be careful not to let him have everything he wants, so I’ve only ever baked a cake for his birthday gift,” she explained.
As a child, Shania was writing songs, performing on stage and setting herself up for a life of fame and fortune, but the mother doesn’t want that to affect her child and said Eja is definitely not a spoilt rich kid, only receiving three Christmas presents each year.
“That’s not a rich man’s celebration. A lot of people would send him stuff, and I’d think, ‘how much do you need’,” the famous performer said.
“I tell him that anything he’s not using after a month, we’re giving to charity.”
While they’re obviously not struggling with money, the Canadian-born singer said if he does really need something she is not going to deny him of it.
“There’s no point in pretending that we’re without, though – if he needs a shirt, I’ll get him a shirt. I’m not going to act poor if we’re not poor. That’s my approach and I’m just doing my best,” she said.
The multi-award winning superstar has sold over 100 million records over the course of her career and made the best selling album by a female artist of all time.
However, it hasn’t all come easy for Shania, who took a break from singing in 2003 after undergoing surgery for Lyme Disease to repair nerve damage.
Her vocal chords were badly damaged and she even lost her voice for several years, fearing that she may never sing again.
Adjusting to the change, Shania is back with a vengeance and currently performing across the world in her NOW tour.