On-screen royal Anne Hathaway has made a number of lifestyle changes since giving birth to her first child in 2016 and recently revealed a major parenting tip that, according to People, she borrowed from some real-life royals.
Speaking to the Sunday Times in an interview published on February 10, the 36-year-old revealed a "cool" technique she picked up on from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge that she's implemented with her two-year-old son Jonathan Rosebanks, whom she shares with husband Adam Shulman.
"They get down on the child's level and speak to them eye to eye to make their child feel empowered," the actress explained. "I thought that was really cool. I started doing that with Jonathan."
The method is referred to as "active listening," and, according to child development expert Gill Connell, is an important way to tell children "You're important to me."
"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," Connell explained in her book, A Moving Child Is A Learning Child.
"These simple messages foster self-esteem in powerful ways while encouraging him to communicate even more."
