Children leaving for university can be tough for any parent to cope with, and Madonna discovered what an "absolutely devastating experience" it can be in September last year. The Queen of Pop's eldest daughter Lourdes Leon left for the University of Michigan, and Madonna has now opened up on how difficult she found the event.
"My sister said it to me when her son went away. I was like, 'Oh my God, you're being so dramatic.' She was, like, bawling and bawling", recalls Madonna during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Madonna and Lourdes Leon in 2011
She added: "And then my daughter left me, and I fell into the deepest depression. And I'm always so happy when she calls me and she says, 'Mommy, I miss you' or 'I need you to rub my head.'."
Lourdes enrolled as a freshman at the University where she is studying musical theatre and dance and working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Ann Arbor Institute. The teenager is following in her mother's footsteps, as Madonna briefly studied at the institution almost 40 years ago
Madonna had made no secret of the fact that she hoped Lourdes would follow her path to UM. "I keep telling her Ann Arbor is an awesome place," the singer told the NFL Network before her Super Bowl performance in 2012.
Madonna shared this sweet throwback picture of Lourdes on Instagram
The 56-year-old Rebel Heart singer also revealed on the show that her 18-year-old daughter has recently introduced the family, which includes 14-year-old brother Rocco, whose father is British director Guy Ritchie, and Madonna's two adopted children, eight-year-olds David and Mercy, to her new boyfriend whom she met on campus.
"He came to our house two weekends ago and spent the weekend with us," Madonna confirmed.
Speaking of the young man, who is reportedly a sophomore, a year older than Lourdes, Madonna added: "He's a very sensible boy – young man, I shouldn't say he's a boy. He's intelligent, so I'm happy about that."