Devoted mother Uma Thurman

Mar 3, 2010, 16:30 GMT

Uma Thurman hides her feelings from her children.

The 'Kill Bill' actress - who has daughter Maya, 11, and son Levon, eight, with ex-husband Ethan Hawke - believes she needs to stay "steady" around her kids to stop them from growing insecure.

Asked whether the youngsters realise how difficult it is to juggle work and family life, she said: "I hope they don't. I don't want them to notice when I'm exhausted or depressed. They need a steady mother who gives them a feeling of security, otherwise they might become even more vulnerable than they, as children, already are."

Uma is particularly keen for her children to view her as a role model and despite admitting motherhood can sometimes be difficult, she wants to share in every aspect of their lives.

She added: "I constantly wrack my brains, but unfortunately there's no manual for it. It's really important to be a role model. But I always try to explain to my children that their mum is only human, too.

"What does being a mother mean to me? That's simple - Every day I experience the greatest love I have ever felt. It takes a lot of energy and nerves, but I don't want to miss a second of it."

The 39-year-old star always looks to her own mother for advice, but admits that hasn't always been the case.

She added to Germany's OK! magazine: "I can always rely on my mother's advice. I rarely used to look for support from her when I was younger though - I wanted to learn from my own experiences. Even when I was a young girl I felt drawn to grown-ups and felt like going out into the world. Did I fail from time to time or make mistakes? Of course I did. But instead of drawing up walls inside of me, up to today I still meet people benevolently and with trust."