The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, 39, has been admired for how her royal children, George, 7, Charlotte, 6, and Louis, 3, behave themselves in public.
Dr Rebecca Chicot, founder of Essential Parent and the author of the Calm and Happy Toddler told Fabulous that Kate is a sensitive and warm mom.
“This is a called an authoritative style of parenting that is now encouraged,” Chicot said. “This is compared to an autocratic parenting that was encouraged in some circles in Victorian times (children should be seen and not heard).”
But everyone was wondering how Kate keeps her three kids well behaved when all eyes are on their famous family.
At Pippa Middleton’s wedding in 2017, Prince George started acting a bit naughty, and to calm him down, Kate softly touched him on the head as a way of getting him to behave.
She even held up her finger to “shh” her son as the ceremony began in the church.
“It’s very hard for any parent to have to parent in public,” Chicot said. “She seems to be good at making warm contact ‘touch to the head’ which is a nice connection.”
The royal fans can also recall seeing photos of Kate and Prince William stooping down to speak to their kids at their eye level.
“She gets down to their level to talk to them but lets them be children,” Chicot added. “She has a lovely balance of sensitivity and gentle boundaries. She doesn’t expect them to behave like little adults and knows that children go through perfectly natural stages like tantrums.”
In 2019 at the Charity Regatta, Princess Charlotte stuck her tongue out at crowds and the Duchess was praised for her sweet reaction.
In a video, Kate encourages her young kid to wave at bystanders in Cowes, Isle of Wight but Princess Charlotte adorably puts her tongue out.
Kate appeared to burst into laughter and many parents were quick to comment on the clip saying: “Just a normal child! You can’t control their every move. Kate’s response was fantastic!”
Kate was on hand to help Princess Charlotte when she had a mini-meltdown in Hamburg, she was seen speaking down to the kid’s level and using a raised finger to show she was not messing around.
“When Charlotte was upset she got down to talk to her quietly,” Chicot added. “This shows firmness and warmth – neither cajoling nor getting angry.”
According to Daily Mail, Kate told a parent at the Henry Fawcett Children’s Centre in London that her favorite part of being a mom “was getting hugs from her kids”.
Some parents like to put their children on the naughty step or “time out” when they start acting up. But Radar Online reports that the Duchess says “let’s take a break” and lets them calm down with a puzzle or a book.
Kate is always swift to pick her kids up and communicate in a calm manner.
The Duchess is also passionate about allowing her children to have a lot of playtime outside and enjoying “simple things”.
“As children, we spent a lot of time outside and it’s something I’m really passionate about,” Kate said on the podcast Happy Baby Happy Mom. “I think it’s so great for physical and mental wellbeing and laying those foundations.”
“We grow our own vegetables.point 147 | We’ve got carrots, beans, beetroot – a massive favorite – Louis absolutely loves beetroot,” Kate told Mary Berry on an ITV Christmas special.point 278 |
“I think being outside and being in nature is such a great environment for [children] to learn lifelong skills, really.point 106 | Physical, emotional, and cognitive skills.point 144 | Whether it’s digging, running, boulder-hopping.point 189 | ”point 192 | 1
Kate gets advice on child-rearing from books like Positive Discipline: The First Three Years and The Happiest Toddler on the Block, Radar Online reported.
“When I first started out and I’ve learned a lot in a short period of time working with organizations, I was very naive myself as a parent, of really just how important particularly the early years are for children’s futures,” Kate said during the Royal Foundation’s Mental Health in Education conference.point 287 |
“And how critical it is, everyone looking after children at a critical time, teachers, parents, and everyone who’s caring for them, how important it is that we get it right.point 148 | ”point 155 | 1