Subject:  A great article about Brad being a great father. |
Author:
Gina
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 04:11:52 10/24/08 Fri
In reply to:
Gina
's message, "Angelina Jolie: Family is my top priority" on 03:46:57 10/24/08 Fri
From the American Chronicle
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/78773
Brad Pitt: Balanced, Loving, Generous Father, Partner, Artist, Humanist.
Alice Aspen March
October 23, 2008
Iīve been watching Brad Pitt live his life for almost two decades now. Heīs shown all of us how it is to be loving, vulnerable, productive and very human.
We all read about his courtship and opulent marriage to Jennifer Anniston and their subsequent divorce. They appeared on every conceivable magazine cover, in every newspaper and in abundant conversations on radio, television and between people. In other words, he was visible to us at all times. That seems to be the American dream: to become such an important and rich celebrity, that youīre constantly pursued by the paparazzi and almost everyone wants to know almost everything about you. Where did that dream come from?
And then that particular dream life shattered. Perhaps Brad didnīt want to be just another good looking actor with a good looking wife. Perhaps he needed more out of his life. He and Jennifer separated, as he had discovered another woman, who appeared to appeal to him more, Angelina Jolie. He seemed to be captivated by her life style as well as by her beauty and fame. Angelina had adopted a son, Maddox, from Cambodia. Soon, Brad, Angelina and Maddox became a mega topic for the media; they were seen at home and away, when they were traveling to far off places becoming involved in international world-wide aid causes, giving money away. Angelina had already become an active United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Refugees.
Then together, Brad and Angelina, adopted another child, Zahara, a little girl from Ethiopia. And then they adopted another son, Pax, from Vietnam. Then soon, they had their own daughter, Shiloh. They were creating a multinational, family. This summer Angelina gave birth to twins, a son and a daughter, Knox-Leon and Vivienne Marcheline. All this is to say that they now have six children under the age of eight. Brad was quoted as saying, "I donīt know if I have enough attention to give all these children!" Now, thatīs an honest and thoughtful bit of thinking.
Yes, Brad and Angelina have the money to finance an entire staff of helpers, nannies, cooks, cleaners, tutors, and security along with the money to fly their own planes, to live in different countries for as long a time as they want. Yes, their kids, like all others, really only need and want abundant attention from their parents. Angelina has publically admitted that when she came home after having the twins, all the other kids just wanted to climb in bed with her, to be with her. Several publications reported that this was a rough time for her. No wonder. She needed personal recovery time, time to breast feed her new-borns, time to connect with her four others, time for her relationship with Brad. There are simply not enough hours in the day to handle all those tasks thoroughly or without almost personally imploding. I hear more and more people talk about being over whelmed. Technology demands appear to be wrecking havoc with our time balancing and personal connecting in families today.
Time is the most precious commodity we have, and it seems to go by quicker and quicker. School time is fast approaching for the Pitt-Jolie family. Before kids start to school, itīs easier to live in different places. I read that Maddox now doesnīt want to go to school outside his home, that he wants to be a baby again, as his youngest siblings are getting all the attention. These are the most normal of childrenīs feelings, and attention must be paid to them. And Brad is paying attention. When Angelina was most overwhelmed, he pleaded with her to get some personal help, which she ultimately did. He took both sons, Maddox and Pax, on a father-son trip to Venice, while Angelina was in her most stressed-out days, working to be everything to everyone. Brad seems to be honestly and visibly enjoying his time with Angelina, his kids, his colleagues, his humanitarian fund-raising and his home building-project in New Orleans.
He and George Clooney recently shared partying time in Venice, while they celebrated their roles in an upcoming movie. George commented, "I couldnīt do what Brad and Angie are doing. I wouldnīt have the patience or dedication you need to take care of a family."
Time and patience: both involve paying attention: being present, listening, looking, hugging!
Parents are role-modeling constantly; kids learn what they see. Kids who have never experienced loving and attentive parents do not know how to be loving and attentive. I am passionate, now, about all of us learning how to be parents, to be in relationships, to balance our lives especially in these frenetic times.
When a couple has six young children, the needs for attention are never-ending and abundant. Nannies are not mommies; they can be significant-others, if they stay around long enough. Kids want their mommy and daddy to recognize them, to be present for them, to be with them. Four prominent professors from the fields of psychiatry, sociology, economics and neurobiology have concluded in a prominent research project with thirty-seven pages of references that the bottom- line is kids need quality attention and time more than they need toys!!! Raising kids is labor-intensive, to be sure. The kind of attention that we get in our childhoods lives with us forever. We all need to realize that and discover what our attention-impact is on kids and on the rest of the people in our lives.
For example, thereīs considerable research about military families who must often move their families. The kids carry attachment problems with them forever, for whenever they make new friends, they soon have to move on. We know so much more today about what it takes to raise healthy families, families who connect with each other, can communicate easily and honestly, who discover how different their kids are and how different the attention each family member needs! Our lives are all about attention. What kind we get, how we get it, and how we feel about the kind we get.
Brad has called in his mother and father to extend the family attention-giving. He obviously has shown through pictures and interviews that he has a healthy and loving family to support him. Angieīs older brother, James, shows up also to participate in their family's events. Brad has expressed his wish for both Jennifer and Angelina to heal their outages with certain family members. That is wise. The more positive and connecting experiences we can provide for each other and for our kids, the happier, healthier and competent they will grow.
As I have watched, Brad Pitt seems to be striving to exemplify a fine father role-model these days.
---------------------------------------------------------
It is good to hear that Brad is pushing Jolie to get the mental "help" she needs to be a positive role model in the childrens lives.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 