By seemingly all accounts, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s three children George, Charlotte, and Louis are extremely well-behaved when they are in public. But kids will be kids, and even the Cambridge kiddos get in trouble sometimes – but it’s the way William and Kate discipline their trio, experts say, that makes a big difference.
The Daily Express spoke to the experts at Babysense about William and Kate’s parenting style, in particular their disciplinary methods.
“Being a parent can be a challenging task, especially when your child is misbehaving,” they said. “Each parent has their own techniques to discipline their child, and this is no different for Kate and William.”
According to the Cambridges’ house rules, they opt for a “chat sofa” instead of a “naughty step” – a typical disciplinary tactic in the U.K. where a child sits on a designated step in the house in silence, “usually for one minute for every year they have been born, which many parents believe to be an effective disciplinary method,” the experts said.
William and Kate instead use the “chat sofa” – “and when a row or form of confrontation erupts, Kate or William will take the child in question to another room to be spoken to about their behavior,” Babysense said. “Although there is no right or wrong way to parent a child, the techniques Kate and William implement show that they prefer to speak to their children about their behavior and why it’s unacceptable. This is a technique many parents use and believe will help their child understand why they are being disciplined more clearly.”
Additionally, opening up a discussion between the child and parent like William and Kate choose to do can allow the child to express their feelings while also allowing the parent to explain what the child has done and why it is wrong, experts said.
“This can often create a more calming atmosphere,” they said. “When disciplining their children, it has been revealed that Kate and William are firm in outlining any consequences of bad behavior but never raise their voices. Often when a parent shouts, it is met with the same level of frustration from the child, which can fuel the situation. Calmly speaking to your children – but in a firm tone – is a great way to diffuse the situation while getting your message across in a clear and precise manner.”
Though the Cambridges do have an often-spotted nanny, Maria Borrallo, both William and Kate are both very active, hands-on parents, and their calm and clear manner of discipline is paying off in the behavior of their children, Babysense said.
“These are considered some of the best techniques to use, as it allows all parties to express their feelings and understand why a child might be behaving badly and, in response, why this is unacceptable,” they said.
While there is certainly no handbook for parenting and while each child is different, it seems the Cambridges have figured out what works for their family – and are raising three well-adjusted kids.
