Selena Gomez’s mom Mandy Teefey opens up having her daughter at just 16: ‘It’s like we grew up together’

Selena Gomez’s mom has opened up about having her daughter at only 16, admitting they ‘grew up’ together.

Mandy Teefey, 47, mom to Selena and her younger sister, Gracie, was featured as one of The Moms in Glamour’s Women of the Year issue.

Mandy, who is also the 31-year-old’s business partner, was joined by Donna Kelce, Tina Knowles, and Maggie Baird where they shared what it took to raise some of the most successful young people of today.

In the issue, Mandy opened up about her teenage pregnancy, admitting she ‘didn’t have any idea of what to expect’ when she gave birth to Selena at 16.

 ‘It’s almost like we grew up together,’ she said sweetly. 

‘We joke that we’re going to have to be in retirement homes at the same time. We’re only 16 years apart.’

Mandy added that having Gracie, now 11, later in life was a completely different experience from having Selena at 16.

‘A blessing,’ she assured. ‘But yes, very daunting.’

Mandy added she was cautious of making sure she was raising Selena with good morals and values whilst she was growing up in the public eye.

‘Then you have the added pressure of them under the spotlight, and they’re trying to grow and be themselves and go through what every other kid goes through, and they don’t get to do that free of judgment,’ she explained.

The proud mom reminisced on a time she saw an opportunity to do just that.

‘That is one of my favorite stories,’ she exclaimed. 

‘She was getting out of the trailer, and there was an umbrella, and they were holding it for her, and then they were bringing her food and all this stuff, and I was like, “She can hold her own umbrella.”

Mandy said she was cautious of making sure she was raising Selena with good morals and values in the public eye

Mandy, who is also the 31-year-old’s business partner, was joined by Donna Kelce, Tina Knowles, and Maggie Baird

Mandy added that having Gracie, now 11, later in life was a completely different experience from having Selena at 16

Earlier in the year, Mandy spoke out earlier in the year about the actress’ social media breaks. Seen together in 2009

‘She needs to learn how to pump her own gas in her car. She needs to be a person first.’ 

Selena and her mom appear to be extremely close, she has collaborated with Gomez on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and cofounded the mental health startup Wondermind.

Earlier in the year,  Mandy spoke out earlier in the year about the actress’ social media breaks.

She expressed that Gomez ultimately decided how long each of her breaks would be, stating: ‘Whatever time Selena needs, she gives herself.’

The hitmaker’s mother also revealed that she often took short breaks from social media, although she regularly returned to her various outlets.

‘I can go a week without looking at any social media, and then I’ll get on there and I’ll try to catch up,’ she admitted.

Teefey went on to advise her fans to take occasional breaks from social media in an effort to ground themselves in reality.

‘You’re more at ease, in your world, and living in the moment. It’s so much more peaceful,’ she said.

The performer’s mother then spoke about how she went about mental health days with her daughter, who often spends time with her family after disconnecting from social media.

‘We come together, and we plan a movie day; we cook food and just kind of relax and hang out. Then, we all end up falling asleep,’ she said.