Kate Middleton is a woman who wears many hats. The beloved Duchess is known all over the world for her kind heart and philanthropy, but there’s one aspect of Kate’s character that doesn’t get enough credit — she’s a truly fantastic mother.
So what’s Kate’s secret to child-rearing? Patience. That, as well as a few code words that she uses in public to let her children know if and when they’re misbehaving .
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Anyone who has ever spent a significant amount of time around children knows how difficult they can be.
I love my niece to pieces, but there’s always an incredible sense of relief whenever her mother comes to pick her up. I think all aunts and uncles would agree.
Kids are like little balls of energy: they operate at 100% output with seemingly no off-switch insight. It’s easy to see how being a parent would be daunting for anyone — let alone someone with the kind of public persona as Kate Middleton.
Not only does Kate have all the regular stresses that come with motherhood, but also a few that are uniquely her own.
It’s no secret that being a member of the Royal Family requires an incredible amount of poise and pomp.
Children are expected to maintain their regal demeanor at all times, which can put an incredible amount of stress on the royal parents.
But obviously, kids act out.
According to The Sun in order to help communicate with her children in a more productive way, Kate has developed a set of code words that she uses in public to help let her kids know when their behavior needs adjusting.
For example, Kate explained via *The Sun* that instead of saying “calm down,” she’ll instead say “let’s take a break.”
Admittedly, Louis is still a little young yet to be able to make sense of Kate’s vocal cues, but George and Charlotte understand her just fine. They know that when their mother says ” take a break, ” what she really means is that it’s time to come back down to earth.
Kate likes to use moments like these to encourage quiet, solo activities. Both George and Charlotte are partial to puzzles, so the Duchess always makes sure to have plenty at the ready.
As well as verbal cues, Kate also deploys a series of physical communication tools to help her get through to her kids.
One thing that you’ll often see Kate do with George, Charlotte, and Louis is to place her hand on the top of their heads.
This allows Kate to make an instant connection with her children and helps to better communicate her emotions in a manner that they can understand.
It’s remarkable how something as simple as a soft touch can help to veer a child back on course and help to avoid every parent’s worst nightmare: the dreaded temper tantrum.
Kate’s positive approach to parenting has even caught the attention of Dr. Rebecca Chicot, founder of Essential Parent.
Dr. Chicot was quick to point out just how difficult it is for any parent to have to parent while in public.
And that for somebody in Kate’s position, the pressure to always have her children behave perfectly must be daunting.
Yet somehow, in spite of insurmountable odds — Kate always manages to find a way.
“She has a lovely balance of sensitivity and gentle boundaries,” Dr. Chicot explained during an interview with The Sun .
This is a stark departure from the more traditional ways of regal childrearing.
Historically, the Royal Family has relied on a more autocratic approach when it comes to raising children.
An autocratic or authoritarian parenting style places incredibly high demands on children and emphasizes a very low parental response.
In the autocratic parenting method, children are to be seen and not heard.
Parents are the disciplinarian, whose purpose is to provide structure and dole out corporal punishment when and if it is required.
From the moment that George was born, Kate knew that approach simply wouldn’t work for her.
Kate is an incredibly sensitive mother who is in tune with the emotions of her children. She prefers to use what’s known as an authoritative approach to parenting. This method stresses positive reinforcement and shies away from things like idle threats and corporal punishment.
Judging by how angelic George, Charlotte, and even little Louis behave each and every time we see them in public, I’m inclined to say that it’s doing the trick.
