When Tina Knowles, 71, noticed a growing rift between her daughters, Beyoncé and Solange, she decided to step in.
During an interview on ‘CBS Mornings‘ on Wednesday, Knowles reflected on raising her two daughters and the steps she took to strengthen their sisterly bond.
She told host Gayle King that she made the unpopular decision to bring both daughters to a counselor when they were kids.
As Beyoncé’s fame grew in their hometown, the dynamic between the sisters began to shift, especially after Beyoncé joined a singing group, she said.
“Everything took place at our house, so the other girls in the group would tell Solange to shut up and be quiet and all that, and I started noticing that she wasn’t protecting her sister,” Knowles said.
She didn’t like what was happening, so she spoke to Beyoncé about it.
“I was like, ‘That’s your sister. You don’t let people talk to your sister like that.’ She was like, “Yeah, but she comes in, bursts in, and she wants to boss us around and do steps,'” Knowles said, recalling her eldest daughter’s words.
“I just started seeing this, you know, separation, and I said, “Oh no, you all are going to grow up close if I have to, you know, whatever I have to do to make that happen,” Knowles said.
She added that her family did not like the idea of her bringing her daughters to therapy.
“My family was upset, and even Matthew was not happy. He was like, ‘I don’t want any part of that. Why do you want them to go?'” Knowles said, recalling her ex-husband’s words.
The couple married in 1980 and welcomed Beyoncé in 1981 and Solange in 1986. After 30 years of marriage, they divorced in 2011.
This isn’t the first time Knowles has spoken about taking her daughters to therapy.
In a 2018 interview with Maria Shriver, Knowles also spoke about what she hoped early counselling would achieve.
“My family was like, ‘You’re going to make them crazy because they’re too young for you to take them,'” Knowles told Shriver. “But I wanted Beyoncé to be sensitive to the fact that Solange had to deal with being a little bit in her shadow. And it made her way more sensitive and protective. And they’re still fiercely protective of each other.”
Knowles also added that she gave each daughter one-on-one time while they were growing up.
“I had days I devoted to them. On Wednesdays, I took off work and that was Solange’s day,” Knowles said.
It’s normal for most siblings to argue with each other, but there are numerous ways that parents can intervene to help their kids get along.
Psychologists previously told Business Insider that it’s important for parents to set clear expectations and give each child alone time with them, just like Knowles did. This can help children not feel like they always have to compete for their parents’ attention.
Additionally, if conflict arises between siblings, parents should allow each child to tell their side of the story, Tracy King, a clinical psychologist, told BI.
“Use a strategy of ‘externalizing’ where you step outside of blame and speak as if the conflict is in the room for everyone to problem solve,” King said.
A representative for Knowles did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.
