Celebrities get lots of praise for their artistic accomplishments, but some famous folks really manage to “keep it real” behind the scenes.
It may seem unlikely, but famous parents face a lot of the same challenges that non-famous parents do. Sure, they have a lot more money and hired help than others, but they’re doing their best to be present and active participants in their kids’ lives. Here are some tips from celebrity parents who’ve been there, done that, when it comes to raising kids.
1. Salma Hayek follows a tip her aunt passed down.
Salma’s advice: “When Valentina was not even 1-month-old, my aunt [told me]: ‘Put her to sleep yourself every night. Sing to her and cradle her in your arms and sit by her side — every night. Because one day you won’t be able to, and it’s going to happen really fast.’â€
2. Mom-of-3 Jessica Alba understands that parenting is the role of a lifetime.
“No matter what age, or stage or your child is in, you never stop parenting,” said Jessica. “The challenges and lessons you learn, as you’re growing and evolving, are what prepare you for the next stage your child is entering.”
3. Michael J. Fox says giving your kids your undivided attention is key.
“If you say ‘give me five minutes, give me ten minutes,’…when you get there, the shine will have worn off whatever it is [the kids] wanted to share with you,” he said. “I’ve never gotten up to see something one of my kids wanted to show me and not been rewarded.”
4. Heidi Klum isn’t sweating the small stuff.
Heidi said. “Our house is full of life, laughter, and mayhem. Every dinnertime something spills. Or they are wearing uniforms for school, and when we have breakfast in the morning, food gets all over their hands. You can tell them a thousand times ‘Do not wipe it on your pants,’ and sure enough they wipe it on their pants. But that’s when you roll with it. My house is not like a museum. You can see that children live there.”
5. Will Smith believes in letting kids be themselves, always.
Will said, “I feel like a lot of times, when I was growing up, I would see parents force a child to be what you want them to be. As a parent, if it’s an oak tree, I want it to grow as an oak tree. I’m not going to try to force it to be an apple tree.â€
6. It’s all about establishing a nightly dinner ritual for Michelle Obama.
“Family dinners are a tradition we’ve instituted at the White House, and it has made a huge difference,” said the former First Lady. “No matter what else is happening, at 6:30 we stop everything and eat together … We use those dinners to connect with our girls, have conversations, and just spend quality time together as a family.”
7. Gary Oldman is now a grandfather, but he remembers the early days of parenthood all too well.
“You’re tired? Have a baby, then come back and tell me how tired tired is. There’s no handbook for parenting. So you walk a very fine line, civilizing these raw things,” said Gary.
8. Debra Messing welcomes the “real” aspects of life that come with being a parent.
“The priority shift is a relief. There are so many things that used to monopolize my time and my energy that I realize now, in the face of being a mother, are just completely irrelevant.â€
9. Reese Witherspoon understands the worry never ends, but believes parents should take it easy on themselves, too.
“I don’t think there’s been an hour of my life since Ava was born that I don’t think of my kids. I call it my CNN ticker tape: Is Ava OK? Yes. Is Deacon OK? Yes. Is Tennessee OK? Yes. Back to Ava.”she confessed.
Another great reminder from Reese: “No one’s really doing it perfectly. I think you love your kids with your whole heart, and you do the best you possibly can, she said.
10. Jaime Pressley supports her kids, no matter what.
“Listen to your child and always be supportive of who they are and who they want to be, their likes and dislikes, instead of trying to force who you want them to be onto them,” said Jaime.
Who knew these stars were so wise? Their kids are lucky to have such tuned-in parents to help them navigate Hollywood life!
Please share this parenting wisdom with your friends.
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