Cindy Crawford Says Her Secret To Raising Great Kids Was Being 'In The Moment'

Apr 24, 2023

Cindy Crawford is one of the original 90s supermodels, and not only does her legacy live on today, but she's actually still modeling! Born on Feb. 20, 1966, in DeKalb, Illinois, Crawford shot to fame in the late 80s after moving to New York and getting signed with Elite New York modeling agency.

She quickly joined the ranks of other top-level models at the time, such as Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington, and was featured on a Vogue 1990 cover alongside them that is now considered iconic. Throughout the following decade, Crawford was one of the most popular supermodels, gracing the covers of prestigious magazines and strutting down runways for top fashion designers. 

Crawford left her career as a full-time model in 2000 in order to have children and focus on family life. She has two children with her husband, Rande Gerber, a 23-year-old son named Presley Gerber and a 21-year-old daughter named Kaia Gerber.

Both children take after their parents’ stunning good looks — they are a very photogenic family indeed — both Kaia and Presley had pursued careers in the modeling world like their mother – who wouldn’t if you have the genes as good as Crawford?

Presley modeled in Dolce & Gabbana's spring 2017 campaign and even made his runway debut, walking for Moschino in their summer resort fashion show. On the other hand, Kaia has walked for luxury brands like Calvin Klein, Chanel, Fendi, Valentino, and Versace, all at the young age of 21. 

But despite their respective careers and paths in life, Crawford never faltered in becoming a great mother to her children. In a People Magazine interview, Crawford opened up about how she raised her two children, instilling the morals and values that she has lived by as she became one of the industry’s most respected figures.

Interestingly, Kaia, Crawford’s daughter, never fully realized that her mother was famous until after a trip to an amusement park. 

“I think it was only on my eighth birthday, at Disneyland, that I started to understand what was going on. I wanted to take pictures with the princesses, and everyone wanted to take pictures with her!” she revealed to Teen Vogue.

From then on, Kaia has taken huge influence from her mother, especially since she entered the same competitive industry as her. Like her mother, Kaia debuted on the modeling stage at 16 years old, making Calvin Klein the first brand she walked for. Kaia’s humility and values could be credited to the way her mother had raised her. 

In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, Crawford revealed that in contrast to other families who forbid to let their children talk to grown-ups. They never sent Presley and Kaia to the “kids table.” 

"I think because of that, they're very comfortable in most life situations,” Crawford emphasized.

Aside from giving her children more attention and care, the actress is also an advocate for parents and people in her generation to become more “present” when it comes to their children. 

"It's like when you're present, you're actually part of the process in a bigger way ... just try to be in the moment — when you're with people, be with people."

Growing up, Crawford experienced profound loss, which steered her to the path of being more charitable. Because of this, she has spent a large amount of time donating to the Children's Hospital LA and the Leukemia Society of America, which in turn, inspired her daughter Kaia to do the same thing. As for Presley, the young lad has expressed his desire to help out and raise awareness on mental health and depression. 

What can you say about Cindy Crawford’s parenting technique? Do you agree with the values she instilled in Kaia and Presley growing up? Would you have done the same thing as her? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other mothers who you think would appreciate reading this!