Madonna has admitted that she finds motherhood a 'struggle'.
The pop superstar has six children: daughter Lourdes, 26, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend, Carlos Leon; son Rocco, 22, with ex-husband Guy Ritchie; and David, 17, Chifundo 'Mercy', 16, and twins, Estere and Stella, 10, whom she adopted from Malawi.
Clearly, that's more than a handful, and the 64-year-old was happy to concede that she finds motherhood very challenging.
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In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said: "It was the hardest thing, the toughest battle.
"Even today, I struggle to understand how to be a mother and do my job. Because, however it goes, whoever you are, having children and raising children is a work of art.
"And nobody gives you a manual. You have to learn from your mistakes. It's a job that takes a lot of time. And it's tiring because there's never rest."
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But while it may be hard work, she's proud of the end result.
"The thing that makes me happiest is seeing how each of them has found their creativity," she said.
"I never encouraged my daughter Lola to make music or my son Rocco to paint. But I've always exposed them to art, to music.
"I'm happy with how they are today. And I'm proud of their work."
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The 'Like a Virgin' singer also admitted that 'growing up with a mother like me is a challenge', which is understandable - after all, there's not many of us who have had to contend with our mum heading off on a mega world tour.
Earlier this week, she announced that she will be embarking on a world tour celebrating the four decades of her career.
The Queen of Pop will visit 35 cities during Madonna: The Celebration Tour, which kicks off in Vancouver in Canada on 15 July and will be followed by stops across North America.
The 64-year-old will then cross over to Europe, where she will perform in 11 cities throughout the autumn.
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The tour will include a performance at The O2 in London on 14 October, as well as shows in Barcelona, Paris and Stockholm, and will finish at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on 1 December.
Billed as a 'one-of-a-kind experience', the tour also features special guest Bob the Drag Queen, real name Caldwell Tidicue, across all dates.
Madonna said: "I am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my fans the show they have been waiting for."
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She announced the tour with a video featuring DJ Diplo, actor Jack Black and rapper Lil' Wayne, which culminates with comedian Amy Schumer daring the global superstar to go on tour.
Sharing the news on Instagram, Madonna wrote: "Come join the party! #madonnacelebrationtour."
Last year, the singer marked the 40th anniversary of her recording debut.
The Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello-winning singer has reportedly sold more than 300 million records worldwide.
She was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
Jake Massey