Brooke Shields Discusses Her Relationship With Her Grown Daughters Transitioning From Parent to Friend: ‘You Get to Meet Them Again’

Seeing your kids grow up is bittersweet. I mean, it’s the whole point of parenthood, right? Teaching your kids how to go out in the world on their own. But it’s also sad when they leave the nest — something that Brooke Shields has now gone through twice with her daughters Rowan, 21, and Grier, 18. It’s a challenging time in her life, but Shields is looking on the bright side. And in a new interview, she dished on how her relationship with her grown daughters is transitioning from being their parent to being their friend.

Tori Spelling Reveals How She's 'Gotten So Lazy' With Her Youngest Son's Back-To-School Routine

“All of a sudden, they’re not yours anyone,” the Pretty Baby star told PEOPLE . “When you realize they are their own human beings, you get to meet them again. To have them reveal themselves to you, it’s a new type of relationship.”

“I didn’t mold them but I protected them enough so that they could become who they are and I got out of the way,” she added.

As a mom, this is such a beautiful way to look at it. I feel like we meet new versions of our kids all the time as they grow up (your little baby turns into a rambunctious toddler and before you know it, they are heading off to college!). But it’s not all sad! Seeing your kids as adults is something special, and the way Shields describes it makes this transition something we are actually looking forward to.

In the interview, Grier added, “I feel like we’re now friends. You still discipline us but I feel like we’re much closer.” As a daughter, seeing your mom as your friend for the first time is also a really cool experience. Who says you can’t be close once you’ve left the nest?

“I feel if you’ve done it in a healthy way, you start to revel in these people that you actually like,” Shields continued. “They go away and then they come back and I now get such a kick out of watching and listening to them.”

Earlier this week, Shields got emotional talking about Grier starting her first year at Wake Forest University, where Rowan attends as a senior. “OK, so, I sat here a year ago, and I watched my big girl leave, and I’m back on this porch, and I am now officially an empty nester,” Shields, who shares her daughters with husband Chris Henchy, said in the video.

“And my little girl,” Shields continuing, stopping to cry. “They’re together at least. But it’s really not… it’s not easy for the moms.”

In the interview with PEOPLE, the Mother of the Bride star said that her daughters are “going to have each other’s back. They’re both tough and strong-willed. The world is not going to undo them. I’m proud of who they are.”

She added, “I’m going to really miss them. I want to stay on the periphery but I’m also excited about what’s ahead.”

Before you go, check out Brooke Shields’ best quotes about motherhood .