Michael Jackson's children to go to school for first time
Michael Jackson's children to go to school for first time
By SCARLETT SHORT
Last updated at 1:24 AM on 20th June 2010
After years of living as one of the most closely protected families in the world, Michael Jackson’s three children are to attend school for the first time.
In an emotional interview to mark the first anniversary of the singer’s death, their grandmother and guardian Katherine Jackson has told The Mail on Sunday that she is determined to give Prince, Paris and Blanket a more conventional upbringing.
Until now, they have been taught at home, in keeping with Michael ’s policy of keeping them largely hidden from the outside world.
‘I’d say I’m a little less strict but I’ve tried to follow the way Michael was raising them,’ she says in her first interview since he died of a suspected heart attack on June 25 last year at his Los Angeles home.
‘But they don’t have friends. They don’t go to school. They have private lessons at home. They’ll be going to a private school in September for the first time.’
The 80-year-old great-grandmother laughs at the idea the children could ever have a wholly normal life, but says they have a healthy routine of daily schoolwork, karate and swimming.
She says there is hardly a day without visits from members of her extended family to her home in Los Angeles. ‘Having them around has helped the children immensely. They go places together and have fun. They listen to Michael’s music.’
Katherine has come under media scrutiny again in recent weeks after reported comments by her husband, Joe Jackson, who said she was in part responsible for Michael’s death – a sentiment he has now retracted.
And last week her youngest son, Randy, was rushed to hospital with a heart attack, but he seems to be recovering.
Throughout, however, she says her priority has been caring for her grandchildren Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, eight.
Katherine was made their legal guardian in the weeks following Michael’s death, although she has no control over his estate, which is held in a trust fund.
The three children have been deeply affected, she says. Paris has created a shrine to him in her bedroom. ‘I wanted to hang pictures of flowers or ballerinas, like I would expect a girl would.
But she went into the closet and she brought out seven or eight pictures of Michael and said, “No, I want Daddy hanging in my room. I always want to see him.”
‘So she goes to bed looking at him and wakes up looking at him. Paris has that lovely way like Michael, and I see his talent in her. Whatever she does she’s very good at it. She’s a good artist and plays the piano. She wants to be an actress.’
Katherine believes all three share something of Michael. Prince is interested in the arts, hoping to be a film producer, while Blanket has his sense of playfulness.
She says it was some time after Michael took Prince and Paris to a concert to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a solo entertainer in 2001 that they began to understand how famous he was.
‘Michael told me a story. He said the two little ones were in the audience. When he got backstage they said, “So you’re a big star, huh? When I grow up I want to be just like you!” And Michael said he got the biggest chuckle out of that.’
Read more: <!-- m -->http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... z0rMyEqsmG<!-- m -->
By SCARLETT SHORT
Last updated at 1:24 AM on 20th June 2010
After years of living as one of the most closely protected families in the world, Michael Jackson’s three children are to attend school for the first time.
In an emotional interview to mark the first anniversary of the singer’s death, their grandmother and guardian Katherine Jackson has told The Mail on Sunday that she is determined to give Prince, Paris and Blanket a more conventional upbringing.
Until now, they have been taught at home, in keeping with Michael ’s policy of keeping them largely hidden from the outside world.
‘I’d say I’m a little less strict but I’ve tried to follow the way Michael was raising them,’ she says in her first interview since he died of a suspected heart attack on June 25 last year at his Los Angeles home.
‘But they don’t have friends. They don’t go to school. They have private lessons at home. They’ll be going to a private school in September for the first time.’
The 80-year-old great-grandmother laughs at the idea the children could ever have a wholly normal life, but says they have a healthy routine of daily schoolwork, karate and swimming.
She says there is hardly a day without visits from members of her extended family to her home in Los Angeles. ‘Having them around has helped the children immensely. They go places together and have fun. They listen to Michael’s music.’
Katherine has come under media scrutiny again in recent weeks after reported comments by her husband, Joe Jackson, who said she was in part responsible for Michael’s death – a sentiment he has now retracted.
And last week her youngest son, Randy, was rushed to hospital with a heart attack, but he seems to be recovering.
Throughout, however, she says her priority has been caring for her grandchildren Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, eight.
Katherine was made their legal guardian in the weeks following Michael’s death, although she has no control over his estate, which is held in a trust fund.
The three children have been deeply affected, she says. Paris has created a shrine to him in her bedroom. ‘I wanted to hang pictures of flowers or ballerinas, like I would expect a girl would.
But she went into the closet and she brought out seven or eight pictures of Michael and said, “No, I want Daddy hanging in my room. I always want to see him.”
‘So she goes to bed looking at him and wakes up looking at him. Paris has that lovely way like Michael, and I see his talent in her. Whatever she does she’s very good at it. She’s a good artist and plays the piano. She wants to be an actress.’
Katherine believes all three share something of Michael. Prince is interested in the arts, hoping to be a film producer, while Blanket has his sense of playfulness.
She says it was some time after Michael took Prince and Paris to a concert to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a solo entertainer in 2001 that they began to understand how famous he was.
‘Michael told me a story. He said the two little ones were in the audience. When he got backstage they said, “So you’re a big star, huh? When I grow up I want to be just like you!” And Michael said he got the biggest chuckle out of that.’
Read more: <!-- m -->http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... z0rMyEqsmG<!-- m -->
Comments
But I'm not sure either is it a very good idea to put children in a regular school <!-- s:? -->:?<!-- s:? --> They don't really know what it's like to be day after day with strangers in the same room. And yes, kids are cruel and they say anything they hear... let's just hope that Michael kids will not be the only famous kids in that school.
I put an extract of this article:
" In Hayvenhurst Avenue, former musicians of Michael n' have more the right of cité.l' a d' they, pianist, came two months ago. It felt a strange environment. At light-years of the life Zen of Holmby Hills.Chez their grandmother, Prince, Paris and Blanket n' were more than l' shade d' them-even, sad like s' they felt locked up." <!-- s:shock: -->:shock:<!-- s:shock: -->
Yes, she talked about the book she is going to release also: <!-- l -->viewtopic.php?f=48&t=11199<!-- l -->
That's only what Michael wanted us to think... BUT we all know Michael's sneaky/ genious ways. He made sure the camera man got a nice shot of prince in the audience at his 30th anniversary concert. There's even footage of Prince and Paris ON STAGE standing with Macaulay Culkin during the end of the last show. Of course at this time we didnt know what the children fully looked like, so we would have never known it was them we were really looking at anyway. Just check out the vid <!-- s:) -->:)<!-- s:) --> :
(Omer is holding him)
<!-- m -->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0d8XD_OYnY<!-- m -->
But I know one thing, and that is that whenever MJ (or his friends, people who know him) has talked about the kids he always says that they live a "normal/conventional" (whichever of those crappy words you wanna use) life, and that they have friends..I believe him, I don't think they were cooped up or isolated with no friends..
Yes plus in those leaked photos/videos of Paris, Blanket and Prince we could see them playing with some other kids. So what story are they trying to sell us now? Huh..
How come I don't see anyone wondering about why Katherine decided to give an interview to a tabloid..?
Joe granted News of the World (one of the biggest tabloids) an interview on 6/13.
No one wonders about why all of a sudden they talk to tabloids..?
Exactly. I was just reading these posts and thinking the same as you. But, I don't have an answer to the question. It's hard to keep up with all of these conversations they are having or the news that family members or close associates (Orianthi), are falling ill. I was just remembering that about 2 weeks ago, we were told that Mrs. Jackson was in the hospital gravely ill and since then, it's one Jackson family thing or tabloid conversation after the other, back to back to back. What is our attention being diverted from and why? I'm going to give this more thought.
Exactly Mo.How come they are with the" ENEMY"? Was not Michael the one who use to say that the TABLOIDS are GARBAGE? That the tabloids must be burn?
This STORY is going crazy,and Im starting to loosing my patience here.Is this family with Michael or not?Are they doing this for money and fame?
I dont know if someone is trying to play with our minds,maybe is Michael ,lol.The Hoax is getting more and more fishy.Is almost a year nowwwwwwwww!!!!! <!-- s:( -->:(<!-- s:( --> <!-- s:( -->:(<!-- s:( -->
Its starnge,always contradictions and confusions in this story.Who whould believe Janet will go to Oprah to speak to her,after all se said about her brother.
And what Michael wanted to say in his song Tabloid Junkie?
"Tabloid Junkie"
Speculate to break the one you hate
Circulate the lie you confiscate
Assassinate and mutilate
As the hounding media in hysteria
Who's the next for you to resurrect
Why we can't let go to this Hoax,tell me why guys? Its like an obsession,hunting us day and night.I really think this STORY will not end NEVER EVER.
I hope I didnt offend enyone here,but after almost a year ,I'm starting for the first time to realize that maybe this was just nightmare.The pain I feel Its like a pleasure for me,lol.(like in the mind control videos)
Love you all.
Dabbie one time said that Michael would never make his kids do what they dont want to do.. so maybe whey want to try and Michael wanna give them a chance to see how it is...
I think it's possible.. <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: -->
This was exactly why Michael wanted to do TII wasn´t it? And now everything is just a lie <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: -->
Okay, now we also have La Toya granting an interview to a tabloid: <!-- l -->viewtopic.php?f=24&t=11218&p=186352#p186352<!-- l -->