A little prince is born, now how to raise him? Against the grain

The world just got its first glimpse of the royal baby, born this week.

The new prince means the lineage is that much more secure. The most important bit, though, is that the world gained another mom with the power to raise her little prince into a good man.

As the mother of four boys, I would like to welcome Kate Middleton to the realm of motherhood – where every son’s a prince. And each little prince looks up to his mom and sees a crown – a circlet of love, strength, and protection. 

That crown is really hard to keep on straight, Kate. It often tilts, it’s heavy, and it’ll leave a mark on our brow. 

Working mothers, including royal mothers with appearance schedules, face a great challenge because we must, all too often, trust others to take care of our children for us. And some will stand in when we don’t ask. 

It doesn’t matter if your address reads Norfolk, UK, or Norfolk, Va., (as mine does), everybody around a baby acts like a royal advisor. They’ll tell you that you are wrong because you’re new to the job. Bunk!

You have a grandmother-in-law who is actually the Queen of the entire UK, and she is known for being a bit rigid when it comes to royal dos and don'ts of royal parenting.

But Diana tossed the monarchy’s parenting manual out with the bath water and her sons were the better for it.

Go for it, Kate. Find your ground and stand it.

I went against the grain and lived on a sailboat for five years with my husband when our oldest two boys were toddlers. They grew up strong and confident. When they were bullied, I learned jiujitsu with them. When a doctor told me my youngest would never speak or connect, I quit my job to help him learn to speak, which he now does almost too often. Four boys, 20 years, thousands of mistakes and a stronger bond between a mother and sons is beyond my imagination.

How will you stand your ground for your son?

Perhaps you will be the first among us to embrace the wise words of a mother-in-law, though she be long gone.

Diana’s words may serve you best when you doubt yourself and think to hand the little prince to a nanny or boarding school.

If someone tells you that something is more important than your child, take these words from Diana to heart, “Family is the most important thing in the world.”

When you worry about vaccinations, remember Diana said, “The biggest disease this day and age is that of people feeling unloved.”

”Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves,” she said. Moms need to remember to take time for themselves in order to reboot and recharge.

And, of course, "Hugs can do great amounts of good - especially for children."

As long as you did your best and not someone else’s, your child and you will be great.