Celebrities and their kids: You think you know what they're like, but you have no idea. Or do you? I have never personally seen Obama and his daughters in real life, but I have crafted a near-perfect father-daughter relationship for them in my head. Where did this idea originate? Definitely from some words 44 said in interviews, but also based off of photos I have seen of the Obamas. Celebrity fathers' and kids' body language can be super telling about their relationships.
Well, at least I've heard that it can be. I don't personally possess any body language reading skills, so I reached out to body language expert and author of Persuasion Point: Body Language and Speech for Influence, Traci Brown to see what famous fathers' body language in photos suggested about their relationships with their children.
Of course, the caveat here is that it is impossible to know the intricacies of a father-son or father-daughter relationship based on the public images available of them. "Pictures are just a moment in time," says Brown. "But they can tell us volumes about their real connections." I find it incredibly interesting to hear just how much Brown can deduce from photos alone, but I understand that while a picture is worth a thousand words, it doesn't tell not the entire story. Here's Brown's take on some fathers you may have heard of, from British royalty (Prince William) to American "royalty" (President Obama).
While of course Prince William is not only a father to Prince George — lest I offend Princess Charlotte or baby Princess Louis, who are most certainly reading this article — I was interested to hear Brown's take on this photo of his oldest child. "This picture of William is fantastic," says Brown. "It's really consistent with what we see with him and his kids: giving them his full attention and leading by letting them take the first steps."
Overall, in the photos of William and his children, Brown explains that he seems to always be extending a hand to his children, and is there to protect them if they fall. I find this incredibly sweet, especially since the British royal family can seem a little stuffy.
Being a parent is hard. The disclaimer here is that, "We need more pics to know if this is a trend in his emotions about parenting," says Brown. Still, it looks like both Kanye and North are having a pretty bad day. "He's still protective and holding her close," says Brown. "But clearly would rather be somewhere else." Interesting. This sounds a lot like Kanye. Passionate, but living on some other planet. (I didn't love the recent tweets.)
"He's showing lots of sadness in his eyebrows and looking down," says Brown. "Every parent has a day like this! He's never been one to show much joy this, but he's especially down today." Poor Kanye.
Jay-Z and Blue Ivy are seen here in what looks like an adorable, but very public moment. So many cameras! And body guards! Despite it all, it seems like Jay is intent on maintaining a connection with his daughter. "He's getting down on her level, looking her in the eye," says Brown. "So much so that the kid feels comfortable enough to adjust his boutonnière!" She says this all suggests a truly caring relationship. Also, I love Blue's purse.
Obama! I miss you! (I couldn't help myself.) This throwback to another time has me shook. Still, as a father, Obama seems like he really knows what he's doing with Sasha and Malia.
"You can see that they're in step, [and] all together," says Brown. "So not only does he have a deep connection with each of them, they all share it as a unit." Swoons. "His arm is wrapped tightly around Sasha, and he's doing his best to look her in the eye," adds Brown. "There's a strong family unit going on here!" Which, truly, doesn't surprise me at all after watching this family navigate being in the public eye during an eight-year presidency.
As if I haven't already found enough reasons to love Prince Harry in the past few months, look at his smile towards his dad! "Harry and Charles are showing rare moments of affection," says Brown. They're clearly joking with each other in this moment, and they seem incredibly closer. "This is a big deal because the monarchy is traditionally non-emotional," says Brown. But then again, we all saw Prince Harry's eye-wipes on his wedding day...
Happy Father's Day to all the dad, famous or not!
