8 Child-Rearing Tips For Will And Kate From Monarchs Of The Past

    A look back at the childhoods of British monarchs offers some lessons for raising the royal baby-to-be: For instance, teasing is a bad idea, but tadpoles on toast are fine.

    1. Make sure the royal child learns at least five foreign languages by age eleven.

    2. Invest in media training.

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    Queen Elizabeth II took to the radio airwaves in 1940, when she was just 14, to speak to children evacuated during World War II. Any royal offspring will probably need to make public appearances from a pretty young age — though radio skills may be less important than Facebook. The Prince and Princess should start looking for a social media consultant who's good with kids.

    3. Foster healthy self-esteem.

    4. Choose a contemporary alternative to the "whipping boy."

    5. Give the kid some alone time.

    6. Excessive strictness could backfire.

    7. No teasing.

    8. Encourage youthful exuberance.