Robert De Niro, 81, divulges his No. 1 parenting rule while raising 2-year-old daughter

Robert De Niro has a golden rule when it comes to raising his seven children.

The actor, 81, gave sage parenting advice amid raising his 2-year-old daughter, Gia, with girlfriend Tiffany Chen.

“The main thing is to support your kids,” he told “Entertainment Tonight”. “As long as they’re not hurting themselves, doing anything destructive or anything like that, you have to support them — period.

“Even if you don’t go with it or think that they … you have to support them. And they have to know that you support them. Always.”⁠

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De Niro also gave an update on his youngest child, whom he and Chen, 45, welcomed in April 2023.

“She’s just pure joy,” he said when asked about raising her in this stage of his life. “She’s 2 now, so as they get older and older then… you know? But it’s always wonderful. Pure joy, what can I say?”⁠

The two-time Oscar winner previously admitted he doesn’t change Gia’s diapers.

“No, no, but I used to,” he told the Sunday Times in November 2024. “I spend my mornings watching [the YouTuber for toddlers] Ms. Rachel with her, and I give her her bottle.”

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“I try my best, that’s all,” he added about raising his children. “I hope they’ll be happy.”

He also does “the heavy lifting” when it comes to Gia.

“It is what it is. It’s OK. I mean, I don’t do the heavy lifting,” he shared in October 2023, noting that raising kids “doesn’t get easier” with time. “I’m there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important.”

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De Niro’s older children include daughter Drena, 57, and son Raphael, 48, with first wife Diahnne Abbott; twins Julian and Airyn, 29, with ex Toukie Smith; son Elliot, 27, and daughter Helen Grace, 13, with his ex-wife, Grace Hightower.

In April, the “Taxi Driver” actor shared his support for his daughter Airyn after she came out as transgender.

“I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter,” he told TMZ.

“I don’t know what the big deal is…I love all my children,” he added.