Parenting has changed a lot over the past 50 years. Instead of taking a firm hand when it comes to childrearing, most parents these days aim to be their kid’s best friend.
But while this new age style may be the most prevalent , there are still those who opt for the old ways. Have a look and check out these 10+ celebrities with very strict rules for their children.
Mariah Carey teaches her kids to be frugal when it comes to their finances.
Mariah Carey wants her kids to know the value of money.
She told People that “Right now it’s like, ‘I want this,’ and I’m like, ‘You’re asking me for something that costs $20.’ I can’t even imagine having, like, one dollar as a kid because we didn’t have money going around.”
Kelly Ripa wouldn’t let her daughter have a public Instagram account until she was 18.
Kelly explains that her daughter wanted a public account all throughout her teens, but that she and her husband outright refused.
The daytime host says she’s since become much more mellow.
Kanye West won’t allow his daughter to wear makeup.
Not only that but he also had all the TVs removed from the kids’ bedrooms.
According to an interview that Kim Kardashian gave to Us Weekly , Kanye believes that taking a more forceful hang will be beneficial down the road.
Brooke Shields doesn’t understand why more parents aren’t stricter with their children.
Brooke explained in an interview with People magazine that:
“I always feel like the odd mom out, because trust me when I tell you I’m on my girls. And every time I am, I know from the outside it looks like I’m an overbearing , controlling parents[sic].”
Candace Cameron Bure doesn’t put up with excuses.
As Candace so eloquently explained during an appearance on The Rachel Ray Show — “excuses are for losers !”
Candace says that both she and her husband Val are fine with failure, but won’t allow their children to skate by without putting in the hard work.
Denzel Washington is a firm believer in proper moral instruction.
According to Denzel Washington, he believes that all children are born good but that they lack a finely tuned moral compass.
Be hard on them in their formative years, and they’ll thank you for it when they get older.
Madonna is dead serious when it comes to children not being allowed to use cell phones.
According to an interview with British Vogue , Madonna claims that text messaging and cell phone use ruined her relationship with her kids Lourdes and Rocco.
Madonna now refuses to let her teenage son David have a phone.
Clint Eastwood didn’t hesitate to raise a hand to his son.
Scott Eastwood recalls going to a party with his younger sister in their teen years and leaving her behind to fend for herself.
When Clint found out, he wrapped his hands around Scott’s throat and punched him in the face.
Eva Mendes is a complete and total helicopter parent.
She told Extra that “I’m strict about what they eat , and what they wear, and what time they go to bed. And what they watch.”
Jeez, Eva — why not just dress them in bubble wrap?
Ashton Kutcher won’t let his children indulge in sugar.
Ashton explained to Jimmy Kimmel that he and Mila don’t allow their kids to have candy. And that instead of chocolate eggs at Easter time, Ashton and Mila fill plastic eggs cups with plain cheerios and raisins.
Talk about cruel and unusual punishment.
Megan Fox aims to keep technology away from her children for as long as possible.
“My goal is no computers, no cell phones until at least 8th grade ,” Megan explained during an interview with Parents.com.
Megan says that she plans to introduce television via streaming platforms like AppleTV and Netflix, so as to avoid her kids being bombarded with ads.
Kate Winslet believes that parents should cut down internet time.
Kate prefers a more old-school approach when it comes to keeping her kids entertained.
She believes that board games or a simple piece of paper with a pencil are a much more productive and safer means of distraction.
Victoria Beckham believes family dinners are essential.
Even though their kids are older now, both Victoria and David Beckham still stress the importance of family dinners .
During those times when David and Victoria are in London, dinner is served promptly at 6:00 pm.
Tom Cruise would never take Suri to the doctor.
Most people are already well aware of Tom Cruise’s unwavering devotion to the Church of Scientology and that this belief also extends to his children as well.
According to Scientology, general practitioners must only be used as a last resort.
Reese Witherspoon makes her kids write thank-you notes.
Reese told Us Weekly that:
“I make them write letters. Every gift gets a note or a drawing. It means so much when kids are appreciative . My kids know when I’m serious. I get really Southern.”
Joanna Gaines won’t let her children have a cellphone until college.
Joanna explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that “We want to teach our kids that life happens outside of these devices . It’s just a simple thing to go outside and connect with nature, play with your friends, and get dirty.”
Gwyneth Paltrow has stringent rules when it comes to TV.
When her children were young, Gwyneth would only allow them to watch TV if the language settings were switched to either French or Spanish.
If I’m being honest, that’s actually a pretty clever way to try and learn a language
Jennifer Lopez limits screen time with her kids.
J-Lo’s kids Max and Emme are only allowed to use their iPads on Sundays. They also aren’t permitted to play video games or do anything other than school-related activities throughout the week.
Jessica Alba is a big supporter of the timeout method.
Jessica explained during an interview with People magazine that when it comes to her daughter, “I’ll put her in a timeout and tell her, ‘Think about the choices you’ve made.’ Then I’ll come back and say, ‘Now it’s time to stop crying and think.’”
Cate Blanchett doesn’t want to be liked by her children.
The Oscar-winning actress and her husband believe that parents these days spend too much time trying to become their child’s best friend .
She says she doesn’t like to be the bad cop but won’t hesitate to play the role when necessary.
Sheryl Crow is always in charge.
Sheryl told Prevention magazine “I think one thing that is missing now with kids is that hierarchy of adults not being friends, even though ultimately that’s what you want with your kids. They have to understand that somebody’s in charge and sometimes the answer is no.”
Brad Pitt put a Google block on his and Angelina Jolie’s names.
Brad decided that he didn’t want his children’s opinions of their mother and father to be in any way influenced or swayed by what the paparazzi have to say about either one of them.
Alicia Silverstone doesn’t believe in diapers.
Alicia claims that her son Bear was potty trained at six-months-old . She says all children elicit facial cues when they have to go, and that parents just need to be alert and watch carefully.
Mayim Bialik doesn’t believe in smart phones for her kids.
Just because Mayim makes her living in front of a camera, that doesn’t give her children the right to spend their childhood in front of a screen.
Mayim says that since she’s never allowed her children to be without adult supervision , they don’t need a phone.
Drew Barrymore tries not to compliment her children on their looks.
Instead of saying something like “you look pretty today,” Drew instead tries to commend an action or an accomplishment . That way, her children don’t equate personal value to their looks.
Travis Scott won’t allow Stormi to watch TV.
During an interview with Rolling Stone , Travis Scott lamented over the fact that kids don’t play outside anymore. He said that he doesn’t want Stormi rotting away in front of a screen, which is why he and Kylie Jenner have banned TV.
Jamie Oliver spies on his children.
Jamie and his wife Jools use an app called Life360 . Similar to Find My Friends, this app allows the user to track locations and routes taken. The renowned TV chef also admitted that at the time of this interview, his children didn’t know about it.
Julie Bowen is all about setting limits for her kids.
The Modern Family star thinks of herself as the family Drill Sergeant. “It’s about setting limits,” she says. “In my house that makes my kids very unhappy , like tantrums-on-the-ground-twice-a-day unhappy. But the limits are set.”
Bill Gates was very selective when it came to screen time.
Not only did Bill Gates limit the screen usage of his children, but he also banned his daughter from playing video games after he noticed her developing an unhealthy attachment to it.
Hugh Jackman says that fame has forced him to be harder on his kids.
Hugh told Parade magazine that “I constantly talk to them about respect and gratitude. I say, ‘Unfortunately, I’m going to be tougher on you than I would be if I wasn’t famous, because people are actually going to be less tough on you in life.'”
Kate Hudson has no patience for liars.
Kate Hudson is a stickler when it comes to good manners. But the one thing that sets her off above all else is when her children try to lie to her.
What strict rules do you have for your children? Leave a comment and let us know!
Last Updated on May 25, 2021 by Jordan Claes