Kate Middleton’s ‘strict rules’ to ensure Cambridge children behave - ‘It works well’, Express
- gemsval
- Feb 12, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 17
Kate Middleton and Prince William have developed tools to help them parent their three children and one expert has discussed their style.
While Kate Middleton and Prince William are both working royals, they are also very hands-on parents to their three children; Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Express.co.uk spoke to Gemma Berg from Peekaboo Learning about the royals parenting style and the apparent rules the Cambridges have for their children to ensure they behave.
It comes as an unnamed source explained how “there is no ‘naughty step’” in the Cambridge household, instead, “there is a ‘chat sofa’”.
“The naughty child is taken away from the scene of the row or disruption and talked to calmly by either Kate or William,” the source said.
“Things are explained and consequences outlined and they never shout at them.
“Shouting is absolutely ‘off limits’ for the children and any hint of shouting at each other is dealt with by removal.”
The insider went on to reveal how Kate is “slightly stricter” than her husband.
Gemma, who is also a former primary school teacher with over 10 years of experience spoke about these parenting methods and why a ‘chat sofa’ is better than a ‘naughty step’.
She said: “I absolutely love this concept, as it’s similar to the idea of ‘thinking time’ I have always used successfully in the classroom as a primary school teacher and at home with my own children.
“I would always steer clear of terms such as ‘naughty child or naughty child's step’ as I believe that once a child is given this label, they can feel like there is no room for change, and will therefore begin to live up to the word 'naughty', as they believe this is what people have decided they are.
“I have always found it to be crucial to separate the child from the way we describe their behaviour.
“By using the word ‘chat’ Kate and William demonstrate that they are open to having a conversation about what is happening with their children this indicates to me that Kate and William want to listen and communicate with their children.
“It’s an inviting terminology highlighting the importance of children needing to be heard and understood (and rightly so) knowing that they are listened to is fundamental to a child’s emotional wellbeing.
“It will build self-esteem and a mutual respect between child and parent, rather than just shouting at our children without discussing what happened and why the behaviour was not acceptable.”
Gemma continued: “Although it might not always seem to be the case, children like having clear boundaries knowing where they stand and what is expected of them, much like adults.
“Although at times children will push the boundaries, this is a natural part of their development, and having clear routines in place allows children to know what is socially accepted and what isn’t.
“Every child is different and of course, there can be many reasons as to why a child is misbehaving, it’s vital to get to the core root of the issue without just looking at the surface problem, which is another reason why Kate and William's ‘chat sofa’ should work well.”
The expert added: “It appears that Kate and William allow time for their children to sit and think about their behaviour and then talk it through which is really important for a child’s emotional development, understanding what they did, how it might have affected someone else and how they can change their behaviour and react differently in the future.
“From what I can gather Kate and William have a healthy relationship with their children encouraging them to talk about how they are feeling, which as we know is imperative for young minds, getting into the habit of expressing their emotions at an early age to avoid possible mental health issues in the future.”
Gemma also spoke about Kate and William reportedly never shouting at their three children.
She said: “This is wonderful, although I do feel that as parents, we are human and sometimes it can be challenging not to raise your voice occasionally, which I think is important for children to hear and understand that parents also have emotions and can get upset.
“But it's how we learn to manage our emotions and understand the impact it might have on others and ourselves.
“As a mother, I have experienced this myself and always ensure that shout I explain why and what happened.”
