Split Custody 15 Ways Angelina Jolie Parents Her Kids (+5 Ways Brad Does It Differently)

Together, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were the among the most famous married couples in Hollywood. They're equally famous as parents, and their fame has only grown since their 2016 divorce. It has been reported that one of the biggest factors leading to their separation is the huge difference between the way each of them parents their six children. While Jolie is said to take an innovative and modern approach to parenting, Pitt is seemingly more into traditional ideals. The kids are still spending time with both parents as they battle for custody, and it seems like life is quite different in their mother's house from how it is in their father's house.

Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox are loved deeply by both their parents, even though the rules set out in one household may not apply to the other. With Jolie, the focus is on the kids growing as individuals, embracing who they are and following in their mother's humanitarian footsteps. And with Pitt, the kids receive more rules and structure, and are expected to have manners and respect for those around them.

Keep reading to find out the 15 ways Angelina Jolie parents her kids, and the 5 ways that Brad Pitt does it differently.

20 Angelina Wants Them To Be Aware Of Humanitarian Work

Angelina Jolie is well-known for the humanitarian work she does, and it's only natural that she wants to pass those values down to her kids. As an ambassador for the United Nations, she makes sure that her kids are at least aware of how privileged they are, and of their ability to help those less fortunate than them. In December 2017, Jolie brought four of her children along with her to the United Nations Correspondents Association Awards at Cipriani Wall Street, where she was awarded the title of 2017 UNCA Global Citizen of the Year.

19 She Holds Back Emotion In Front Of Them

When it comes to crying in front of her kids, Jolie tries hard to keep it together. She believes that if they were to see her looking upset, they'd be worried about her. “I think it's very important to cry in the shower and not in front of them,” she admitted. “They need to know that everything's going to be all right even when you're not sure it is.” It's been reported that Jolie feels very strongly about holding back her emotions where the divorce from ex-husband Brad Pitt is concerned, since all the kids are still trying to heal.

18 There Is Zero Tolerance For Drinking

Jolie is strict about her home being a drink-free zone. They're currently all underage anyway, so it's not a huge issue at the moment. But she is teaching her children about how she feels about drinking, and has supposedly made it clear that there will still be no drinking in the house, even after the kids are old enough. Pitt's drinking was reportedly a factor in their divorce, which is why she has no tolerance for any rule-bending on this issue. “I had to step away for a minute,” Pitt said about his drinking. “Truthfully, I could drink a Russian under the table… ”

17 She Encourages A Varied Diet

The Jolie-Pitt children have been brought up in a household with enough money to provide them with fine dining for the rest of their lives. But Jolie encourages a varied diet in her children, and likes them to try new foods. In one video shared by BBC, she's even seen eating spiders and scorpions, and showing her kids how to prepare them for eating. “I think it's always been a part of the diet, the bugs, but then I think there is a truth to the survival during the war, of course,” she said. “When people were being starved, they were able to survive on things like this, and they did.”

16 Family Comes Before Friends

Many families are adamant about spending time together, but when you're as high profile as the Jolie-Pitt children, sometimes family is all you have. It has been reported that Jolie places family ahead of friends on her list of priorities, and not only encourages her kids to lean on each other instead of outsiders, but also considers them her friends. “They're the best friends I've ever had,” she's admitted. Since the divorce in particular, the kids have been “on lockdown” and haven't had the chance to socialize with many friends. The actress confessed, “I think they're itching to get out into the world again.”

15 She Isn't Huge On Discipline

It's no secret that Jolie isn't a disciplinarian when it comes to raising her children. Many online sources claim that this is one of the biggest conflicts that arose in her marriage, since Pitt does believe in a firmer approach. One source in particular said, “It's not uncommon for all of the kids to be up past midnight during the week, eating sugary snacks and soda.” While we don't know for sure what goes on in the house, the reports all seem to indicate that Jolie doesn't believe in being too strict or punishing her kids too harshly.

14 Nannies Aren't The Highest Authority

In particular, it's been reported that nannies hired by the family can find the kids hard to control, and have noticed that the kids don't always listen to them. A friend of Pitt reportedly said, “The kids have been openly defiant and unmanageable when it comes to tutors and nannies. The nannies have no control when it comes to the kids. They pretty much run them.” Another insider claimed, “The kids delight in letting loose their collection of animals-a number of dogs, cats, hamsters, snakes… and no visitor is safe-not even one employed by mom!”

13 Therapy Is Encouraged When Needed

If one of the kids needs to talk to someone, Jolie fully supports them. It seems as though she takes mental health seriously and will always make sure all her kids are able to vent their frustrations and talk about their feelings. “Kids are so delicate. They absorb everything. They need to have their hands held and things explained. They need to be listened to,” she told Daily Mail. The family revealed to People that they take part in individual therapy sessions as well as family therapy, and this was particularly helpful during the divorce, when they were in a dark place.

12 Any Screen Time Is Monitored

The internet can be a dangerous place for regular children, let alone those who are famous around the world and have incredible fortunes behind them. Though Jolie is not as strict as some parents out there, she does have rules when it comes to the kids using the internet. They are allowed to use the internet and social media, but all of their screen time is monitored, for their own protection. “The kids are allowed to browse the net as much as they like, and the older ones use social media, though their security team monitors it for their own safety,” and insider told Star.

11 They're All Celebrated As Individuals

Something that is reportedly very important to Jolie is her kids being able to be themselves, and not feeling like they have to hide who they are. And when it comes to the Jolie-Pitt children, not one is interested in following their parents into the movie business. “None of my kids want to be actors. They are actually very interested in being musicians,” she told ET. I think they like the process of film from the outside… I suppose that just means you don't know who your children are until they show you who they are, and they are just becoming whoever they want to be.”

10 Learning Languages Is Very Important

There are multiple advantages to learning a foreign language, including an increased awareness of other cultures, as well as long-term cognitive benefits. One thing that Jolie does ask of her kids is that they learn a language other than English. In 2016, she said, “All the kids are learning different languages. I asked them what languages they wanted to learn and Shi is learning Khmai, which is the Cambodian language, Pax is focusing on Vietnamese, Mad has taken to German and Russian, Z is speaking French, Vivienne really wanted to learn Arabic and Knox is learning sign language.”

9 Most Of The Children Go By Nicknames

At home, the Jolie-Pitt kids aren't usually referred to as their birth names, but are called nicknames. It's not clear whether they chose these names for themselves, or they were given to them. Maddox is called Mad and Zahara is simply Z. Back in 2008, Pitt revealed that Shiloh preferred to be called John, although Jolie has been known to refer to her as Shi. At this stage, it's also not known whether there are nicknames used for Pax and twins Vivienne and Knox at home, but Jolie has referred to them by their birth names in public.

8 It's Home-Schooling Over A Traditional Education

Home-schooling is not uncommon around children in the entertainment business, whether they're the ones working or their parents are. Though they can afford the best schools in the world, all that fame can make it too difficult to receive a normal education. In Jolie's house, the kids are home-schooled. They have to study a foreign language, but no other subject is required, according to reports. “Instead of tomfoolery in the classroom, I'd rather them go to a museum and learn to play guitar and pick a book they love,” Jolie explained. “I do think we live in a different age and the education system hasn't caught up with our children and our way of life.”

7 She Spends Time With Each Child Equally

Jolie understands how important it is to bond with each child, and she doesn't want any of her children to feel excluded, so she makes time for all of them individually. It has been reported that she regularly has one-on-one time with all six of her kids. She's been known to take the kids on outings, like when she brought Pax as a plus-one to the Golden Globes. Not bad mommy and me time! She was also seen hanging out just with Pax at the Pacific Coast Highway Eatery, and taking Shiloh shopping for an instrument to play.

6 Being Normal Is Important

Everybody's idea of normal may be different, but there would be few people who would refer to the lifestyle the Jolie-Pitt kids lead as normal. Still, trying to have a normal life despite the chaos surrounding them is important to Jolie. “I'm just wanting to make them a proper breakfast and keep the house. That's my passion,” she told People. “I've been trying for nine months to be really good at just being a homemaker… ” While Jolie wants to instill a sense of routine and regularity into the lives of her kids, it seems like they're not having it. “Who wants to be normal? We're not normal,” youngest son Knox has said. “Let's never be normal.”

5 Brad Is Stricter When It Comes To Cleaning

While Jolie and Pitt parented side by side for many years, since the divorce and the battle for custody, their differing styles have reportedly come head to head. One major difference is that Pitt is stricter in many ways than Jolie is, and one of those is cleaning the house. Some online sources claim that he required the children to clean up after themselves. “I feel like my job is to show 'em around, help them find what they want to do with their life, put as many things in front of them, and pull them back when they get out of line, so they know who they are,” he said of his parenting style.

4 He Sometimes Yells, But Ange Doesn't

Part of being stricter involved handing out stronger punishments and letting the kids know when they've done something wrong, rather than letting it slide. According to reports, Pitt definitely lets them know. “Brad has always been stricter. He has wanted the kids to have more structure. Brad will get frustrated sometimes and yell at the kids,” one insider told the Daily Mail. “Angelina always had a more relaxed attitude when it came to the kids. She definitely never yells.” Pitt himself told The Telegraph, “I am [a disciplinarian] with the boys. The girls do no wrong, so I don't have to be.”

3 They Stay At Home Rather Than Jet-Setting

Traveling around the globe will probably always be part of the lives of these kids, however, Pitt reportedly prefers to keep them at home in the United States when they're with him. This may be part of trying to give them a routine, and to keep their lives as normal as possible. One source told ET, “Brad tries to maintain a safe environment for the children, so that when they visit they stay home.” The couple may be close to settling their custody battle, but while it's been taking place, the children haven't legally been allowed to leave the country.

2 Grades Are Important

Even though the kids are home-schooled and are reportedly allowed to choose the subjects they do, Pitt believes that the grades they get are important. “I can only insist that children respect their teachers and are well behaved in class, recognize the authority of adults and achieve good results in their studies. What else to add? Each of them is an integral part of my life. Forever.” This is especially important because the kids aren't interested in careers in the movie business, and need to keep their options open when it comes to pursuing their own passions.

1 Brad Is Big On Manners

Pitt's stricter approach to parenting probably derives from his Southern Baptist roots. The son of a minister, he grew up in a house of enforced rules and old-fashioned ideals. One value that he does pass along to his own kids is the importance of manners and being polite. An unnamed former member of his staff referred to Pitt as a “boundary setter” who always taught his kids to be polite and respect others if they wanted respect back. “Brad has always been a loving parent,” said the staff member. “He is always there for them as a parent should be, through the good times and the bad times.”

References: therichest.com, moms.com