From Breast Milk in the Nose to Sun Gazing, Gisele Bündchen’s Natural Approach to Parenting Has Raised Eyebrows

It’s no secret that Gisele Bündchen is a huge name in Hollywood. The Brazilian fashion model has been in the limelight for decades, tearing up runways and posing for photoshoots. And as one of the most beautiful women in the world, it didn’t take long for her to find the love of her life and set up her roots in the US. Today, Gisele and football legend Tom Brady have two children together, plus a step-child from Tom’s previous relationship.

As all eyes turn to Gisele and Tom and their rumored divorce proceedings, fans can’t help but take a deeper look at the life they have built together. And while there’s no doubt that the iconic couple loves their children, Gisele’s unique parenting techniques have raised eyebrows. Her “hippie-dippy” ways are thought to be downright bizarre, but we guess Gisele thinks these strange rules work for her and her family…

The Model Believes in Baby Wearing No Matter the Dangerous Situation

There are many “attachment parents” out there who wholeheartedly believe in baby wearing. This is the idea that you hold your baby close to you at all times to strengthen the bond between parent and child. And while Gisele has not outright spoken out about baby wearing, she has been spotted wearing slings in the past. Even in very dangerous situations.

In 2014, during a vacation with Tom and their children in Costa Rica, Gisele was spotted riding an ATV with her very young daughter in tow. Although Vivian was in a sling, critics were quick to call out the mother for her neglectful parenting. They couldn’t believe that Gisele was carrying her daughter on such a vehicle and without a helmet.

Gisele Places Slices of Onion in Her Kids’ Bedrooms When They Have a Temperature

Gisele has a very natural and organic take on life, and she believes that Mother Nature is at the root of everything; including her health and the health of her children. Because of this, she is always on the lookout for natural remedies to illnesses and how to keep her children as healthy and happy as possible. This often involves aromatherapy oils and onion slices.

Every single day without fail, Gisele will massage her children’s feet with aromatherapy oils to stimulate their blood flow and to move around any toxins they may have inside of them. As if that wasn’t enough, she puts slices of onions in their rooms when they have a temperature, and she stands by the fact that this helps to reduce it.

She Believes That Breastfeeding Should Be a Legal Requirement for New Mothers

Every parent finds their own way to feed their children, but Gisele Bündchen caused a ruckus when she told Harper’s Bazaar UK that “There should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months. Some people think they don’t have to breastfeed, and I think, ‘Are you going to give chemical food to your child, when they are so little?'”

As you can imagine, this blanket statement didn’t go down well with parents who physically couldn’t breastfeed their kids or those who chose not to. And this backlash didn’t go unnoticed. Gisele later backtracked on her blog, writing that “My intention in making a comment about the importance of breastfeeding has nothing to do with the law. It comes from my passion and beliefs about children.”

Gisele Only Allows Her Kids To Eat One Candy a Year, and the Rest They Have To Donate

It’s no secret that kids love candy. Many beg their parents to let them eat candy when they’ve finished their homework or completed a chore, and some are more than happy to oblige. However, Gisele Bündchen is not one of those moms. In fact, Gisele only allows her children to eat one single piece of candy a year. And that’s only on Halloween.

Gisele explained her reasoning to PEOPLE, stating that “We don’t really have that kind of sugar in our house.” Every Halloween after a trick-or-treating adventure, Gisele allows her kids to have one piece of candy before they then gather it all together and donate it to charity. While this is a generous thing to do, some critics have wondered why Gisele won’t let her children have more themselves.

She Believes in Alternative Potty Training Methods and “Natural Infant Hygiene”

It can take many children a couple of years to be fully potty trained, but Gisele Bündchen has claimed that she was able to potty train both of her children by the time they were just six months old. While this feat has been congratulated by some parents, others have raised their eyebrows at the way that she went about it. After all, her “elimination communication” method is very controversial.

Although Gisele kept diapers on her children at night, during the day she would focus her attention on “natural infant hygiene.” In her eyes, all parents should be able to read their babies’ cues as to when they need to go to the bathroom. By reading these cues, you can take them to the potty to do their business, instead of relying on a diaper. It reportedly worked for Gisele, but some have critized the time and attention needed to do this.

Daily Meditation Sessions Are Non-Negotiable in the Bündchen/Brady Household

Over the course of her career, Gisele has impressed fans with her svelte figure – but this doesn’t come without hard work. Gisele monitors everything that goes into her body, and she maintains a strict mental and physical exercise regime. And since having her kids, the supermodel has had some littles to keep her company on this journey. In fact, daily meditation sessions are a non-negotiable in her house.

Gisele spoke to Vogue in 2017 about the importance of daily meditation and yoga. “As a mother, you’re always giving. It’s important to give something to yourself, so you can give from a place of being full, instead of giving from a place of being depleted, which isn’t healthy for you and the family.” Her daughter, Vivian Lake Brady, reportedly loves her daily yoga sessions with her mom.

The Supermodel Curated Her Kids’ Own Personal Homeschool Curriculum

In a bold move, Gisele and Tom Brady decided to keep homeschooling their children when Tom made his way out of retirement. But they don’t learn simple arithmetic or reading skills. When deciding to homeschool her children, Gisele knew that there would have to be changes made, and so she decided to design their own personalized curriculum with the help of a teacher.

Today, Vivian and Benjamin spend their days working through a curriculum created by their mom, which focuses on creativity and active work rather than textbooks and assessments. In fact, they have regular classes on cooking and gardening, and part of their schoolwork includes growing their own fruits and vegetables in their own backyard.

The Supermodel Encourages Her Family To Eat a Plant-Based Diet

As you can imagine, Gisele Bündchen is extremely careful about what she puts into her body. She rarely eats junk food and she eats whole foods that are full of nutritional value. And while some parents would assume that she cooks separate meals for her young children, that’s not the case at all. Gisele’s kids eat what she eats, and that’s a largely plant-based diet.

The supermodel told PEOPLE that her family has been “eating a more plant-based diet for years,” stating that “It’s not only good for our health and makes us feel good, but it is also good for the planet.” And while fans appreciate the positive environmental changes she’s making, there are some who believe that she should allow her kids some leniency to enjoy different, less healthy foods.

Gisele Doesn’t Believe in Modern Medicine and Uses Alternative Methods Instead

As someone who believes in putting all-natural products into her body and the body of her children, it should come as no surprise to learn that Gisele isn’t an advocate for modern medicine. She doesn’t believe that the human body needs all of the pharmaceuticals and “chemicals” that are sold over the counter and believes that her alternative medicines work for her and her family.

Gisele has explained her methods in the past, and when her daughter had a sore throat she supposedly cured it using cold milk and a cloth. She confessed that “I pour really cold milk onto a cloth, cover the outside of the cloth in plastic wrap and arrange it around [Vivian’s] throat. It’s a little stinky the next morning, but Vivi’s sore throats are usually gone – I have no idea why.”

The Couple Believes Their Wealth Is the “Hardest Thing” About Raising Their Children

Many parents look at Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady with envy in their eyes. They have money to pay for the best childcare, they can afford to feed their kids, and they are constantly jetting off on impressive vacations. However, Tom Brady has spoken out about their wealth, stating that their money is actually the “hardest thing” when it comes to raising their kids.

He told the Drive podcast that “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. … We get off a plane and there’s people waiting there for us and we get ushered in. That’s my kids’ reality, which is the hard part to say, ‘Guys, this is not the way reality really is. … What can we do about that?’” However, many parents struggled to sympathize with their struggles.

Gisele Has Her Kids Join Her in “Sun Gazing” Every Single Morning

Many people see Gisele as one of the most stylish hippies that Hollywood has to offer, and there’s no doubt about the fact that her all-natural way of life seems to fit this image. Not only does she follow a strict and natural regime, but she also gets her kids to follow in her footsteps. In fact, they do this every morning as they “sun gaze” in the early hours.

Sun gazing allows a human to “harness the healing powers of the sun” through meditation and staring directly into the sun during sunset or sunrise. Gisele often takes her children outside with her at around 5 am or 6 am, where they sit on the beach and connect with the energy and the vibrations coming from the sun. As you can imagine, photos of this sun gazing has divided opinions on social media.

She Makes Sure Her Kids Complete Their Morning Chores

Although it’s clear to see that Gisele lives a very unique and unusual life with her children, she also follows the status quo when it comes to teaching her kids a lesson. Like almost every other parent out there, Gisele ensures that her kids complete their morning chores, and she won’t allow them certain privileges until they have finished them to her standards.

According to the supermodel, Gisele and Tom Brady have given their kids their own specific chores to complete every single morning. Their daughter Vivienne is tasked with putting the clean dishes away, while their son Benjamin has the job of feeding their beloved family dogs. By doing this, they hope that they are teaching their kids that they have to work for what they want.

Gisele and Her Kids Eat the Same Extremely Healthy Breakfast Every Single Day

While many parents give their kids Coco Puffs or Pop-Tarts in the mornings, Gisele Bündchen isn’t a normal mom. She’s someone who loves healthy food and nutrition, and so she whips up the same extremely healthy breakfast every single day. In fact, she has previously outlined everything her family eats on a daily basis, and the reasoning behind the specific foods.

She’s stated that “Around 6am, we face the day head-on with a glass of warm water and pressed lemon to balance the body’s alkaline levels and kick-start the digestive system. We’ll follow this up with a revitalizing herbal juice and super-vitamin smoothie, made in a blender with organic fruits. Later in the morning, we’ll have brunch with fresh fruit, eggs, avocados, gluten-free bread and coconut butter. At the weekends, Tom likes to indulge in oatmeal pancakes and my son, Benny, loves them.”

Tom and Gisele Encourage Their Kids To Go Outside and Limit Screen Time

In today’s day and age, technology is everywhere. And while some parents are thankful for screens when it comes to calming down their children or keeping them occupied, Tom Brady and Gisele aren’t too keen on screens. They have stated that “Our family tries to limit the amount of screen time. Technology and social media can be a wonderful platform to spread positivity and awareness, but I do believe it is important to stay present and mindful of how it is used.”

During an interview with Marie Claire, Bündchen expanded on this, stating that their iPad usage comes with strict limits and that the couple encourages their kids to go outside and play instead. The kids are also not allowed to use their devices at the dinner table, as “this is a time we use to reconnect and catch up about our day.”

Gisele Absolutely Won’t Stand for Tom Shouting at the Kids

Rumors of Gisele and Tom Brady’s divorce have been circulating for a while now, and these rumors suggest that Tom’s inability to fully retire from the football world has pushed a wedge between them. In the past, sources close to Gisele have actually spoken about how his busy schedule has affected their home life and their ability to co-parent together.

According to the source, “When Tom’s had a busy day of training, he’ll come home and pass out on the couch. There’s a lack of effort, for sure, but what annoys Gisele more is when Tom yells at the kids for behaving badly during the time he does spend with them. She feels he should be more patient.” So, patience is obviously a virtue for Gisele Bündchen.

Gisele Often Puts Breast Milk in Her Children’s Eyes and Noses

When she became a mom, Gisele Bündchen divided opinions. As she spoke up about her experiences and her parenting techniques, some fans followed her every move… while others were more critical. And while she made no secret of the fact that she was a keen supporter of breastfeeding, nobody expected her to confess what she did with the leftover milk.

When talking to PEOPLE about her breastfeeding experiences, she noted that “My kids never got sick when I was breastfeeding.” So, she decided to use her breastmilk to then treat every illness that affected her children: “If they had something in their eyes, I’d put breast 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.”

The Whole Family Has To Eat Dinner and Go to Bed As Early as Possible

To maintain her place in the limelight as a successful model, Gisele has found tricks and tips that work for her. During the height of her fame, she would eat her dinner early and then go to bed as soon as she could, so that she could get her beauty sleep and allow her body to rest and recuperate. Now that she’s a mom, she seems to be continuing this routine with her kids in tow.

In fact, it’s been suggested that Gisele and her kids eat their dinner between 5:30 pm and 6 pm to ensure that their bodies can digest their food before they go to sleep. By doing this, Gisele believes that their body will be “cleansed” and “light” and ready for another day full of energy. Whether her kids like this routine or not is still unknown.

Gisele and Tom Refuse To Put Their Kids Into the Public School System

Gisele and Tom Brady’s children have only known their parents to be celebrities, and they’ve only known their father as a hugely successful football player. And while they spent their early years in the school system, the couple decided to switch to homeschooling when Tom decided to retire in early 2022. However, Tom then decided to come out of retirement… which left them with a tough decision. In the end, though, the couple decided to continue homeschooling.

Gisele explained that “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. They left all their friends in Boston – and just look at what the world was going through. I needed to create a soft landing.” But as we already know, their new curriculum isn’t exactly normal.

Gisele Is Committed to Having Bilingual Children

Coming from Brazil, Gisele is fluent in both Portuguese and English, but her linguistic skills don’t end there. At school, the young model also learned German, Italian, Spanish, and some French, and so languages have become a huge part of her life. Because of that, she is committed to having fully bilingual children.

She has explained her decision in the past, stating that “neither of my parents speaks English all that well, and my nieces and one of my sisters don’t speak English at all, and so it’s important to me that my children are able to communicate with my family.” She helps them out by reading to them in Portuguese, and while Tom also tries, his grasp of the language isn’t quite as impressive.

Her “Teachable Moments” Have Been Called Out by Other Celebs

In 2018, Gisele’s unique parenting style made the front page news. This was mostly because she divided opinions on her “teachable moment” following Tom Brady’s Super Bowl loss. After the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots, the supermodel could be heard telling her daughter: “Just this time. Daddy won five times. They never won before. Sometimes you have to let other people win. … We have to share. Sharing is caring.”

However, Whoopi Goldberg was quick to call out the supermodel for her words on The View. Talking about the moment on the television show, Whoopi said “I’m sorry. Didn’t the Eagles bust their behinds and earned that? It’s not like Tom Brady said, ‘Shhh. Let’s let them win.’ Na-ah. They beat you. And that’s what happens.” Like Whoopi, many other parents believe that Gisele should have been more realistic with her daughter.

The Hospital Was a No-Go When She Was Giving Birth and Undergoing Her “Transformation”

As someone who believes in a natural and organic way of life, it should probably come as no surprise to learn that Gisele didn’t want to go to the hospital to give birth to her children. And despite her gruelling 18-hour labour with her son Benjamin Rein, she wouldn’t have changed her home water birth for anything. She noted that she “wanted to experience the transformation… I never felt so empowered as looking at him and thinking ‘Oh, my God, we did it together!'”

However, Tom Brady wasn’t as keen on his wife’s decision. The model told Vogue that “I remember in the beginning, [Tom] wasn’t into the idea of a home birth. He was like, ‘You’re not going to do that, because you’re going to die.’ I made it clear that this is my body and I’m going to decide how I give birth.” With this in mind, it’s any wonder whether it’s their differing opinions on parenting that have led to the rifts in their marriage.

Gisele and Tom Teach Their Kids To Look After the Planet

As Gisele Bündchen has gotten older, she’s developed a new-found appreciation for planet Earth and the natural world as a whole. She tries to live her life as naturally as possible, but in her eyes, her existence still requires a lot of work. That’s why she’s teaching her kids to look after the planet and work together to keep it as healthy as possible.

She often posts photos of herself and her kids planting trees or growing their own vegetables, and she previously told PEOPLE that “I love the Earth and every living being on it. I feel we are all so blessed we get to live on this beautiful planet. No matter what country we are born in, the earth is the home we all share, so we should take care of it. In a way, we are all Earth trustees, and we need to make sure we leave it in a better place for future generations.”

Gisele Won’t Use Sunscreen On Herself or Her Kids As She Thinks It Is “Poison”

In today’s day and age, sunscreen is everywhere. Scientists and average Joes alike believe it protects the skin from harmful UV rays, and they slather their skin in the stuff every single day. However, you won’t find Gisele Bündchen putting sunscreen on herself or her kids in the morning. Not even when they head out to do their “sun-gazing.”

Talking to the Daily Mail, Gisele stated that “I cannot put this poison on my skin. I do not use anything synthetic.” She has since clarified her stance on sunscreen, however. She now uses all-natural sunscreens if she has to, but more than anything she will avoid going out in the heat of the day. Instead, she goes outside before 8 am to avoid the sun when it’s at its strongest.

Gisele Thinks Mothers Who Don’t Snap Back After Pregnancy Are “Garbage Disposals”

It’s no secret that women’s bodies change during and after pregnancy. They get stretch marks, they can get sagging skin, and they can even have a bump for weeks after they’ve given birth. This is all natural and part and parcel of having a child, but many believe that celebrities promote the negative ideology that mom’s need to “snap back” to their pre-baby body as soon as possible. And Gisele seems to be one of them.

During a controversial interview with Vogue, the supermodel caused outrage when she said “I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals. I was mindful about what I ate, and I gained only 30 pounds.” Many believe that Gisele was contributing to the unhealthy modern standards that are being pushed on new moms.

This Mother Is More Than Happy To Pierce Her Baby’s Ears

Piercing ears is a contentious topic around the world – especially for parents. While some parents make their kids wait until they are of legal age to get their ears pierced, there are others who are happy for their kids to get pierced at any age. In fact, Gisele pierced her daughter’s ears when she was just eight months old, and critics had a lot to say about it.

When Gisele posted the above image to her Instagram page, she incensed a lot of her followers, who likened her piercing her daughter’s ears to child abuse. However, some were quick to support the new mom, stating that “I think what a lot of people don’t realize is that this is something that’s very popular in Gisele’s culture. She’s Brazilian, and in Latin America it is very common to get your infant daughter’s ears pierced.”

The Model Blames Eating Disorders on Parents, Not the Fashion Industry

For many years, the fashion industry has been called out for setting unrealistic body and beauty standards. Pictures are edited, models have access to plastic surgery, and they have nutritionists and personal trainers on speed dial. However, many believe that this has a harmful effect on the models and everyday people looking up to these models. Gisele doesn’t think so, though.

In fact, she blames the existence of eating disorders on parents rather than the fashion industry. She explained her stance in 2007, stating that “I never suffered from this problem [anorexia] because I had a very strong family base…Everybody knows that the norm in fashion is thin. But excuse me, there are people born with the right genes for this profession.” Of course, her comments were hit with criticism, with many people calling her out for being entitled and out of touch

There Are Absolutely No Lazy Sunday Couch Sessions in the Brady/Bündchen Household

As we already know, Gisele Bündchen is someone who takes immense care of her body and her health. She strives to be as natural as possible, and that’s why she is wholeheartedly against a lazy Sunday slob day on the couch. Unlike others around the globe, Gisele has no room in her life for Disney movies and popcorn. So, she and the kids avoid them at all costs.

Bündchen previously told Elle that she refuses to become a “potato sack” by sitting on the couch and doing nothing. She stated that “I love outdoor sports, like volleyball, and I play them whenever I can. But my secret is that I watch TV maybe twice a year. I’m not a potato sack; I’ve never sat on my couch. If I’m home, I’m cleaning, feeding my dogs, doing stuff. Life is too precious to waste time.”

She’s Committed to Raising Kids Who Understand the True Meaning of Their Words

Today, Gisele Bündchen is one of the most popular women in the world. She has a whole army of fans willing to back up her every move, but that wasn’t always the case. When she was younger, Gisele was bullied for being tall and pretty – and it’s these experiences that have shaped her life as a mother. Now, she’s committed to raising kids who understand how their words can impact people.

In the past, she has explained that “I try to show my kids how words have so much power and to use them with care. If they don’t have anything loving to say, then they shouldn’t say anything; each person is special in his or her own way and everybody has something unique to add to this world. We are all here to learn and grow.”

She Thinks Children Should Be Given “Immortal” Names When They Are Born

In the celebrity world, it’s not uncommon to come across strange baby names. And it seems as though Gisele is well and truly a passenger on this strange baby name train. While the children she shares with Tom Brady have relatively normal names – Vivian Lake and Benjamin Rein – she wouldn’t have called them this if Tom hadn’t held her back. After all, she believes that parents should give their kids “immortal” names.

When Gisele and Tom welcomed their son into the world, Gisele actually had another name picked out for him. She wanted to call him River, as she “wanted something always flowing, immortal.” Brady wasn’t so keen, though, and so the couple eventually compromised and opted for Reinoldo instead, in honor of Gisele’s father.

Gisele Is of the Opinion That Her Step-Son Is “100%” Her Son

When Gisele and Tom Brady first got together, their relationship was fraught with drama. Just a couple of months into their relationship, it was discovered that Brady’s ex Bridget Moynahan was three months pregnant with his child. Instead of breaking up, Gisele committed to being the stepmother to Brady and Bridget’s son. However, her thoughts on step-parenting have caused controversy.

Gisele has confessed that “I understand that he has a mom, and I respect that, but to me it’s not like because somebody else delivered him, that’s not my child. It feel it is, 100 percent. I want him to have a great relationship with his mom, because that’s important, but I love him the same way as if he were mine. I already feel like he’s my son, from the first day.” Unfortunately, many believe that she’s overstepping.

Gisele Makes Sure That Tom Has His Own Special Time With Their Kids

Although Gisele is now venturing into the world of environmentalism, she has spent the past decade or so focusing almost solely on her kids. While Tom has been busy on the football field, Gisele has taken on the role of lead parent – which is why she has made sure that Tom has his own special time with their kids.

Tom himself has stated that his parenting style is much more “mellow” than his wife’s, but he has found ways to keep them entertained and keep their relationship intact. He’s stated that he loves to drive his kids to school, especially if they have a sing-song along to Imagine Dragons on the way. He’s confessed that “We sing a lot! They love the song ‘Radioactive.'”

She Thinks That Being a Mother Is the “Single Biggest Responsibility a Woman Could Have”

In today’s day and age, families come in all shapes and sizes, and the term “family” is being shaped and molded as things change. However, Gisele still believes that women are the core of every family, and she believes that this has all stemmed from her own mother. She’s stated that “I grew up witnessing my mother always trying her best at doing all she could for the six of us girls. My mom devoted her entire life to her family and did it with such grace.”

She continued, “She is my hero. She is the reason why I believe a woman is the core of a family … I can only hope to be for my kids what she will and always be for us … Our rock.” She also caused a stir when she expressed her belief that “Being committed to building a family, becoming a mother, and raising a child with love and awareness is for me, the single biggest responsibility a woman could have.”

Gisele Is a Clean Freak and Cleans Even After Their Paid Cleaner Has Done Their Job

We already know from Tom Brady’s controversial comments about his family’s wealth that they have a cleaner in their home. They pay someone to keep their family home as clean and tidy as possible, and that’s because Gisele believes that a clean house and clean bodies will keep their lives as fulfilling as possible. However, the model isn’t content with the cleaner’s work.

In 2009, she confessed that “I clean the house, do the laundry and cook. There is someone who comes to clean the house once a week, but I do it all over again when she leaves. I’m very perfectionist. A clean house means a clean mind… I love it. Cleaning the house is actually very therapeutic for me. Becoming a parent has given me a whole new perspective on life. I can’t put into words how much I love it.”