The musician emphasized the importance of instilling a strong work ethic in young people, rather than handing them their successes

Sting‘s children have done just fine for themselves. He has six children, including Eliot Sumner, a musician, and Mickey Sumner, an actress. And while Sting has been supportive of their careers, he recently told CBS Sunday Morning that he isn’t outright funding them with an inheritance.

“Or whether I’ve said to them, ‘Guys, you got to work. I’m spending our money. I’m paying for your education. You’ve got shoes on your feet. Go to work,’” he said. “That’s not cruel. I think there’s a kindness there and a trust that they will make their own way. They’re tough, my kids.”

Sting acknowledged that his children have an “extraordinary work ethic,” likely as a result of his refusal to take the “You don’t have to work” route. The artist described that particular statement as “a form of abuse that I hope I’m never guilty of.” He added, “The working class works and wants to work. I’m one of those people, I love to work.”

Of course, his work is a bit different than most who come from a working-class background. He recently adapted his musical The Last Ship at the Metropolitan Opera House. The musical pays tribute to shipbuilders in Newcastle, where he’s from. It was originally released in 2013. In his career, Sting has also released 15 studio albums on his own and five with the Police.

Still, it wasn’t always that way. Looking back on his life before finding his way in music, Sting recalled taking any opportunity to make money. “I took jobs. I worked in an office for a while. I worked on building sites. I went to sea as a musician on a cruise ship, or I taught in a mining village all the time while I was playing in bands,” he said. When asked if the goal was to become a rockstar, he responded, “No, I wanted to make a living as a musician. And that still is my how I define myself. I’m not a rock star.”