Babies who don't sleep through the night. Toddlers who are both destructive and adorable. The terrible twos. Figuring out how to manage screentime and bedtime and social pressures for bigger kids. Teenagers (period). No matter the age or stage, there's no denying that parenting is hard sometimes. Most of us are committed to trying to get it right, which is why there is a whole industry around parenting guides designed to tell us what we're supposed to be doing.
While some parenting books or experts can offer some good advice, there's actually another surprising source out there for parenting tips. Yes, we're talking about turning to our favorite celebrity moms and dads for parenting advice. Now hear us out on this. Sure, they have money and nannies and never have to fly with a crying baby in the economy section of the airplane — but that doesn't mean that they don't have parenting struggles too.
And while we may not relate to dressing our babies in Gucci, that doesn't mean we can't learn a thing or two from parents who live their lives in the spotlight. From advice on supporting a child who is figuring out their gender identity to some helpful real talk about breastfeeding, read on for our favorite parenting tips from celebrities.
Gabrielle Union on Parenting an LGBTQ Child
Angelina Jolie on What Kids Really Need
Angelina Jolie is clearly someone who loves being a mother, and while her particular parenting situation might not be similar to what most of us experience, her bottomline of what kids really need from their parents rings true. In the early days of the pandemic, she shared this gentle reminder with parents struggling with the overwhelming reality of trying to parent during unprecedented times: "It is a lovely thing to discover that your children don't want you perfect. They just want you honest. And doing your best."
John Krasinski on the Importance of Honesty
John Krasinski is one of the most likable celebrity dads (we'll always have a soft spot for Jim from The Office), and we love his advice for parents to remember to be honest about how parenting is both amazing and really hard sometimes. "I'm a big fan of being open about the truth and how you really feel, and not putting on a pretty face for everybody. No one really tells you that it's hard and there are sleepless nights. Kids get sick, kids fall down and get hurt, and all these things are really intense and really emotionally difficult," he shared with Today in 2016.
"And one of the best things I ever heard from one of my friends who just had a kid was, 'It's so amazing, it's the best thing that could happen,' and I said, 'That's so great.' And he said, 'And it's really, really hard,' and I said, 'Thank you so much for being honest.' I think there's a sense of relief hearing that it's hard for other people because you're all in this fight together."
Jay-Z on the Real Job for Parents
Jay-Z and Beyoncé are forever icons and can obviously give their three kids the world. But Jay-Z's tip for other parents is a lot simpler and doesn't require parents to be ultra-wealthy or famous. In an interview with The Times, he shared what he believes the fundamental goal of parenting should be. "[We just need to] make sure we provide a loving environment, be very attentive to who they want to be. It's easy for us as human beings to want our children to do certain things, but we have no idea. We're just guides."
Michelle Obama on Raising Self-Reliant Kids
In addition to being one of the our favorite first ladies ever, Michelle Obama always seems like she'd be a great mom friend who wouldn't be afraid to tell it like it is when it comes to the importance of being intentional about the habits we want kids to have. In a conversation with her own mother on her podcast, Michelle reminded us that parenting is about playing the long game.
"If you are looking for a child to be self-reliant when they're 21, 22, you have to make them practice that as early as 5 or 6 or 7 years old. If you don't teach a kid how to wake up on their own when they're young, yeah, you could be waking them up for the rest of their lives because you don't make them practice it."
Mindy Kaling on Losing the Single Mom Guilt
Mindy Kaling is a single mom to a son and daughter and she's got a great tip for other single parents: Stop feeling guilty for needing and wanting help! "As a single mom, it really does take a village. Yes, I am the parent of my two children — but there are all these other caregivers in the form of family, friends, and nannies," she told Today. "I couldn't do it without the village. Absolving myself of guilt for depending on others has been the biggest piece of advice that has helped me."
Drew Barrymore on Owning Being a Working Mom
Drew Barrymore is a mother of two who is, like a lot of us, balancing work life and mom life. One tip that she has for other working moms is to not frame work as the enemy. She shared her philosophy with Today in 2018. "I don't say, 'I have to go work,' with a grimace on my face because I fear it will make [my kids] feel negative about something a lot of moms must do to provide," she explained.
"My friend once said, 'Never make your child feel like work is the bad thing taking you away from them,' and I realized a lot of us tend to do that to try to make our kids feel better. I try a way to empower me and my kids into something more positive. I don't blame work, I own the responsibility."
