Angelina Jolie has been a busy mother. Her parenting journey began when she adopted Maddox Chivan from an orphanage in Cambodia in 2002. She adopted Zahara Marley three years later, and she and Brad Pitt — the Hollywood power couple at that time — decided to continue expanding the family.
Jolie gave birth for the first time to Shiloh Jolie-Pitt in 2006. Following her birth, the couple also adopted their son Pax Thien from Vietnam. The family grew further after the duo welcomed twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline in 2008.
Jolie has ensured a multicultural upbringing for her children. The “Maleficent” star has opened up about parenting several times. The children have grown up fast since Jolie and Pitt split in 2016. Jolie confessed to Vogue in 2020 that the decision to separate was “right” for the family. And while a lot of things might have changed, Jolie’s parenting ideas — which she revealed while talking about her first biological child, Shiloh — stuck with her, showing what the values really meant.
Shiloh reminds Angelina Jolie of herself
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt announced that they were expecting their first child together in 2006. The couple, who at that time was in Swakopmund, Namibia, gave birth to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt on May 27, per People.
Shiloh had been a part of the family for only a year and Jolie felt that she had already started to see a lot of herself in the little one. “Shi’s so full of light and love, she’s just a little honey, and very, very funny. I think I’m recognizing some of myself in that one — she’s going to be a little bit of trouble!” she told MSN in 2007 (via People).
Speaking to Reuters in 2010, Jolie revealed that Shiloh used to think that she was one of the brothers. “I think she is fascinating, the choices she is making. And I would never be the kind of parent to force somebody to be something they are not. I think that is just bad parenting,” Jolie told the outlet, adding that children should be allowed to express themselves in whatever way they wish without anybody judging them. “It is an important part of their growth, Jolie added. “Society always has something to learn when it comes to the way we judge each other, label each other. We have far to go.”
Shiloh is involved in her mother’s humanitarian efforts
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Angelina Jolie’s humanitarian values are well reflected in her children, including Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. When Shiloh was just 9, she accompanied her superstar mom on a trip to the Middle East for World Refugee Day, per Hola! Since then, the two have traveled to a lot of countries together.
In 2017, Shiloh joined her other three siblings and her mother at the United Nations Correspondents Association Awards, which took place at Cipriani Wall Street. The “Eternals” star was honored as the 2017 UNCA Global Citizen of the year at the event. During her award acceptance speech, Jolie opened up about her thoughts on children of the world, requesting people to see themselves in the struggle of others. “However hard it is to live up to the ideals of the UN charter and however distant we are from their realization, we have a responsibility not to break faith and to hold together when people want to divide us,” she said, per People.
Jolie added, “When people of any race or of any religion are being persecuted and killed, we cannot do less than we are capable of doing. This is what I want my own children to know and value and what I have learned from them. Children have an understanding and a truth. They can instinctively feel right from wrong.”
Angelina Jolie takes Shiloh to concerts with her
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Earlier this year, the Academy Award winner was seen hanging out with her daughter, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, in Rome, where they attended a performance by the Italian glam rock band, Måneskin, per Today. Shiloh, who’s been known to be taking dancing lessons, was in a viral video performing to “Vegas” by Doja Cat with other members of her dance studio. In fact, has been featured in several of her studio’s videos, dancing to songs like “About Damn Time” by Lizzo and “Skin” by Rihanna.
Surrounded by children who are growing up fast, Jolie continues to find some inspiration for herself in her children. Speaking to People in 2021, she said that the kindness shown to her by her kids has been “very healing to her.”
“They’re pretty great people, and because there’s so many of them, I think they’ve had a very significant effect on each other. It’s not like I’m the head of anything,” she said. “I’m very honest with my kids. And I’m very human with my kids.”
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