There’s nothing quite like a tantrumy toddler. It’s probably next-level when you’re a public figure and your kids act like normal kids instead of perfect princess-robots. So it is with Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, got all of the personality out of their combined Middleton and Windsor genes. Where William and Kate are glossed over to the point of seeming robotic, George and Charlotte behave like completely normal little kids all the time, whether it’s George punching babies or Charlotte throwing herself on a German tarmac dramatically because her mom wouldn’t let her hold some papers.
This happened at the Airbus plant in Hamburg, which the whole Cambridge family toured before they left to go back to Britain on Friday. I guess the idea was that George is crazy about planes of all kinds and Will and Kate must have thought it would be nice to bring out the kids for at least one photo-op during the tour. George was well-behaved during the tour, from what I saw. Charlotte was the one who got a bit tantrumy. But you know what? I don’t even think this was some huge meltdown for Charlotte. She stomped her little feet, threw herself down and Kate looked like she told her to calm the f–k down and two seconds later Charlotte was fine.
Since I’m happily childfree, nothing amuses me more than witnessing other people’s children in the midst of a major meltdown or tantrum. Does that make me sound like a psycho? I mean, if the child is in true distress, I feel bad, obviously. But most of the tantrum-y kids I’ve seen at various playgrounds, grocery stores, restaurants and stores are melting down because of inane reasons, like mom won’t buy them their favorite cereal/chicken nuggets/toy. And it’s funny to me. My favorite is the full blown hissy fit, complete with thrashing around on the ground and earth-shattering wails over something stupid. I inevitably look at the parent and think, “Better her than me.” That’s what it seemed like here – Charlotte threw a hissy fit over some papers and then she was done. I personally love that she threw herself on the ground. So much drama!!!
Also: the Cambridges celebrated Prince George’s fourth birthday by releasing a toothy portrait of him, taken at Kensington Palace weeks ago.
The Duke and Duchess are delighted to share a new official portrait of Prince George to mark HRH's 4th birthday tomorrow 🎈 pic.twitter.com/Fct5iaoEer
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 21, 2017
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid.
Charlotte is two, it comes with the territory. She looks darling in that dress.
I agree. I think she is adorable. Nice to see one of them have a personality! I think she will be one to watch 🙂
Seriously. I have a 2 year old and we have to ride the bus every morning to get to his daycare, and he has some kind of “tantrum” at least once per week on the bus in front of everyone, often for no apparent reason. This morning he freaked out because I didn’t have any banana for him to eat (I never bring banana on the bus, so why he thought there might be one today…who knows?). Fortunately most of his tantrums last less than 2 minutes. I’m pretty sure anyone seeing this who has kids would think it NBD…I certainly do!
My kids were great at trying to be dead weight…just dropping to the ground. So my choice was either to drag them by the arm, or give up and pick them up, like Kate did. It was their way of exerting control.
My partner’s daughter threw a tantrum when she when she was two or three because she accidentally peed her pants and there were no more Hello Kitty panties left, she could wear. She had a complete meltdown.
I have kids, and I thought it was hilarious.
It’s hard not to laugh at toddler tantrums. They can be pretty amusing.
Especially when they’re over really random and unimportant things
Oh yes. My niece starting crying after I told her calmly not to shovel dirt on her sister. She said I was being mean to her.
I recently took my nephew to the aquarium. He’s generally very well-behaved and yet ended up having a complete meltdown – and I mean shrieking, kicking, etc – because I wouldn’t let him swim in the sting ray tank.
“In the water! In the water”
“No my love, you can’t swim in this water….”
And off we went. It was mortifying and hilarious at the same time.
Nieces and Nephews are harder to deal with imo…With your own kids you can be strict-ish, but I’m putty in the hands of other peoples kids.
How funny Queen B! When my daughter was a toddler she adored our elderly neighbors and they her.One day she was over there playing and I was doing housework only to hear the doorbell and saw my neighbor lady with a sheepish look and my then 3 year old howling,she said she was sorry but had to bring her home as she had a complete meltdown because she wanted to play with the toilet plunger and of course was told no.They have tantrums over the craziest things!
I cracks me up when kids try to squeeze out a few tears to add to the drama. My niece was the master at crying on demand.
I did too. As fit pitching goes, I only give it a 3/10.
Yeah, that was really mild !
Yes, incredibly mild. And I don’t think it looks like Kate was telling Charlotte to calm down – that would be the worst thing to say to a toddler having a tantrum in my experience and only prolong it. I think it looks like Kate was trying to distract her, pointing at the planes or what not and it worked. I think Kate seems like a great mother, especially with the ease she handled that tantrum under the spotlight. But then I’ve never been a part of the “hate Kate”-crowd….
I’ve seen tantrums with my nephews where they arched their backs and screamed and kicked when picked up. Charlotte just calmed right down-so doesn’t seem like a major tantrum to me.
My thought exactly. Charlotte expressed her displeasure with the current circumstance quite mildly and was redirected in short order. That was a very mild tantrum.
As a parent, I LOVE to hear that the childfree think this shit is a hoot. It really combats your instinct, which is to think everyone is judging you to be a terrible parent to hear that they actually understand that 2 year olds are insane.
Yeah, this.
@TQB as someone who is childless (and fine with that) but loves kids, I can only speak for myself but I never think badly of the parents of tantruming toddlers. I have enough friends with kids to know that small children are mercurial and unpredictable in what might set them off. I can only empathize with them, having such big feelings combined with not being to clearly articulate what they’re feeling. It must be frustrating for both them and their parents.
Omg, I have no kids, and before my friends had kids, none of us ever judged a parent with a funny tantrum child! We mostly were trying not to giggle and wishing we could offer the parents a drink. I think most people understand.
it’s SO HARD to keep a straight face sometimes. They be crazy.
Mine have melted down for the most insane reasons. My favourite was when my 2 year old son went ballistic when I wouldn’t steal a brand new, shiny black Mercedes parked in some street we happened to be walking along. For him, personally to drive. His genuinely indignant rage had to be seen to be believed.
That is hilarious!
Lol! That is brilliant!!
I’m a preschool teacher and I also find it amusing. Whenever I hear children crying in public I do a quick look-see to check if there is actual danger and if it’s not I’m like “haHA that’s the sweet sound of I’m Not At Work So It’s Not My Problem.”
The kids are so cute! Kate seems like a very loving and relaxed mom. I have a feeling that Charlotte’s going to be bossing around her brother in no time at all.
Yeah, I know some here like to act like she outsources raising them as was done to Charles and generations prior but it’s clear she is handson. No panic there, she handled it like a pro.
I don’t think she shoves them away in a nursery. Her children are too comfortable with her and she does the good mother get on their level to talk to them a lot. Disinterested mothers don’t even bother.
I agree with you. I don’t think she outsources all the childcare either.
I think the whole RF idea is silly, and I think Kate needs fashion help, stat. But as far as mothering goes…she seems to love her kids and handle them well. No parent is perfect but she seems like a good mother.
Yes, its clear that Kate is a hands on Mom.
Probably just exhausted. poor (privileged royal) kid.
Why write it like that? She is two years old acting like a two year old. She did choose to be born as a royal or privileged. She isn’t exploiting her privilege. I think these kids are extremely well behaved considering the expectation. Most parents would be grateful for a 4 second tantrum. I thought it was common knowledge that we don’t criticize children of celebrities. They are put into situations where their behavior is expected to always be perfect. She was exhausted. Privilege had nothing to do with it.
I don’t see this as a privilege thing either. No kid sits quietly, well behaved, while twiddling their thumbs. She probably doesn’t even realize that she’s privileged and royal
Wow can’t you just chuckle at the situation and yourself a little? This was a joke. It was not some attack on a kid but just an acknowledgment that even the richest kids in the world are also human. Jeez.
Luca76 perhaps you could look at how you word things because you came across all snarky and like you were insulting the child, even if you didn’t mean to that’s how it sounded.
@Luca76
Yes. Did they leave mid afternoon?
Nap time. 😴
I use to date men who did this: They would say something mean spirited and when called out on it, they would claim they were joking. Jeez, I couldn’t take a joke. Sorry but I am not buying your lame excuse. You meant it… just like it sounded.
My favorite part of this story is that some outlets reported that Charlotte fell and Kate made her boo-boo better. Charlotte clearly pitched herself to the ground in agony because Kate wouldn’t let go of the papers. I had to chuckle at the attempt to pretend Charlotte wasn’t being a typical 2 year old.
I loved it when she stomped her little feet. She’s darling.
That was my favorite part too!
Me too!! Rapidfire pony stomping. You go, Charlotte! So cute.
It seemed like Kate just laughed at her too, and then moved on. I find the way she handled the situation endearing, and I like her dress. What’s funny, though, is how the E! clip frames it as “the poor royal sausages have had a long few days,” because we all know pretzel making and garden parties are just exhausting.
Actually, yes.
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Katie Keen do ANYTHING suggesting she may have some firing synapses. But her kid through a tantrum and she dealt with it quickly and by de-escalating and not making a mountain out of a mole hill. And effectively demonstrated that she, not just the nannies, is very much involved in the parenting of her children.
Bloody hell. I just praised the Twat of Twit and Twat. I think I might need a little lie down.
TBH the only time Kate seems to act normally is with her children or when she visits other children. She handled this like any mom quickly and with THE LOOK. Seems like she is very involved with her kids. She did the same with George.
Will on the other hand….¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I think I need to learn THE LOOK. For some reason, neither Sixlet ever threw tantrums as little ones so I am inexperienced in it. But today is the first day of the (endless) school summer holidays and I am already overrun with loud adolescents arguing about Diamond League athletics and leaving trails of debris behind them. Is there a version of THE LOOK that silences the hormonal ones, I wonder?
Oh geez teens are so much harder. I worked as a camp counselor and swim instructor as a teen myself so that’s when I honed my LOOK. You just gotta go for it and see the reaction. Let the silence kick in and hold eye contact. Teens will challenge you more though.
And tbh there isn’t a black mother out there that doesn’t have the LOOK so I learned from the best haha
Also magical that your kids never needed the LOOK
I must admit, they still don’t give me much grief in oppositional terms. They argue with each other more than with me and I’m ok at refereeing that.
But I work from home and most of the other parents don’t – and have some kind of holiday rule that only one or two friends can come round while they’re at work. Principally, to limit the mess, I think! I’m here and I think adolescents are funny and entertaining, so I accept all-comers. I would just like QUIET all-comers if I’m on a deadline.
I need a silencing fairy, that’s what I need! They can be here. They can make mess. They can eat me out of house and home. Just so long as they do it at an acceptable decibel level.
I think this may be an impossible dream.
(I have announced that my mate Nicole is teaching me the black mother look and society as we know it will crumble if the black mother look is ever effed with. Let’s see if it works and they watch the athletics in silence!)
Yeaaaaa it’s that whole black mothers deal with more on the average thus to save time they have an especially fierce LOOK. It’s magical. Many varieties. Mine is way more stern than my own mother’s LOOK. My mom was the good cop. However my aunt has a very intense LOOK that would send all the cousins running cause we knew the business was coming. HA
To me eye contact is key. Once you have a hold on that it generally works in my experience. There’s always that kid that will push back but kids do that.
Now if there was a silence fairy I think all mothers would like that. I can’t remember if you said you had boys or girls (or both) but i try to steer them towards an activity that generates minimal noise for a few hours. Usually it works. Sometimes it’s not our day
Absolutely vile way to refer to a woman. You want to call someone lazy fine. But to use a derogatory term is just misogynist.
You never perfected The Look??? I have The Look and I don’t even have kids! I can also advise it works well with dogs too. Sometimes even husbands. But if you have a cat, don’t bother.
Merritt, Sixer may be a lot of things, but misogynistic is not one of them.
Lol so true about cats, they are a law unto themselves and no “look” in the World is going to change that.
What’s vile? I’m lost! Twit and Twat? Sorry: sweary Britisher here who reserves the right to use naughty words without the gendered slur side of it. I can reverse it if you like, Merritt, and Katie can be Twit? If that’s what you meant, anyway.
Everyone else: I really want a LOOK now! Meh. I’m a useless parent without a LOOK. Thankfully, the athletics on TV finished and they’ve buggered off to play cricket in the park.
My 10YO autistic boy (with a strong, independent streak) knows “the look”. It means consequences and the loss of his beloved screens. The key is follow-through.
(My kids have learned that they will always be beta to my alpha!)
I had to laugh at the accusation of Sixer being called misogynistic… heh heh. Years of commenting here prove otherwise. I was actually surprised to see such a positive comment coming from her keyboard this morning!
I’m mightily confused over the Sixer is a misogynist charge as well, but then as another Britisher I’m used to naughty words – mine are usually a lot worse. But then I do seem to recall that ‘Merritt’ is a Katiestan who can be safely ignored.
Merritt: Twat has 3 meanings. One of them is ‘ stupid and obnoxious’ the other ‘a woman’s genitals’ whilst the third is ‘hit or punch’. All 3 are listed in the Oxford dictionary and Thesauras.
In this context, it’s very clear that Sixer’s use of this swear word was ‘stupid and obnoxious’ rather than the other 2 meanings.
It’s not always about a woman’s genitals unless that’s all you think it means and or remove context.
Most importantly, Sixer IS NOT a misogynist.
BONZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Where have you been?! Hello! I have missed you!
I think twat means something worse for Americans than for British. It’s the milder version of See You Next Tuesday, which is also worse for Americans than British. And it’s also a more archaic word, you rarely hear it being used as a reference to genitals anymore.
And oddly enough, as an American it didn’t even register that twat was used, it goes with twit. It made sense.
@LAK
1. That is not an acceptable term in many countries.
2. One should always be careful with their word choices.
3. Do you really think using that word for stupid wasn’t derived from something else?
Sixer you now have a village to help you with the LOOK! I hope you develop one that works for your parenting. How you managed without one is an amazing feat tbh. They work for more than parenting. I’m not a parent either (just around kids all the time with my jobs since I was a teen & a go to babysitter for many) but having a look saves wasted words and aggravation lol
Also Sixer is one of the good ones. Been on these comments on CB for a few years now.
Merritt, there are lots of terms used here that are not acceptable in many countries. Sixer is British. What is acceptable there may not be as acceptable here and vice versa. From Wikipedia:
he word twat is widely used as a derogatory epithet, especially in British English, referring to a person considered obnoxious or stupid.[1][2] It is also used informally as a verb in British English to mean “to hit or punch a person”.[2] In British English and Commonwealth English, it is pronounced /twæt/ to rhyme with that, or sometimes /twɒt/, to rhyme with hot.[3] In North American English, it is pronounced /twɑːt/, to rhyme with squat.[1] Twat is also used in British English as vulgar slang for the vulva or female genitals in general.[1]
One should watch what one says; I agree, and I also agree it has a much different meaning in the US than it does in Britain. Brits use the c word much more frequently too. And while we are at it, if you call someone a dick, dickwad, dickhead or scumbag, are you being misandrist?
Guys, guys – it doesn’t matter if Merritt thinks the word is misogynist and I don’t. She can have her opinion and point it out if she likes. I won’t curl up and die or anything. I’m always open to challenge. Sometimes, I even take things on board (shock, horror) and change my mind about something. This one’s a sorry-not-sorry though and I shall continue on using the word in the non-gendered sense.
(Nicole – if I ever bothered to look in a mirror, I’d be practising right now!)
Well hello there Sixer dear! I’ve been up to my eyeballs in work since the beginning of the year and just now finding a little time to check in. Also had a brother diagnosed with terminal brain cancer so that’s taken my attention along with summertime camping with the family. Emotional mood swings galore. How are you, other than trying to keep the volume down in your house??
I see LEGS made a brief appearance at Comic Con this weekend, but alas he’s not giving us the hilarity of the We’re Really in Love, Truly Tour of last summer. He’s no fun anymore.
Merritt, speaking as an American, I’ve always understood twat as “stupid”. I didn’t know there was another meaning until it was mentioned here.
This being a site with international commenters, perhaps asking the OP in what sense they are using a word would be better than accusing them of using it in the worst way possible. No one can anticipate how someone in another culture will interpret their words in every case.
Bonzo I know you are replying to Sixer but I am so sorry about your brother.
Also agree with the rest of your post. Remembering fondly all the virtual drinks we had from Summer Tour of Love
It’s so good to see you back, Bonzo. So sorry about your brother. Kisses.
I haven’t been about so much either – I miss the pre-Brexit, pre-Trump days when my thoughts turned more easily to mucking about and being silly.
Thanks Nicole & Sixer. My brother has the same aggressive cancer that McCain was diagnosed with and has had two rounds of chemo (one with radiation) and we’ll see next week if it’s continuing to work. He’ll then make the decision whether or not to continue treatment, since it’s just delaying the inevitable. 🙁
Sixer, I too miss being able to get up in the morning and not having to see dumb, false tweets and evidence that our democracy is falling apart. I was pleased this morning to see that the Polish demonstrations had a vetoing effect on those disastrous laws. We need more glimpses of democracy in action and working for the people.
Sending you some good vibes from the US. Cancer sucks I know that well.
I also miss pre-election days. The amount of anxiety I have on the daily is a lot higher now. It’s not fun to have a five alarm fire every week. Not that I ever had a tremendous amount of faith in the US as a minority but this is another level entirely
Merritt: i’m pretty aware of the double entendre of swear words, but why stop at twat? Practically every swear word in the world, no matter language and culture is derogatory.
Perhaps you want to start a one man campaign to stop swearing because frankly, someone somewhere is pearl clutching at the derogatory nature of any swear word used.
In this case, the most common usage, including by sixer, has no bearing on genitals. If someone is a twat, they are a twat. It’s pretty clear she’s calling them stupid and obnoxious and hasn’t given thought to genitals.
I know it started with you, Sixer, but Merritt took it in a different direction; one in which I felt compelled to respond.
We all know you’re a #4%##!! *$%##!!!!
Love,
bluhare
@bluhare
1. Scumbag is pretty universally used for everyone regardless of gender.
2. If we are going to go into a lesson about what is misogyny and what is misandry it is important understand the concept of oppression. Men, specifically white men, are not an oppressed group despite what many like to claim. They are not in a constant battle to maintain bodily autonomy. So you comparing using dick to other words is not a comparable example. But none of them would be acceptable in a professional environment. Unless we are talking about a man name Richard who chooses to be called Dick as a nickname, which is less likely these days.
Scumbag is a condom with leavings in it.
I’m not going anywhere; you are. And all of those are EXACTLY the same. They are all variations of genitalia. You’re the one bringing oppression into the conversation.
As a personal note I think misandry is bullshit (oops; am i a misobovist?). Hyperbole to make my point which is that I don’t think you have one.
I have teens. I now couple my LOOK with two questions/comments:
1. “How (in the world) do you think this behavior is helping you achieve your goal?” After they answer, I add, “I suggest you change your strategy.”
2 (if necessary). “This is about to not end well for you.”
So far I haven’t had to go to 3 yet.
@bluhare
Actually the origins of the term scumbag have nothing to with condoms but with sugar refining.
And no they are not exactly the same. You just used a bad example and can’t own that.
I didn’t realize we had to go to origins of the word, Merritt. As I’m sure you’re aware, meanings change, and are even dependent one where the word is used geographically. If they weren’t we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
The words are all used in reference to genitalia, even though in some countries there are alternate meanings. Brits don’t take the meaning the same as the US does in some words and expressions. Pretty simple really.
The other point is that you came into a conversation with little knowledge and made assumptions that are not, in fact, correct.
Good gracious, it seems like a lot has happened while I’ve been out for the day. I’m most concerned about Sixer praising the poor sausages. Sixer, did someone get you a glass of water and some shade?
I know! Sorry, I started an argument on your bit of the thread! Oops!
Probably it was not a major tantrum, but it looks like that Kate totaly masters it. Good for her! With a 17 months old son I have to say it is not easy if they have a meltdown. But I’m sure it does not always go that smoothly.
My oldest son now 7 used to do the whole throw himself on the ground sprawled out as he kicked his legs and waved his arms all whilst yelling at the top of his voice . I learnt very quickly to (if possible)move a few steps away , turn my back on him and let him tire himself out. Any attention whatsoever would only prolong it. If we in a shop etc id simply lift him under my arm keeping out of reach of kicks and carry him outside to finish it. I appreciated the looks of “been there” sympathy you would get, but my god the judgy snide comments used to make my blood boil!
I’ve currently got a 2 and 4 year old boys, and sometimes trips to the store are what nightmares are made of. People who get all judgy-wudgy of those moments can suck it. It’s humiliating enough to have your kids melting down in public. They can keep their assholery to themselves.
I have been there. My daughter was the worst tantrum thrower in history. No snack or toy would calm her. She would throw the toy and drop to the floor and kick and push herself in circles screaming. All the judgersons tsking and looking at me like I am insufficient was no help. Ignoring was the only way to make her stop or pick her up and leave. Once she realized leaving meant she I would praise her eventually it worked.
Now she is easygoing and loves to be a helper but those days I don’t miss.
Typo city editing via phone is a pain.
I meant once she realized leaving meant she wouldn’t get what she wanted she stopped and I praised her and eventually it worked.
And it’s amazing the things that will set off a toddler tantrum. Years ago, when my daughter was a toddler, we went to lunch at Olive Garden. She loved cheese sticks so I ordered some for her. When the cheese sticks arrived they weren’t the correct shape (in her eyes). They were triangle shaped rather than oblong. So, in her toddler eyes, they weren’t really cheese sticks and she proceeded to have a meltdown in the Olive Garden over the cheese sticks not being the right shape. My daughter is 22 now and I remind her on occasion about the “Olive Garden cheese stick incident” and we both have a good laugh.
My son had the best tantrum of his life once when I stopped massaging his foot as he was falling asleep.
Haha! That was you in the grocery store then!! I saw a woman do exactly the same thing and while her child was driving my ear synapses nuts I had nothing but admiration for the way she handled it.
I always try not to look when these things happen. I’ve taken my cousins out with me (twins 5 yrs) and they typically set each other off. And i’m not even their parent but since I’m young I always feel the judgement.
I laughed. My mom laughed knowingly. I usually laugh at toddler tantrums because they bring the drama. Charlotte seems like a pretty chill toddler though, from what little we’ve seen and Kate handled that little episode like it was nothing.
Yes, it was like a little toddler storm that passed quickly. So adorable.
Now if only our toddler in Chief’s tantrums were so brief and easily defused.
I read that Prince George ‘needs a surname’ before attending school,anyone knows what that’s all about? So his birth certificate simply says Prince George!?
His surname is Cambridge. Just like William & Harry are either Windsor or Wales.
So weird,so between the father,the uncle and son,they all have different surnames?
Officially, the royals don’t have a surname.
However, for situations that legally require one, they use Mountbatten -Windsor (the Queen’s direct descendants) or Windsor for rest of the wider family.
Often, they use their parents’ titles as surnames eg Harry Wales or Beatrice York or in this case George Cambridge.
Ps: William ceased to be have use of ‘Wales’ as a surname when he was granted Cambridge. Technically, WK are either WK Cambridge or WK Mountbatten- Windsor.
And confusingly, after William becomes POW, his kids will be able to call themselves Wales as a surname because William’s title will be ‘of Wales’ rather than ‘of Cambridge’.
And even more confusingly, when Charles becomes King, Harry will forever lose ‘Wales’ and become THE Prince Harry (currently he is plain Prince Harry) no surname except in situations that require one which means where he will be Harry Mountbatten-Windsor or if he is given a ducal title, he can use that as a surname.
LAK thanks as always..whats WK?
WK= William Kate.
Didn’t she hire in special help to deal with the kids tantrums? Well at least that worked but I can’t quite see why she’s being complemented for something millions of ‘normal’ i.e. non royal women do every day and without ‘specialised help. She does so little that’s admirable that something as mundanely ordinary as dealing with a very minor two year olds strop almost seems like an achievement.
I think people are complimenting her parenting because she’s all too often accused of being too lazy to raise her own children. Especially by certain posters on this very site.
I don’t think the criticism is due to hands off parenting it’s more aimed at her general laziness despite having considerable help. She is involved with the kids along with a couple of nannies, specialised ‘tantrum’ assistance and Ma Middleton also pitching in. She is hardly a full time working Mum who is constantly exhausted from running a home, working and looking after kids with her nerves torn to shreds from it all. She has the time, energy and resources to have developed good parenting skills. I’ll save my admiration for people who are great parents despite their circumstances, not because of them.
But I know a lot of wealthy parents with every conceivable support system who are absolutely shitty – no time, patience or warmth for their children. So it doesn’t kill me to admit Kate seems to be a really great mom.
Welll, I’ve seen parents lose it completely when their child does something similar in public. It’s not some huge achievement but by your logic, neither is being a parent in general. People have been doing it for eons but I still think it’s a pretty admirable thing every time it’s done well.
No I didn’t apply that logic to all parents, my comment above makes that clear. Parenting is tough and most don’t have endless resources and help to achieve it but pull it off and manage tantrums anyway. With her level of help she should be able to do this at the very least. Managing the eminently achievable just isn’t that admirable to me.
I know you didn’t but I did. Because regardless of who you are or how much help you have, handling a toddler tantrum quickly and effectively is always an achievement to me. We just apply different standards I guess.
If that was a full blown howler of a tantrum (and I’ve seen kids thrown themselves bodily at shelves in Supermarkets, all kids of that age have blow outs at some point) then fair enough but it wasn’t even that, it was a little foot stamping strop, NBD.
Did she hire help to deal with tantrums? I thought that was what the Norland nanny is for! I actually never heard of that, although I will say I am not paying as much attention to Kate as I used to.
Yup the Norland Nanny here is the link http://www.celebitchy.com/540360/duchess_kate_is_allegedly_hiring_a_supernanny_to_deal_with_the_kids_tantrums/
Although I’m less inclined to believe in the £250,000 pa price tag according to The Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10062737/Why-Mary-Poppins-Norland-nannies-are-becoming-kick-ass.html
They start at £26,000 rising to £30,000 I really can’t see William/Charles paying the help any more than they have to, they tend to see working for the BRF as an ‘honour’.
Thank you, frisbee. I do remember that now you provided the link. I’m surprised the Original Super Nanny Maria couldn’t deal with them. I thought that’s why you got a Norland nanny; they’re equipped to deal with terrorists and tantrums!
Agree about royal pay scales. Didn’t their current housekeeper give her notice because they were asking too much of her time for what she was making? Or at least too much of her time, and I bet she’s not making a lot.
Royal pay scales are dire, Windsor Palace staff threatened a strike a couple of years ago over it
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/11503795/Queens-staff-could-strike-for-the-first-time-as-Windsor-Castle-workers-vote-on-action-over-appalling-low-pay.html
The housekeeper, Sadie Rice left because the job was ‘too demanding’, it sounds like they were piling more and more onto her.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-middleton-prince-williams-top-10521702
What I don’t understand is how anyone could live in London on that.
I think they get bed and board as well (although at some of these big houses they charge their help rent!) without that they couldn’t afford to live in London, I don’t know how anybody does tbh
….I thought they both handled their kids antics very well..Will with a pouty George…& Kate with Charlotte…great little family…
Charlotte looked as cute as anything but she is clearly very strong-willed.
I thought Kate handled her tantrum like a pro mum. I was very impressed that she didnt seem at all flustered or annoyed but just tried to calmed Charlotte as best as possible. Tells me she spends time with her daughter and understands her moods and how to deal with them.
If she was really strong willed she would have kept going and been flailing about once Kate picked her up. Mild mannered kids are the easiest to jolly out of a typical 2 year old tantrum. Ask me how I know 😉
Lol @CynicalAnn, I’ll happily bow to your superior knowledge
Mine is the voice of theory and arm chair experts speaking 🙂
@Beam-ha! Yes-I have 4: 2 who were very easy toddlers and 2 who were, um, more challenging. They’re all turning out to be fairly mild mannered as they are in their teen years-but I drank a lot of wine during a few of their toddler stages.
That portrait of George is quite creepy.
Agreed. That dark, forboding background and all those teeth. I feel like he’s going to lunge out and bite me.
All those teeth??? He’s smiling!
It’s not creepy but it’s also not the best pic of him. There is something about the pic that just doesn’t ring authentic but I can’t put my finger on it.
The lighting is terrible. George should have been lit more from the front/above, and with a lighter background.
Years of dealing with William’s temper tantrum have prepared her for this. So George and Charlotte’s tantrums are a piece of cake for her.
Wish they used a light colored background for George’s portrait. I get it he’s the future king but he’s a kid and it’s 2017. It should be light and uplifting not dark.
This is a nothingburger and not a reflection of their parenting skills me thinks. I’m childless but I’ve come to accept how kids throw tantrums are not reflective of their parents and some of them may have attention or behavioural disorders. Most parents seem embarrassed and try to curb it. They certainly don’t need any judgement from me.
Lol you’re not alone, I find tantrums pretty funny too! Even my own toddlers’ tantrums are funny when they’re not particularly annoying me. Also they coordinated with red/pink instead of blue!
Tantrums and all, raising kids has been the most amazing part of my life. I could care less if child-free people judge me when my kids threw tantrums. I just felt sorry that they never get to experience the intense joy of having children. They have no idea what they are missing.
I have to agree with you. I didn’t know if I would have children or maybe it was a vague idea but when I did become a mother for the first time I finally understood my mother better. It is an intense joy, that is a great way to describe it. I do understand that it isn’t for everyone and I think it is best if someone knows that about themselves before having a child.
I have 4 who I adore but I certainly don’t feel sorry for childless people. You can have a full and joyful life without kids-everybody is different.
+1. I know many happy childfree people, and some miserable people who seem to wish they’d never become parents. The unhappy parents are early to mid-thirties. They cannot understand that having young children means you don’t get to spend the entire weekend out with your friends. They rely enormously on over-tolerant grandparents who let them drop the kids off whenever they want to escape their adult responsibilities.
Agreed. I am pregnant with my first and after 33 years of being childless I know life can be joyful as well as stressful in both situations.
I like to see that Charlotte and George have sparkling personalities, especially after seeing how robotic their parents can be with their public image. Those kids are a fresh breeze.
Some have a very good idea of what they are missing and make the choice not to have any.
I do know what I’m missing, that’s why I don’t have any.
And the only time I’m judging you if your kids are having a tantrum is if it’s in a quiet restaurant or a movie or similar and you’re not removing them. I really don’t care otherwise love.
Kate seems to be a hands on parent. You can tell when someone leaves the full responsibility of parenting to someone else, so despite having nannies, she seems to do a lot with the kids. I’ve seen so many parents who leave it to the grandparents or nannies and the end result is that when the kid is with them, the kids don’t respond.
I love, love, love it when toddlers throw a wobbler…Such fun and two minutes later they’re laughing over something.
Toddlers are great.
I love the photo in which both of Charlotte’s feet aren’t touching the ground!
George sure does have beautiful big brown eyes. I keep trying to figure out where he got them. Any ideas?
Rumour has it they came from grampa Middleton.
Grandpa Michael…looks just like him.
I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal when celebrity kids throw a tantrum, often criticising the parents. Kids are kids no matter how rich and famous they are. It’s baffling when people act surprised or shocked that they aren’t perfect.
Are people so stupid the Duchess has got two nannies housekeeper chef maids make up artist hairdresser personal assistants …so she does not take care of her two children she gets them given to her when they are dressed… and nappy changed…
For people on here to think she does everything they are completely wrong
these two on the Royal yawn tour which was more of a holiday than a Royal Tour. .. yawn soo boring but the amount of money spent on the ridiculous clothes was obscene.. The tour was supposed to be a Royal Tour representing Britain ..not a catwalk for High fashion. … its supposed to be abput helping the people they visit all we saw was constant roll out of yet another expensive dress which wasnt evenelegant just more of a show of extravagance which is not what BRF is abput
Everyone knows there are nannies helping out. But as people have spelled out, only an involved parent would have been able to calm a kid having a temper tantrum.
This is the same woman who watched from 100 yards away while her son played in the path of oncoming polo ponies. Autumn Philips had to grab him up and carry him to safety.
Anyone who has watched the nanny calm her down would have been able to do this in a heartbeat. I can do this with toddlers who aren’t even my own, because I’ve been around a lot of little kids. Pay attention, respond immediately, solve the problem. Works with teenagers too.
This George in the way of the polo ponies is such a dumb piece of fanfic. Care to link to the evidence? Oh wait, it was deleted off twitter right? *wink wink*
http://royallovestory.tumblr.com/post/121752929247/georgeslays-prince-george-makes-a-run-for-it
This may be the incident in question. I remember seeing photos and videos on tumblr, but they are tough to find.
I am hard on Kate usually but I have noticed that she is an involved mother. I know some people think because she has nannies it makes her less involved but that is not necessarily true. There are mothers who are home all the time and can’t stand their kids and do nothing with them. Families find their balance that works for them and it is different for everyone. I have known people who were shoved off on nannies and the mothers were indifferent. One guy I knew told me his mother didn’t talk to him until he was 3 because she found babies boring. Another had a mother that loved babies but once they were 6 she was done and couldn’t wait to send them off to boarding school.
Kate doesn’t have to be hands on but it is obvious she spends time with them. She seems most genuine and relaxed when they are around.
People are equating having a nanny to ignoring your children all day. Not sure why such hostility towards a woman’s parenting skills.
Me neither. I usually find it off limits unless the mother is just undeniably horrible. Attacking mothers for having help is ridiculous. Motherhood is different for everyone but the goal is to have children that are happy and well adjusted. We had nannies growing up that we loved but they were never replacements for my mother.
And why is she criticized and not Will since they have the same job.
Don’t forget that Kate was very well aware that all cameras were trained on her to see just how she would handle this situation. Of course she would act like the perfect mother.
..or after George and two years of Charlotte, she might know what to do?
I don’t think anyone can make any assumptions on someone’s parenting based on a few pictures and a few minute’s worth of interaction.
I’m no great defender of W and K, but I would hate to parent in front of the whole world. If you attend to them, you’re spoiling them. If you don’t, you’re a neglectful parent. Every little interaction with your kids is scrutinized.
Yeah Bethany, Kate didn’t want to come off as the scolding fish wife she was when telling George off for standing on Pippa’s dress. He was only copying the other kids doing it. Felt a bit sorry for him.
The kids are Middletons through and through. George is Mike’s clone, bleached hair notwithstanding, and Charlotte is Mini Carole
It was mild in terms of tantrums. And Kate handled it well. But, it’s easier dealing with that kind of thing when you are not 24/7 with the child, or if you have a full-time demanding job, and you are tired and maybe a bit fed-up. Kate has help both in terms of nannies and household chores. And she hardly qualifies as working full-time. I’m pretty sure Nanny Maria was waiting in the airplane day to take over. Not knocking her parenting skills, but not being totally stressed out makes a difference. And she has a husband, lots of women are going it alone.
As I said upthread, I can calm a toddler tantrum quickly even when they aren’t my own. Figure out the problem, solve it, tantrum over. Doesn’t prove how much time she is or isn’t with the kids.
Notasugar is the perfect mother with every solution to every tantrum. Easy peas. Nothing to see here folks.
Figure out the problem, solve it, tantrum over??
Bwahahaaaa I must have been around the wrong children in my lifetime! I’ve literally given a toy to a screaming toddler that desperately wanted it only to have it flung to the ground because now something else was wanted. Sometimes a tantrum is a tantrum is a tantrum.
Yes, and sometimes they can be solved simply by paying attention, figuring out the problem, and solving it. Sometimes the problem is as simple as they wanted attention. I manage to do this with other people’s toddlers just fine.
The kids are adorable, absolute scene-stealers—- and the public’s fascination with them is the last, best hope for the survival of the Windsor line.
One victory in quelling a tantrum reveals nothing about Kate being a hands-on mom.
+1 and a very minor incident at best
This was a minor incident, handled quickly. Doesn’t show how much or little time she spends with the kids, as I myself can also good at handling toddler tantrums quickly even when they aren’t my own kids. Pointing that out isn’t mommy shaming.
CB’s headline is much more accurate – that’s a little tantrum not a major one as E! claims.
I can also see why this was first being reported as Charlotte had a fall. It happens so quick if you don’t see her face prior to sitting down you wouldn’t know she was upset.
They are both so so cute & I love this purple dress on Kate must’ve missed it!
Looks like the kids really do have all the personality in that family, this is much in the same vein as toddler George throwing his toy bilby away in Australia and making a grab for the real thing – an amusing moment that blew over quickly since her mother calmed her down.
Will looks good in that suit. Usually he blends into the background, even when he’s the focus of the photo/article, but I keep noticing him even with Charlotte’s little adorable fit.
When my godson was about 2 1/2, we walked a couple of blocks to a pizza parlor to pick up a pizza for dinner. He complained the entire way, “I’m not hungry! I don’t want pizza!” We picked the pizza up and the entire way home, all I heard was, “I’M STARVING. I’M SO HUNGRY.” Tears were running down his face. People stared. It was hilarious.
I found that little tantrum absolutely adorable. I love when she stomped her little feet around.
For all of Kate’s flaws, she does seem like a loving and very hands-on mom.
That looked a very mild tantrum that was handled very fast by Kate. Loved the feet stomp.
In my mind Kate pointed the cameras to Charlotte and she decided to swoon in her agony of being denied papers, just to show how wronged she truly was*.
*this is, obviously, me being ironic.
The Terrible Two’s are bad. The Treachorous Three’s are worse. And the F-You Four’s make you question everything in life… especially why you decided to have kids in the first place.
@Nessa So True! My son’s terrible two’s lasted through age 5. I thought I would lose my mind. Then, his older sister and he would trade off being obnoxious, taking turns for years. At least they didn’t both do it at the same time.
Charlotte is adorable, typical 2 yr old. I do think the Cambridges really care about their children and seem to be, from body language available, pretty hands-on with them despite armies of nannies and other help.
Why does she always wear nude shoes?
Makes her legs look longer.
That’s not much of a tantrum. Charlotte stomping her feet in those little Mary Janes was funny AF. I get a huge kick out of Charlotte. She seems to have a very spirited personality.
I agree that George and Charlotte have the personality that their parents don’t have.
That was a very mild tantrum. That’s what two year olds do: want something, get upset when they can’t have it, move on to something else when redirected.
Kate handled it appropriately and Charlotte behaved like a two year old.
The only story here is that they’re an adorable and ‘normal’ family. Other than being on a tarmac for a royal tour.
Charlotte and her pretty little dresses and her tiny but sparky little tantrum were the highlight of this utterly pointless Tour of Dullness.
George looks like his dad, especially around the eyes.
I have an almost two year old daughter and almost 4 year old son (totally copying W&K) and this is a completely mild tantrum in my world. My daughter threw herself on the ground in the Chick Fil A playground today screaming because I wouldn’t let her take crackers into the play structure. Kate handled this great. I would be losing my mind if i was a royal and my child did what she did today in front of the whole world. Props to Kate for doing it all… in high heels.
I’m not a W&K apologist, but I am a mom. 🙂
What shocked me wasn’t the tantrum itself but the fact that Kate clearly “managed” it by saying: “People are watching you” or something to that effect. (Her gesturing and the girl’s reaction leave no doubt about that.)
That’s the worst kind of parenting: not tackling the problem at its root, but instead telling children – implicitly – that a) only other people’s opinion matters; and b) that her/his behaviour is not really the problem, unless there are other people around.
It is my experience that a simple, calm, quasi-curious repeated question “Why are you crying/yelling?” works wonders. The child will most likely yell back whatever s/he thinks is the matter. A calm “yes, I understand – but why are you crying/yelling?” will make the child shut up in 90 % of the cases. (Statistics may vary. ;)) If it doesn’t, another repetition of the same question will.
May I borrow that crystal ball if you’ve finished?
You have no idea what she said to Charlotte so not sure why you wrote two whole paragraphs.
yeah for real. it looked like maybe more along the lines of “look at the plane/balloon/george!” to distract.
You all saying how easy it is to handle tantrums and how Kate handled it wrong have me convinced that you can’t possibly have children. Who cares what she said? When your child throws a tantrum in public – and on a tarmac no less – you say whatever necessary to handle the situation quickly. As if this was the appropriate time to have s lengthy speech.
And discipline is different for every child. Some respond to reason and others respond to threats. I’ll admit that my toddlers have driven me to insanity at times and I snapped and actually cursed at them. Not that it had any effect because they just saw mommy behaving like they were. Tired parents and tired children sometimes behave irrationally. Only those without kids are ignorant enough to think discipline is universal and be so judgemental.
Also, most mothers these days have nannies. Daycare is the nanny. Parents drop their kids off at 7am and don’t see them again until 6pm and it doesn’t mean they don’t love or care for their children.
I’m so so disgusted with the fan fic and hate thrown at this family.