Rules Gisele Bündchen And Tom Brady's Kids Have To Follow
Peanut butter and jelly, Tom and Jerry, pen and paper; all perfect pairings. And for 13 years, Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady seemed like they were, too. The supermodel and the legendary NFL quarterback were once Hollywood's "it" couple, despite their rocky start. After all, it's not every day you discover your new boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is expecting a baby just two months into your relationship, as was the case with Tom Brady and Bridget Moynahan.
Despite their initial hardships, Gisele decided to commit to Tom and their unusual situation. She confessed that her heart expanded "in ways I didn't know was possible" when she became a stepmom to Moynahan's son, Jack (per E! News). Then, just months after they tied the knot, they welcomed their own son Benjamin into the world in 2009, followed by their daughter Vivian in 2012.
And while rumors of their struggling relationship circulated in September 2022, confirmation of their divorce in October still came as a tough blow to fans who had fallen in love with their whole family. However, now the dust has settled on their divorce and the papers have been finalized, it seems as if the former "it" couple is now focusing their attention on co-parenting. Both parties have said that their children will continue to receive the "love and attention they deserve," according to People, but it seems their kids will also have to follow some strict (and somewhat unusual) rules.
Gisele Bündchen encourages her kids to follow her intense morning ritual
It should come as no surprise to learn that Gisele Bündchen is a busy lady. The former Victoria's Secret model is constantly on the go, but she credits her meditation practice for allowing her to juggle it all. She told People, "Meditation provides me space to rebalance and refocus when things are at their busiest." And it seems she wants her children to appreciate the art of slowing down, too.
Every morning, Gisele follows an intense morning ritual. The model spoke about this during an in-depth cover story with Vanity Fair, and confessed that she wakes up at 4 a.m. every morning to the sounds of her "flutelike phone alarm." Then, she listens to a 21-minute Devi prayer before she goes outside to "greet the sun," meditate, and do some yoga stretches.
Although Gisele tries to complete this ritual before her kids wake up, she has previously posted photos on Instagram of her daughter Vivian joining her for these transcendental morning sessions. And when they're done, Gisele makes sure that her kids complete their morning chores. Benjamin is reportedly tasked with feeding the dogs, while Vivian is given the job of putting the dishes away. After that, they can relax as they eat their breakfast of "gluten-free toast with almond butter and honey, or eggs with sliced avocado, or a bowl of cut-up apples and berries with coconut yogurt" (via Hello).
Their kids are home-schooled with Gisele's self-curated curriculum
Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady's kids haven't always been home-schooled. While Tom was in the midst of his football career, Gisele would take them to school and let the educational system teach them everything they needed to know. However, when the quarterback infamously retired from the sport in February 2022 and then un-retired just 40 days later, Gisele knew she had to make a tough decision about their schooling.
The supermodel told British Vogue, "When my husband decided he was going to play another year, I didn't want to put them in a school, because it takes a lot to adapt to a new town." Because of this, she opted to home-school her children and devise her very own curriculum with the help of their teacher. Instead of focusing too much on traditional school subjects, Gisele wanted her children's lessons to focus more on practical subjects, such as cooking and gardening. Apparently, Gisele and her kids "grow everything. I mean, this is their playground."
However, it's unknown how long Benjamin and Vivian will continue to be home-schooled in such a fashion, as their parents' subsequent divorce seems to have changed things. Page Six reported in January 2023 that Tom scouted out an elite private school in Miami.
Gisele and her kids follow a (mostly) plant-based diet
Many celebrity parents are jumping on the plant-based bandwagon, but it seems as if Gisele Bündchen and her children have been eating this way for years. As someone who is incredibly health conscious and specific about what she puts into her body, Gisele has always encouraged Benjamin and Vivian to eat well-balanced and nutritious food. In 2017, she even told People that she and her family had been "eating a more plant-based diet for years."
However, Gisele doesn't just encourage her kids to follow a plant-based diet for the health benefits alone. The supermodel has also made no secret of the fact that she loves planet Earth, and she's been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program since 2009. Because of this, she believes that every single person on this planet should "make sure we leave it in a better place for future generations."
In an effort to do this herself, Gisele and her children have their own organic vegetable garden, where they grow almost all of the plant-based foods that they eat on a daily basis. The model has often posted videos and photos of herself and her kids picking these vegetables on Instagram, stating, "When we eat foods that are alive (and not processed), their nutrients and vitamins keep us healthier, and also help our bodies function better. One of my favorite things is bringing home fresh food and herbs from our community garden."
Their kids' screen time is limited
Although we live in a world where smartphones, tablets, and apps are a huge part of everyday life, Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady put their feet down when it comes to their children and their screen time. Before they parted ways, the former couple put a huge amount of attention on trying to "reconnect" as a family during such a turbulent time in their lives (per Closer Weekly). Because of this, they decided to limit their children's screen time.
During an interview with Marie Claire, Gisele said Benjamin and Vivian "have an iPad where they can sometimes watch movies or play games, but they do have a time limit on that." And while she has stated that she can "understand the value in the connection that technology can bring," she believes that this is only when technology is "used in moderation." Thankfully, it seems as if Benjamin and Vivian don't mind too much, as Gisele confessed that they keep themselves busy in other ways. Benjamin has found a love of drawing, and Vivian plays with her toys.
Interestingly, they're not the only celebrities with this opinion. In recent years, the likes of Bill Gates, Serena Williams, and even Mark Zuckerberg have spoken about their decisions to limit their children's screen time (per Insider).
Tom Brady doesn't want his kids to be spoiled
Although they're no longer together, it seems as if Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady are committed to raising happy and healthy children together. During her interview with Vanity Fair, Gisele stated, "We're not playing against each other. We are a team, and that's beautiful." And while Tom rarely speaks out about his life post-divorce, he opened up about his struggles as a parent while speaking on the "Drive with Jim Farley" podcast.
During this podcast episode, Tom said the "hardest" thing about raising his children is the fact that they are growing up in a wealthy family. He said, "We have people that clean for us. We have people that make our food. We have people that drive us to the airport if we need that" (via Page Six). And while he knows that he is fortunate to be in such a position, he wants his kids to know that "this is not the way reality really is." After all, life wasn't always this way.
While speaking to the podcast host, Tom also mentioned Gisele's rise to the top from a farming town in rural Brazil, and how their children's privileged upbringing has made them appreciate their own achievements even more. But that's exactly why Tom tries to avoid raising spoiled children and instead focuses on creating "experiences that are more along the lines of what most kids go through."
Gisele Bündchen makes her kids follow a holistic approach to health
There's no doubt Gisele Bündchen has raised eyebrows over the years. In 2011, she caused a stir when her comments about sunscreen were taken out of context. Although various news publications stated that the model had called sunscreen "poison," a rep for Gisele later spoke out about the reports (per CBS News). "Gisele would never say not to use sunscreen because she has family members who have had skin cancer. She simply stated that her all-natural skincare line does not include an SPF product," her rep told People.
However, her all-natural approach to her health is something that has also helped her as a parent. Not only does she endorse drug-free childbirth but she also tends to focus on holistic remedies when Benjamin or Vivian fall ill. When praising the power of breastfeeding during an interview with People back in 2019, the model said, "My kids never got sick when I was breastfeeding." Because of this, she used her breast milk in other ways, too. "If they had something in their eyes, I'd put milk in their eyes. Before their flight, I would get a dropper and put milk up their nose ... to [ward off] the bacteria on the plane."
Alongside this, Gisele also finishes each day by massaging her children's feet with aromatherapy oils to release tension (per The Daily Mail).
They make sure their kids have full access to both mom and dad
Many have suggested there were countless signs that Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen's marriage wouldn't last. But despite the drama surrounding their separation and their subsequent divorce, both Tom and Gisele have made it clear that their feelings toward each other should never come between them and their children. So their main rule as co-parents is to allow their children to have full access to both mom and dad at all times.
As part of their custody agreement, it was decided that the pair would have joint custody of Benjamin and Vivian (per People). A source also told People that Tom planned to continue living in Tampa, while Page Six later learned Gisele had secretly bought an $11.5 million mansion on Miami Beach. And while they may be four hours away from each other now, Gisele's new abode is apparently just a stone's throw from a house that Tom owns in Miami.
But despite being separated in both a legal and physical sense, Gisele and Tom don't want this distance to affect their children. A source close to the pair told People, "The kids adore them both, and they'll have full access to both, whenever they want. They're not vindictive like that."
Gisele wants her kids to be bilingual
Thanks to her Brazilian roots, Gisele Bündchen can speak English and Portuguese fluently. But that's not all. The model actually speaks five different languages; Portuguese, English, French, Italian, and Spanish. That's a hugely impressive feat, considering the Brazilian native moved to the United States in 1996 with just a few English and Spanish phrases in her locker (per Insider).
But before the days of Duolingo, Gisele relied on unlikely sources to help her English skills. She told "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" in 2014, "My wonderful cassette tapes, Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey, saved my life!" (via YouTube). It was thanks to these tapes that she was able to communicate and thrive in the modeling world, but there's no doubt she still favors her native tongue over English.
In fact, she's even teaching her children how to speak Portuguese. The model has confirmed that she has been speaking Portuguese with her children since they were toddlers — and it's been suggested that both Benjamin and Vivian are now fluent in the language. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Tom Brady. Although the quarterback attempted to read books to his children in Portuguese while he was still married to Gisele, he messed up "half the words" and was no match for his kids (via People).
They make sure their kids give back to the community
Although they don't shout about their charitable endeavors from the rooftops, both Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are extremely generous. Since their split, the famous football star has been spotted helping out at food banks (per Page Six). And in April 2023, Gisele posted about her volunteering efforts for a women's shelter on Instagram. And while they're no longer together, it seems as if Tom and Gisele are on the same page when it comes to encouraging their kids to follow in their charitable footsteps.
In fact, their son Benjamin has already proven that he has what it takes to continue the generosity associated with the Brady name. During her 2020 Marie Claire cover story, which focused on the model's sustainability efforts, Gisele told the publication that her son has taken a particular interest in saving the environment and using his privilege to help out.
"One story that I can remember is when we were at the beach and my son Benny found plastic in the ocean," she said. "He was so upset, and I explained to him that this is what happens after we discard things; they go to landfills and sometimes end up in the ocean. For the past couple of years, he decided that he did not want presents from his friends at his birthday party. Instead, he would like if they could donate to organizations that help endangered species."
Gisele Bündchen rarely lets her kids eat candy and donates it
As we already know, Gisele Bündchen is all about her health and wellness. From her morning routine to her mostly plant-based diet, everything she puts in or on her body is a conscious decision based on her desire to live a healthy and natural life. And while Tom has been spotted eating pizza with his kids since the divorce, it seems as if Gisele is a little stricter when it comes to these cheat meals (via Page Six). Especially when it comes to candy.
The model raised eyebrows in 2016 when she spoke to People about her kids' recent Halloween trick-or-treating adventure. Although most kids come back from trick-or-treating with a Halloween haul that's full of sugar, Gisele confessed that she "let them try one [piece], but they really only had one bite and then they didn't want it anymore." She stated that this was most likely because "we don't really have that kind of sugar in our house."
However, Gisele didn't just throw all of the leftover candy into the garbage can. During the interview, the model added, "I told them if they didn't like it I was going to give it away to other kids, and they actually let me give their candy away."
Tom Brady won't force football on his son
Tom Brady is regarded as one of the best football players of all time, and all eyes have been on his two sons to see whether they will follow in his footsteps and eventually make their way onto the field. And during an episode of Sirius XM's "Let's Go!" podcast in October 2022, he confirmed that his eldest son Jack had indeed started playing high school football.
Jack reportedly plays as a free safety, but sometimes steps in to play the position of quarterback, which is something that makes his dad happy. Tom told the podcast hosts, "I never imagined him playing football. So getting out there and watching him play has been so much fun for me" (via Today). But what about his youngest son, Benjamin?
Well, it seems as if Benjamin is less likely to be making his way onto the football field — and Tom has come to appreciate and accept that. According to Men's Health, he initially struggled to come to terms with the fact that his second son wouldn't like the same things as his first son. But he's since learned that everyone is different, and he told the publication, "The reality is that Benny just likes different things. And it's great because now I just have to go do what he wants to do. When we do that, we have the best time." So he won't force football on him if that's not what he wants.
They're encouraging their kids to take care of the earth
Both Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are huge environmental advocates, but Giselle is especially in tune with her connection to Mother Nature. In 2020, the model spoke to Marie Claire for an in-depth interview that focused specifically on her sustainable lifestyle. And during this interview, she confirmed that her family is constantly thinking about how they can be kinder to the environment.
"My family tries to focus on limiting the use of paper and plastic at home. We utilize a water filter and reusable water bottles and compost all our natural food waste. When we go grocery shopping, we always bring our own bags, and by buying from local farmers we reduce packaging waste," Gisele told the publication. Not only that, but they also grow a lot of their produce at home in their garden, and they even have their own beehives.
In 2020, Gisele showed her children just how much the environment meant to her when she decided to boycott her own 40th birthday to save the planet. She rejected elaborate gifts and decided to plant 40,000 trees in the Amazon rainforest instead (per People). The supermodel wrote about her decision on Instagram and explained, "I've already talked to my family and my friends — and they will all turn their gifts into trees. That way, we can all help give something back to our planet." She also encouraged her audience to follow in her footsteps.