5 Royal Parenting Lessons
Now that Prince William is a dad, all eyes are on the newest Royal parents and it seems that the world likes what it sees. It’s not just the “royal wave” that has us all taking note, here are 5 royal parenting lessons that moms and dads across the globe can take heart in and apply to their own parenting regimen.Â
Cheryl Butler
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5 Royal Parenting Lessons
Here in New England, we’ve had to embrace an unusually wet, dank, and drizzly spring. I live on the coast of Rhode Island where we are surrounded by stretches of beautiful beaches. By mid-May we are usually spending lots of time outdoors soaking in the warm sunshine and inhaling the beginning of summer’s refreshing seaside breezes.
This year, not so much. Instead, we’re constantly grabbing our rain slickers and wondering if we’ll ever see sunshine for more than a single day in a row. I’m all about making my own sunshine, but even I’m getting a bit desperate. I woke up this morning yet again to the sounds of raindrops gently tapping on my bedroom window and wondered how the good people of England survive with this type of weather pattern for most of the year.
England is certainly known for her gray and wet climate, but equally noted is the lush, picturesque countryside, rich history and most of all—the Royal Family! Here in the United States we continue to be fascinated by all things royal, most recently with the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, on May 19, 2018, at Windsor Castle in England. Prince Harry is fifth in line to the throne and the younger son of The Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.Â
Also making royal headlines was the recent birth of the third child of Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.
For those wanting a detailed view of who’s who in the Royal Family, you can visit https://www.royal.uk/royal-family where you’ll learn that “The Duke of Cambridge (Prince William) is the second in line to the throne and the elder son of The Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. His Royal Highness is married to The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine, with whom he has three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and newborn, Prince Louis.”
Throughout history, the British Royal Family has not been “hands on” when raising their children. An article A Royal Upbringing stated “Nannies, governesses and tutors, not parents, traditionally have raised the children of the British aristocracy.” That all changed, however, when the late Princess Diana had her children, Prince William and Prince Harry, three decades ago. She and Prince Charles bucked tradition and made it a priority to be intricately involved with the care and upbringing of their two young sons.
Now that Prince William is a dad, all eyes are on the newest Royal parents and it seems that the world likes what it sees. It’s not just the “royal wave” that has us all taking note, here are five royal parenting lessons that moms and dads across the globe can take heart in and apply to their own parenting regimen.Â
5 Royal Parenting Lessons
- Hug Often
- We All Make Mistakes
- The Value of Money
- It’s Important to Give Back
- Share Your Feelings
Let’s look at each a bit closer.
1. Hug Often
Some of us are born to be “touchy feely” and simply enjoy the warm human touch when interacting with our family and friends. I am one of those people! I know when to not cross another’s personal boundaries, but I can’t help myself when it comes to giving hugs. I hug my friends, siblings, acquaintances I haven’t seen in ages, the mailman who has returned to his route after being out for three months with a broken leg, my kid’s teachers, always my kids and, yes, even trees!
If the late Princess Diana and I had been friends, one thing we would’ve shared for certain was our enjoyment of hugs. In an article on Dailymail.com marking the 20th anniversary of her death, we learn from Diana’s aunt, Mary Roche, “Diana was very affectionate and warm and a great hugger, which is very unlike our family tradition. Hugs were very important to her, and hugging her children. She even gave me The Little Book of Hugs.” This book, published in 1986, illustrates the benefits of a good hug, in turns both whimsical and serious. Diana gave many copies of it to family and friends.
“Hugs can do great amounts of good, especially for children,” Princess Diana said. Not everyone is comfortable when it comes to hugging, but when it comes to our kids, this royal lesson is one that requires no crown, just a warm, loving embrace.
2. We All Make Mistakes
When we become new parents, we want everything to be as near perfect as possible, but hey—we’re human and none of us are perfect, particularly when we’re raising kids for the first time.
Father of three, Prince William agrees. “We are all human, and inevitably mistakes are made. But in the end there is a great sense of loyalty and dedication among the family, and it rubs off on me. Ever since I was very small, it’s something that’s been very much impressed on me, in a good way,’’ said Prince William on his 21st birthday, according to the book William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls by Katie Nicholl.
Mistakes are like silver linings. When you use them as a learning tool, it can help define the type of parent you are as well as set a great example for your kids. So if the message in your home is that mistakes can become learning opportunities, your kids will walk away, as Prince William did, knowing a few things:
- Making mistakes are a part of life.
- We can survive mistakes by picking ourselves up and trying again rather than staying knocked down.
- No one is perfect.
Learning from our mistakes makes us resilient, a wonderful royal quality for parents and kids alike.
3. Learn the Value of Money
When I went off to college, I admit that although I was the oldest of five siblings and had lived the role as the second mother in our family for many years—helping me to feel mature and ready to handle living on my own, one thing I honestly hadn’t learned much about was how to manage my own money! It just wasn’t something we focused on at school or in my family.
Princess Diana certainly didn’t have to worry about finances once she married her prince, but nonetheless, she felt it very important to teach her young sons the value of money at an early age. While none of the royal family generally carried cash, Diana gave the boys pocket money and once told her oldest son that he wouldn’t be able to get two sweets at the store because he only had enough money for one, writes Katie Nicholl in William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls.
An article regarding the British Royal Family’s Worth also noted the dozens of ways the Royals value their money and how they find ways to save on a daily basis. The queen insists that everyone turn lights off when leaving a room in the palace, they eat leftovers, use hand-me-downs, and even shop at Ikea for nursery furniture. They may be worth billions, but it’s humbling to know that the queen likes to wear the same outfits a handful of times!
Learning how to respect and manage money is a lesson that all parents can teach their kids, even as young as when they first start to read. For more great advice on this extremely important life lesson, see what my colleague, Laura Adams of the Money Girl podcast, has to say in our joint episode, Money and Kids: Tips for Teaching Children About Finances.
4. It’s Important to Give Back
More so than ever, today’s generation of kids are growing up with a strong sense of entitlement. Just look at the smart phones, electronics, high-end athletic shoes, and dozens of pricey clubs and activities they have/belong to—the figures are staggering.
We can all take a Royal cue from the Queen and her family by finding a way to teach our children the importance of donating, no matter how small.
The Royals could comfortably hide out in their glitzy digs and enjoy being pampered and spoiled ’round the clock, but they believe in the importance of picking causes dear to them and continuously give back.
In 16 ways the royal family gives back to the world, between the British Red Cross, cancer research, earthquake funds, and even the Duchess of Cambridge donating her hair, the Royals are committed to making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, and are teaching the extreme importance of giving back to their children. The Queen’s charities are reported to give back $2.1 billion a year! Â
We can all take a Royal cue from the Queen and her family by finding a way to teach our children the importance of donating our time, talent, and treasure, no matter how big or small.
5. Share Your Feelings
Here in the 21st century we are fortunate to be raising our kids in a time where it’s a positive thing and very much encouraged to open up and discuss their feelings about anything that’s going well in their world and certainly issues that are causing them grief. In a royal setting, you might think that wouldn’t be the case. The world has a vision of everything being wonderful and perfect within their fairytale kingdom, but anyone who followed the devastating collapse of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana’s supposed idyllic marriage knows that even the Royals experience sadness and hard times.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, are changing the way the world sees mental health issues and are both outspoken advocates for mental health. While their efforts are primarily in the United Kingdom, their influence is international. The Royal couple, along with Prince Harry are very open in expressing their thoughts on the importance of sharing your feelings when you’re down and out. In fact, Prince William has said he wants his own children to grow up feeling free to talk about their emotions.
I love that no matter how prestigious the Monarchs are, they are also willing to be vulnerable and look to seek help by talking about what’s bothering them. This is great advice that parents of any economic background can use and it will surely benefit their children.
For more great advice, see Feeling Overwhelmed, Here are 7 Remedies by my colleague, Ellen Hendriksen, the Savvy Psychologist
What public figures have you gleaned parenting lessons from? Share your thoughts in the comments section at quickanddirtytips.com/mighty-mommy, post your ideas on the Mighty Mommy Facebook page. or email me at mommy@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. Visit my family-friendly boards at Pinterest.com/MightyMommyQDT
About the Author
Cheryl L. Butler was the host of the Mighty Mommy podcast for nine years from 2012 to 2021. She is the mother of eight children. Her experiences with infertility, adoption, seven pregnancies, and raising children with developmental delays have helped her become a resource on the joys and challenges of parenting. You can reach her by email.