Jon Cryer Says Successful Parenting is About 'Letting Go' of Adult Children: 'Control Is an Illusion' (Exclusive)
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The Emmy-winning actor explains to PEOPLE that raising kids is a fine balance of offering guidance and "letting go"
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Jon Cryer.If Jon Cryer has learned anything about parenting, it’s that raising kids means walking a fine line between giving them the tools to succeed and then letting them find their own way in life.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the Emmy award-winning actor, who currently appears in NBC’s sitcom Extended Family, discussed being a father to son Charlie, 23, whom he shares with ex-wife Sarah Trigger, and daughter Daisy, 4, whom he raises with Lisa Joyner.
“What I've learned from raising kids is that control is an illusion,” he says in this week’s issue. “You're bringing people into the world and who they become and where they go in the world is really up to them. It's a cliche, but it is all about letting go. It's all about realizing the limits of what you can do and seeing how this soul goes through their lives and the world.”
Once kids eventually grow up, they may not be under the same roof any longer, but there’s a huge upside, Cryer explains.
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Lisa Joyner and Jon Cryer share 4-year-old daughter Daisy. Cryer also has son Charlie, 23, from his previous marriage with Sarah Trigger.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“My older son is twenty-three, and I love being an adult parent, because I can be myself more with my son. I can know him as an adult,” he says. “Obviously, I'll offer advice when he asks. But other than that, we can just be together, and the relationship can just be.”
One valuable piece of advice Cryer is trying to impress upon Charlie is that there are many ways to find satisfaction in one’s job and career.
“A friend of mine ran a restaurant. He just loved the people he worked with, so showing up for work every day wasn't awful for him and he could enjoy the ups and downs of the business,” he says.
“You could live with a bunch of roommates and work at a charity. You don't make a lot of money, but you're helping people, and that purpose fulfills you. That's actually more important than the money or the prestige of any other job.”
For more on Jon Cryer, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.
Extended Family returns Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
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Read the original article on People.
