Anne Hathaway has revealed Kate Middleton and Prince William had a big influence on her parenting style.
The actress and her husband, Adam Schulman, are parents to 2-and-a-half-year-old Jonathan Rosebanks.
She recently spoke to The Sunday Times [via PEOPLE] about raising their little boy, and how she had been inspired by Kate Middleton and Prince William’s parenting style.
She said:
“They get down on the child’s level and speak to them eye to eye to make their child feel empowered.
“I thought that was really cool. I started doing that with Jonathan.”
The move is called active listening, and is one that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have even adopted ahead of the arrival of their first child.
Prince William and Kate are often seen crouching down to talk to their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte (and, later on, we’d imagine they’ll do they same with Prince Louis).
The Center for Parenting Education calls active listening “the single most important skill you can have in your parenting ‘tool belt'” – as it shows the child you are giving them your undivided attention; listening and understanding everything they are saying.
According to experts, the trick is simple but effective – and can boost self-esteem in a powerful way.
Child development expert Gill Connel writes in A Moving Child Is a Learning Child:
“Active listening is one of the most important ways you can send the message, ‘You’re important to me.’ Get down on the child’s level, lean in and make eye contact.
“Hang on his every word. React with positive verbal and nonverbal cues such as nodding, smiling and hugging. And show broad emotions as he speaks so he knows what it feels like to be understood. These simple messages foster self-esteem in powerful ways while encouraging him to communicate even more.”
