Beyoncé Knowles thinks parents must 'prepare' their children for being alone.

The iconic singer is currently expecting her first child with her husband Jay-Z, with the baby due early next year.

As the birth approaches Beyoncé has started thinking about what sort of mother she wants to be.

'I believe that parents prepare their kids for the moment that they're on their own: at this point, I am taking everything my dad and my mother have taught me, and I'm able to do things my way,' she told Jones magazine's Winter Arts & Entertainment issue.

The 30-year-old star appears on the cover of the publication, in an image believed to have been shot several months ago.

There is no visible sign of a baby bump, with Beyoncé posing in a barely-there outfit comprising of animal-print panties and a series of feathers and buckles strapped around her waist.

She is wearing a long-sleeved silky top in a nude shade, with a giant fake fur collar around her shoulders.

The star forgoes trousers in the image, although her feet are encased in strappy high-heeled boots.

The picture was taken by photographer Greg Gex in Paris, where she posed on the terrace of a hotel.