To wonder how the Cambridge children are so beautifully behaved?

[surreysarah]

They sat through the Christmas carol concert so perfectly, and are just so incredibly well behaved when on public outings. They seem delightful and are always so well turned out. As a mum myself, I can’t help wondering - what is Kate and William’s secret? Kudos to the both of them, because they always seem to keep the children in check, but they do it in such a lovely and understated way. They are clearly both naturals with children, because there is no way my unruly brood would be that well behaved at a carol concert. Parenting goals and then some!

You've forgotten what it's like to have young children. They are sick almost continually throughout the winter. Perhaps yours had a super human immune system.

They strike me as having normal behaviour for children of their age. They have been properly brought up, and don't need to be "bribed" with sweets or screens.

No, they weren’t sick almost continually throughout the winter. They’ve never been really sick. The odd slight cough or cold, yes, but nothing else -no vomiting bugs.

This is a very gushy post op! Of course Kate is going to handle the children well in public with sooo many eyes on her, she's not going to say please do sit the fuck down, else you will not be able to crochet later! She is fully aware of being watched. As for the older 2 kids they are old enough to behave now so that's why they do!

Cos they've been raised by the best nanny's money can buy presumably.

I guess your friend is a perfect parent then as so many on here seem to be.

No, she's not - she's a working single Mum and her DM thinks she is too soft on the kids. However, she obviously does spend time parenting her children, rather than letting them do what they want all the time and then wondering why they won't behave. They are regular kids at home, but she has expectations when they are in formal situations - as surely any good parent does.

For what it's worth, where I live we have had to see a GP for different members of our family about ten times in the last six months. Run of the mill issues. At our NHS surgery you call at 8.30am. In my experience, you're invariably offered an appointment before 11am that day. You're seen promptly by the same GP each time. If you have a further question in the afternoon, a secretary will ask the doctor and call you back with their response. They also have a pharmacy attached so you pick up the medication right there and then. Their NHS in-house physio has same day appointments if you need it. I'm sensitive to how lucky we are and how difficult it is for others living elsewhere. I have no idea why we have it so good.

If the Cambridges have the same treatment, it doesn't necessarily have to be because they're wealthy.

They're very good looking children. Well-behaved but quite normal. It looks to me that George and Charlotte are both aware that certain things are expected of them, eg bowing at the coffin and they both want to do it right. But it looks like it's something they want to do rather than it being forced on them. Of course, Louis might do a tell all interview, a series of six programmes and write a book all detailing how everyone were such meanies to him, making him wear shorts and stopping him sticking his finger up his nose, that they ruined his life forever. We'll have to wait and see.

Lucky you. I think if you ask around, you'll find you were living in a dream. But as I've already posted, we have access to great healthcare so I'm not complaining, just saying that life is hard for any young child at school or nursery in the winter.

I agree, they do look like they want to get it right. Nice kids. But their parents do seem like pretty nice people. Not qualified to lead the country, but nice.

We went to church from Babyhood. So were trained to sit still. Also we were not allowed to get down from the table until we'd finished the meal.

I’m not living in a dream. It’s not normal for kids to be frequently ill at nursery and school, winter or no winter, despite what MN might have you believe.

The difference between your children and the Cambridge children however are it will be the Norland Nanny and the exclusive school that will be teaching them how to behave not the parents

Kate and William are well known to be very hands on parents, and they have significant involvement in their childrens' upbringing. There are children at exclusive schools who are very badly behaved, so I don't think much is due to the school other than an expectation that their pupils are polite. They can't teach royal children how to behave in public - that's down to the family.

They can't teach royal children how to behave in public - that's down to the family

And the Norland Nanny surely?

The difference between your children and the Cambridge children however are it will be the Norland Nanny and the exclusive school that will be teaching them how to behave not the parents

And what's your reasoning for the many posters who have children capable of behaving when required, or of those of us who knew how to behave as children, with no nanny and no exclusive school? It seems those who can't be bothered teaching their children any social graces are all too quick to come up with lazy excuses of why that is.

Very different. Many wealthy people literally have nannies to be with their children 24/7. The reason why the stereotype is applied to the upper class is because they are the only ones who can afford that much childcare. I'm a weekend nanny to a wealthy family, each child has their own nanny who is with them for every waking moment, and there is a nanny for overnight. Parents drop in and out during the day to say hello and tousle their hair.

It's a different way to parent but it is a reality amongst the upper class 🤷🏽‍♀️

A family I nanny for has a doctor on speed dial. Available to come at any time of any day, and to prescribe them medications that NHS GPs make you wait weeks and a collapsed lung for.

The life that wealthy people live is beyond what some can imagine. They also have chefs to cook them the healthiest and most balanced of meals.

The difference between your children and the Cambridge children however are it will be the Norland Nanny and the exclusive school that will be teaching them how to behave not the parents.

You don't know that. Of course, like many parents who work irregular hours, they have nannies, who I'm sure reinforce good manners, in the same way both sets of grandparents will, but it's clear that both Kate and William are very close to their children. Diana was very keen on both William and Harry behaving well in public and the Middletons seem to have brought their children up to have nice manners, so there's no reason whatsoever to think that the children are not being taught by William and Catherine how to behave. And Wlliam is going to know a lot more than a nanny on what royal protocols a child is going to find most challenging.

Do you people honestly think being “raised by nannies” is a good thing for kids?! It’s why a lot of rich kids turn out so dysfunctional. Diana had a horrible time being raised by nannies.

Not that I think W&K children are being raised by nannies, I think they are good parents.

I.m counting the nanny as family.

And yet Diana was a crap mother herself who businesses herself with married men, chucked herself down the stairs when pregnant for attention and and frightened the bejesus out her son who pushed notes under her door to get her to speak to him.

Where is the evidence that William and Catherine allow their children to be raised by nannies?? Half of MN call them lazy - well they’re probably busy being at home spending time with their kids

It’s so fucking offensive to suggest well behaved children can only ever be a product of private schools and Norland nannies. Bar a few ND children I know, all the kids I’ve ever known would be able to sit quietly and politely in a church h service for a couple of hours by the age of 7. Even <gasp> working class kids going to <vomits in mouth> state schools

*Do you people honestly think being “raised by nannies” is a good thing for kids?! It’s why a lot of rich kids turn out so dysfunctional. Diana had a horrible time being raised by nannies"

Diana had very disfunctional parents. The nannies were a small part of the problem.

She wasn't a crap mother. A damaged individual whose issues impacted her parents at times, yes. But not a crap mother.

I’m not living in a dream. It’s not normal for kids to be frequently ill at nursery and school, winter or no winter, despite what MN might have you believe.

I agree. I had very few sick days as a child and neither did my children. If you used MN as a guide you wouldn't think there were many healthy, non-depressed, NT children in existence. Posts are skewed towards parents who have struggles or concerns so obviously are more likely to be about sick children than healthy ones.