‘No One Knows What’s Gonna Happen to Her’- In a Conflicting World, Serena Williams Stressed on the Need for Positive Reinforcement to Children in a 2020 Interview

Serena and Venus Williams have created history on and off the court. With their mind-blowing power strokes that sent the world in awe, the sisters also amassed huge business empires completely on their own. For modern independent women, they are ideal role models when it comes to discussing self-made self-worth.

However, long before they were the legends they are today, their mother Oracene Price took on the responsibility to nurture their opinions as young women who would not step back from deserving the very best, and owning it. As expected, their mother’s influence has stuck with them throughout to the extent that now Serena Williams confesses to ingraining the same values in her daughter Olympia.

Back in 2020, Serena sat down for a candid dialog with Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin- the two legendary WTA athletes on Game. Set. Chat!. During their entertaining session, all three legends spoke out on the life-altering experiences they encountered and shared their opinions on various issues one of which is “Positive Reinforcement”.

When asked about her mother’s influence on Serena’s parenting, she unapologetically admitted to imparting the same values to little Olympia that her mother had taught them as a child.

Serena Williams shares her mother’s influence on her parenting

Zina Garrison asks Serena if she gives out the same “positive” values to Olympia as their mother had imparted to her and Venus. To that she says, “Yes absolutely. In fact, today- that’s all I told her today, ironical now that you ask that. I keep telling her to be strong. Be hard. Be tough.”

Substantiating her response on how and why this is important she says, “It’s important because she is around so many different elements and no one knows what’s gonna happen to her in the future. What’s she gonna be around, what tasks she has to do, what people she has to encounter.”

Read more: “A Real No-Nonsense Lady”: Serena Williams Once Said That Her Mom Was Very Different From Her Father Richard Williams

Serena adds that she believes in these values and lessons being taught at a “really young age”. She says, “Having that positive reinforcement – ‘Hey I can do this. Hey, I am strong. Hey, I believe in me.’ You really start believing in yourself.”

Venus and Serena have always been very open when it came to discussing the influence of their mother in their careers. “She’s tough – a real no-nonsense lady,” said Serena about her mother, and Venus called her the “spine” of their lives. Needless to say, Oracene’s daughters have made her a proud mama after all!

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