Melissa Joan Hart Doesn’t ‘Regret Anything’ About Being A Child Star

Melissa Joan Hart grew up in front of the cameras, rising to superstardom at the age of 15 as the lead in “Clarissa Explains It All.” Just a few years later, Hart was the talk of the town as the star of the fantasy comedy “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

During a new interview, Hart opened up about her time as a child star, saying being the face of TV shows “gave me a good work ethic.” In fact, Hart said that growing up with the extra added responsibility “helped me kind of grow up quickly, learn some things about myself in the world, take care of myself.”

Melissa Joan Hart also experienced some downs as a child star, revealing that being famous at a young age “kind of stunted my growth in other ways, socially.” Despite that, the “Melissa & Joey” star said that she still had a “normal” childhood and wouldn’t change a thing about it.

“I pretty much had a normal childhood, even though I was acting since I was 4,” Hart said to PEOPLE. “So, I don’t regret anything.”

Hart explained that her family, parents Paula and William Hart, did what they could to ensure her life wasn’t too interrupted.

“I think my family did a really good job…I was in Girl Scouts, and we would go on family ski trips and things like that. So there was a lot of normal mixed up with this weird, crazy world,” she said.

Elaborating, Hart reflected on her classroom experiences, noting that most of her education took place on set with tutors.

Even then, Hart said that her mother did what she could to make sure she had the same experiences as everyone else around her.

One specific experience Hart recalled was going to her boyfriend’s prom. “It wasn’t my prom,” she said. “But I did get to go to a prom to witness that. So I had some moments.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Hart thought about whether she’d want her three sons, Mason, Braydon, and Tucker, to pursue careers in the entertainment industry.

For now, Hart said that the three of them are staying away from the bright lights of Hollywood. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t always disinterested—even if it was for the “wrong reasons.”

“It was for money and fame. It wasn’t because they love the craft,” Hart said before praising her children, one of whom is a pilot, the other is finishing college, and the third is considering joining the trades.

According to an earlier report from The Blast, Hart recently opened up about her dramatic weight loss, explaining that she shed nearly 20 pounds after realizing that she “wanted to feel better” in her body.

The hard work wasn’t in vain either, as Hart said that focusing on her well-being allowed her to “feel stronger and better than I have in a really long time.”

Another reason her weight loss was such a big accomplishment was that she previously believed that she couldn’t lose weight due to “being in midlife and perimenopause.” Despite the changes to her body, though, Hart said that she experienced success after discovering “fasting and cutting sugars and cutting alcohol.”

This isn’t the first time that Hart has spoken about weight. In an early 2000s interview, the actress expressed fear about losing work if her body changed.

“I was extremely nervous about the weight because I was due in the middle of pilot season and here I am trying to get a new show on the air,” she said. “I have heard of people being fired from projects before for getting pregnant, and I was really worried,” she said.