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Empire star Taraji P. Henson covers the October issue of Redbook and opens up about raising her son Marcell, 22, as a single mom.

On being a single mother and feeling the pressure to do it all: “It depends on what women equate success with. I think we try to do our best. And yes, we can do it all, but I wouldn’t wish being a single parent on my worst enemy. It is not easy.”

On holding out for the right kind of romantic relationship: “If I was going to get married, it had to be for love, because I wanted [my son] Marcell to see that real kind of love — the kind I yearn for. That old couple crooked and bent over but still holding hands. I know that kind of love exists and I’m not going to stop until I have that.”

On how being overprotective of children isn’t doing them any favors: “These days we’re so busy protecting our kids, when we really should be pulling back the blinds and showing them that we live in a world that’s not always fair and moral. Sometimes we try to protect our children so much that when something doesn’t go right in their lives, they’re unprepared to deal with adversity. I don’t think that does our kids any favors.”

For more from Taraji, go to Redbook…