Parenting

Nicole Kidman gets very real about parenting (and hangovers!)

A fascinating insight into what Nicole is like as a mum. She addressed ‘helicopter parenting’ again i.e when you hover around your kids too much.
Nicole Kidman gets very real about parenting (and hangovers!)

Nicole Kidman is currently promoting the amazing TV series Big Little Lies, based on Aussie author Lianne Moriaty’s bestselling novel of the same name.

Without giving too much away, Nicole plays Celeste, who’s in an abusive relationship. She spoke to Jonesy and Amanda about how tough it was playing this character and also gave us a fascinating insight into what she’s like as a parent.

Nicole has admitted to being “intensely emotional” about parenting her children in the past.

She has two daughters with hubby Keith Urban – Sunday Rose, 8, and Faith Margaret, 6. She also has two adopted children, Connor, 22 and Isabella, 24, with ex-husband Tom Cruise.

Nicole with her ex-husband Tom Cruise and their two adopted kids, Isabella and Connor.

Nicole was asked by Jonesy and Amanda whether or not she’s a ‘helicopter parent’ – something she says she’s ‘grappled with’ in the past.

A helicopter parent is another term for being overprotective or overbearing by always hovering around. Nicole says she’s been accused of it “By my own daughter, Faith!”

“Actually, I asked them [Faith and Sunny] about it [whether she’s a helicopter parent] and they were both like ‘no, not really. I think some of their friends may have more helicopter parents. They say ‘you are a little bit but it’s actually a good thing.’”

Nicole continued:

“I mean if you really define it and ask ‘am I over-caring?’ then yes, I am over-caring at times but that’s also just being a little bit scared – scared of the world and what they’re going to encounter. It’s a different world now from when we were growing up.”

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On playing a character in an abusive relationship, Nicole had these wise words:

“Obviously there’s many different forms of domestic violence and the way it pans out in different socio-economic ways and also just in different relationships but this one is particularly sad I think in terms of the way in which Celeste just cannot see. “She really feels to blame which is a thread that runs very much through these abusive relationships which is the feeling of shame and blame and blaming oneself.”

Nicole also sympathised with poor old Jonesy, who was suffering from a hangover.

“You poor thing. You had a little vomit. Everything is so much harder as you get older. It’s bleak. I had to go to Germany on the weekend and I used to be able to do that easily and I was just shattered after flying there, I was only there for 48 hours. I used to be able to do that standing on my head but not anymore!”

We feel her pain…

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