Ever wonder how Angelina Jolie tackles being a mother of six children? The actress opened up about her kids with estranged husband Brad Pitt and her parenting techniques.
“[My kids] all have a good rebellious streak that is wonderful and curious,” Jolie, 43, said during her Friday, December 28, appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today. “I don’t want them to be perfectly behaved little people that just say what’s absolutely appropriate because I say so. … They have to find themselves.”
The Mr. & Mrs. Smith costars, who have been locked in a bitter custody battle ever since she filed for divorce in September 2016, share Maddox, 17, Pax, 15, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 10.
“Children can do two things,” Jolie noted. “They can make you grow up, and you do, and they also add a sense of wild themselves.”
Perhaps the Maleficent actress’ understanding of her kids’ need to explore is inspired by her own childhood. “I was a bit of a young punk,” she explained. “I loved the idea of fighting for something you believe in however hard, and being brave in your life in your choices, and doing something your own way. And I don’t feel I’ve changed much at all, in fact.”
While Jolie said she tries to limit the brood’s access to certain things, she also is open to discussing distressing topics with her family. “I think, like most parents, we try our best to insert good stuff and we can’t control everything that they’re exposed to, so we try to ask that they will talk to us about anything they saw that bothers them or that they’re concerned about,” she said.
The Lara Croft: Tomb Raider star pointed out that her children are not on Facebook and haven’t even asked to join the platform. However, they still find news that hits a little close to home. “The truth is that my children have seen things about themselves, even from what’s considered serious news people, that are inaccurate,” she admitted. “So my children have a very odd sense of who’s telling the truth and what the truth really is and what they actually believe or trust.”
Meanwhile, the group grows from learning about each member’s heritage. “They are from different backgrounds, they don’t deny the difference, they celebrate the difference,” Jolie told the outlet. “We go to their countries, spend time in their countries. … Shiloh, for example, is the one that’s learning Mad’s country’s language, and Vivienne wants to live in Zahara’s country. So just because they’re from a place doesn’t mean that that’s everything that defines them.”
The Salt actress and Pitt, 55, avoided a trial in November when they reached a new custody agreement. “Brad and Angelina will have joint physical and legal custody of the children,” a source close to the Ocean’s Eleven actor told Us Weekly at the time. “Over a period of the next six to eight weeks, the monitored visits will come to a conclusion. The children will immediately begin to have overnight visits with their father. The monitors will be in place for those first overnight visits, and this was done at Brad’s request. Brad recognizes this is going to be a change from what the norm had been and wants to make the transition as smooth as possible.”
An insider revealed to Us earlier this month that the legal battle caused tension between Maddox, Pax and their father, noting that Pitt “has accepted that he’ll likely never be able to repair their relationship.”
Another source told Us the Fight Club star had a “low-key” Christmas with some of his children, while Maddox and Pax refused to attend the celebration.
