16 Celebrity Moms Who Only Listen to Their Gut When it Comes to Raising Their Children

We can only be glad that parenting approaches are changing over time, and the strict rules that were recommended for so many years are now a thing of the past. Celebrity moms are the ones we can largely thank for this; they show, by their own example, that first and foremost, you should tune into yourself and your child when it comes to these matters. The most important thing is that both, parents and children, are happy.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson believes that the whole family should have fun together, so she sometimes brings her youngest daughter, Rani, to adult parties. The girl generally likes to do everything together with her mom: dress up, put on makeup, and Kate often posts cute pictures of the little girl on social media. Hudson understands the feelings of a child who doesn’t want to be separated from her parents and sees no need for harsh restrictions.

Jennifer Lopez

The actor and singer thinks that it is the right of each mother to decide if she wishes to breastfeed her kids or use formula. Although people can be quite judgmental and strict regarding this matter, Jennifer Lopez had a strong opinion on bottle feeding. She decided not to breastfeed her twins, saying in one interview: “My mom didn’t breastfeed, and I think that was the thing for me.”

Thandiwe Newton

Mom-of-three, Thandiwe Newton, doesn’t believe in strict parenting and rules. When her daughters were young, she often let the girls stay up late to spend as much time with them as possible.

Moreover, the actress thinks that parents need to earn the respect of their children every day. So, she allows her offspring to argue, rebel, and refuse to listen. Thandiwe thinks that this is the only way for children to grow into confident people with a sense of self-respect.

Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff loves to read, and her house is bursting at the seams with books. So, she tried to pass this love on to her children. At the same time, Duff is against censorship in children’s literature and believes it should address serious adult issues. “I don’t know what we’re protecting kids from, except for avoiding some really great conversations that can be had between households and families. Reading can help everybody move forward with kindness and acceptance of one another,” reflects the actress.

Drew Barrymore

The actress is raising two daughters, 10-year-old Olive and 8-year-old Frankie. Drew’s mom didn’t insist on discipline, which got young Drew into a lot of trouble, so she tries to be more strict. She allows her children to scroll through social media and watch whatever they want, but the girls are not allowed to have their own accounts yet. This is her way of protecting Olive and Frankie.

Ashley Graham

The model breastfed her first son, but when she had twins, she was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to provide enough milk for the babies. So Ashley opted for a mixed diet and for the first six months she fed the babies with milk and formula. Graham says, “Feeding your babies is as personal as it gets. When the time came, I knew combo feeding would be best for us. For many parents, there’s often a series of decisions that play out over the course of your feeding experience — and no matter where you are on that journey, there is no wrong choice.”

Elsa Pataky

The actress allows her children to eat sweets, but they have to work hard to earn them. Elsa and Chris have decided that kids should be taught from an early age to work for what they want, no matter how difficult it may be. So the parents hide sweets and other goodies in hard-to-reach places, and the eldest daughter together with the twin boys, figure out how to get them, even if they have to climb up onto the fridge or the wardrobe.

Reese Witherspoon

The actress became a mother at a very young age, and the intricacies of parenting didn’t come easily to her. Her daughter and sons play the most important role in her life, but Reese doesn’t want to turn their lives into a fairy tale.

She is always straightforward with her kids and doesn’t hide the dark side of life from them. Witherspoon states, “I feel like I’m constantly counteracting pressure from the parents who want to make the lives of their kids golden and magical at all moments! Guess what, kids? You’re going to be disappointed and uncomfortable once in a while.”

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette thinks that there is no such a thing as “extended breastfeeding.” That is, every mom can choose the appropriate time to wean her kid. Morissette noted that she is ready to nurse her kids until they are 6 years old. She will stop breastfeeding only when the child is ready for it.

The singer has decided not to send her children to school and is educating them herself. She says they’re learning about the world together. Alanis thinks it’s an ongoing process, so if her son wakes her up in the middle of the night with a question, she’ll answer it before she puts him to bed. But she does realize that not all mothers can afford to educate their children at home with their own curriculum.

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell admitted that when her youngest daughter, Delta, became cranky at bedtime, she had to go to extreme measures. The girl would refuse to go to bed, turn on all the lights, throw her toys and keep her older sister, Lincoln, awake.

Then her parents started leaving the nursery and locking the door behind them. Bell said she stood in the hallway until her daughter fell asleep, then opened the door. The actress noted that this was a rather drastic and peculiar method, but it helped their family.

Katie Holmes

The actress has been teaching her daughter, Suri, independence from a very young age. Katie hopes, that her daughter will grow up to be a strong, independent woman. So, from very early on, Suri was allowed to choose many things for herself. She could go to the shop without her mother and buy everything she needed. Suri also chose her own clothes, and Katie didn’t interfere in the process.

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith believes in not ordering children around. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t criticize her offspring. But she does try not to tell them categorically that they have to wash the dishes, clean the room or choose a different outfit. The actress lets her children make their own choices, make mistakes, and take responsibility for them.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow takes education seriously. But she does believe that children can sometimes have a break, which is why she allows her kids to skip school for no good reason. However, the actress was more strict when it came to the use of technology, only getting her kids their first phones once they’d turned 12.

Penélope Cruz

Penélope Cruz herself uses social media with caution, and her children, son Leo and daughter Luna aren’t allowed to use it at all. She believes that social networks are not having a very good impact on the younger generation. Penélope thinks that today’s teenagers are having a hard time as if the world was putting them in some kind of an experiment. This is why her children will not be allowed to use such apps until they’re at least 16 years old.

Mayim Bialik

The actress is raising her two sons, Miles and Frederick, according to her own system with a gentle and respectful approach. For example, Mayim never bought cribs — the boys slept with their parents. She didn’t feel that she was spoiling them in any way, or that it was an unsafe or unhealthy habit. On the contrary, Bialik says that sleeping together soothes the children and makes them feel safe and loved.

Erykah Badu

The singer decided not to send her youngest daughter, Mars, to school. Instead, the entire family is involved in the girl’s education. Her older brother teaches her botany and psychology, her father is in charge of history and geography, and her sister oversees art and French. Erykah herself takes care of physics, maths, literature, astronomy, and much more.

Badu believes that, regardless of the school level, parents should always be involved in their children’s education. According to her, learning doesn’t end with the lesson and is not defined by the school’s list of subjects.

What parenting techniques and rules do you have in your family?