The 'I Don't' hitmaker - who has five-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with her ex-husband Nick Cannon - has been giving her children some small chores to teach them the importance of helping out.
She said: "They work for me now. I had to give them jobs. I'm trying to instill a work ethic. I don't want them to think since they're my kids and that they can just get whatever they want; do whatever they want.
"I started saying, 'OK look, guys, here's what we're going to do, you're going to help out, maybe clean a couple of things.' I don't expect it to be done properly."
And the 46-year-old singer - who is dating dancer and choreographer Bryan Tanaka - loves being able to take her kids with her when she travels the world and always finds an activity in the city they're visiting that the kids will enjoy.
She added: "For five-year-old kids, they've travelled more than most people in their lives, and they really love it. Usually we do something like go to a children's museum."
And Mariah also opened up about the close relationship she has with her former spouse Nick.
She told Entertainment Tonight: "I support him in what hes going to do. He's the father of my kids. I don't know whats going on. I just you know he's always going to be their daddy so that is what it is."
Meanwhile, Mariah recently confirmed she is dating Bryan but admits she wants to keep her new relationship private.
She said: "I'm just going to be like 'I really don't talk about my personal life.' Because that's what I used to do and it really worked for a minute, back, a while ago.
"I just don't feel comfortable talking about my personal life. Me and my boyfriend don't want to do that."