Robert De Niro biggest parenting rule: What the dad of seven says about parenting

Robert De Niro has learned a lot about what it means to be a father over the years. 

The 81-year-old, who is dad to seven kids, has opened up about his ultimate parenting rule during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. 

“Well, there’s certain things you can do and certain things you can’t do. The main thing is to support your kids,” he explained. 

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“As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them.”

The key here is making sure that your kids know that you’ve got their back. 

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“Even if you don’t go with it or think that they are going at it, whatever it is, you have to support them. And they have to know that you support them. Always,” he added. 

The Meet The Parents star has plenty of experience raising kids, seeing as he’s been doing it for over 50 years now. 

De Niro is dad to Drena, 53 and Raphael, 48, who he shares with his first wife Diahnne Abbott. 

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He went on to welcome twins Julian and Airyn, now 29, with his former girlfriend Toukie Smith in 1995. 

The big-screen legend also shares son Elliot, 27, and daughter Helen Grace, 13, with his ex-wife, Grace Hightower. 

Rounding out his brood is daughter Gia, who he welcomed in April 2023 with girlfriend Tiffany Chen.

Despite having kids at such varying ages, he’s loving the time he’s got with his newest arrival. 

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“She’s just pure joy,” he said. 

“She’s two now, so as they get older and older then… you know? But it’s still always wonderful. Pure joy, what can I say?”⁠

That joy is something he’s clearly making the most of right now, too.

In an interview earlier this year with Scott Mills on BBC Radio 2’s The Scott Mills Breakfast Show, the Academy Award winning actor admitted he’s not watching as many movies these days because of Gia.

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“I just want to keep up, but I watch current events, if you will news [and] stuff like that,” he told Mills.

“Now I watch, with my little girl, The Wiggles and Ms. Rachel.”

De Niro admitted he actually had no idea about who any of them were before Gia came along, but he’s into it now she loves them and even he added, “they’re great!”

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