Teri Hatcher talks raising daughter

Teri Hatcher says the most important thing to do as a parent is “not to raise a brat”.

The Desperate Housewives actress is mother to 17-year-old daughter Emerson.

And the 50-year-old actress says she always made it her mission not to let her lot in life affect her daughter’s upbringing.

"I think when you have fortune, one of the most important things to do as a parent is to not raise a brat," Teri told People.com. "The older she gets, now things are beginning to come more and more from her. This idea of wanting to really help education locally in our community really came from her."

Teri spoke to promote the Fulfillment Fund, an organisation which offers underprivileged students help with applications for college.

As Emerson prepared to apply for college herself, she and Teri embarked on a road trip to check out her options.

“Last summer, we decided with the upcoming excitement of going off to college herself, we would do a trip across the country looking at colleges," Teri said.

And to make the journey worthwhile in a charitable way, Emerson started her own blog, reachandsafe.com, to raise money for the Fulfillment Fund.

Teri added that she is incredibly proud of her daughter for her actions.

"Many of these students are experiencing college for the first time in their entire family," Teri said about the organisation. "When one sister goes off to college, that goal becomes reachable and attainable, and it trickles down into their families."