Angelina Jolie , an American movie star, is known and respected by people around the world. It has nothing to do with her beauty and acting skills but with her numerous good deeds as Goodwill Ambassador for UN Refugee Agency. Six years ago, she adopted an orphan, Maddox, in Cambodia; three years ago, a girl, Zahara, in Ethiopia; two years ago, she gave birth to a girl, Shiloh; one year ago, she again, adopted a boy,Pax, in Vietnam; this July, she gave birth to a pigeon pair. So, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have six children all togethder.
What is the life like in such a multi-lingual family with its members of different nationalities (it is like a mini-UN)? This is what nanny Jinna witnessing as she worked in Jolie's on the first day.
Unexpected Mischief
On March, 2008. A 32-year-old Vietnamese, Jinna, began to work as a nanny in Jolie and Pitt's. As she entered the living room, she saw two big boards hanging below a crystal chandelier.
On one board, it said:
1, NO BARBIE DOLLS
2,NO PLASTIC SOLDIERS
3,NO COCA-COLA
4,NO FAST FOOD
5,NO CARTOONS
6,CASUAL DRESS
On the other, it listed what the kids need to do on March22. saying:
"Maddox(on duty): MAKE BREAKFAST
TRAIN DOFU TO PEE IN THE YARD
Pax:PUT AWAY TOYS IN THE BATH TUB
STUDY FRENCH FOR ONE HOUR
Zahara:PUT AWAY THE LIPSTICK AND EYE SHADOW
GIVE THE TOYS BACK TO SHILOH
Shiloh:WEAR SOCKS BY YOURSELF AND IN THE SAME COLOR
GIVE THE SHAMPOO WITH CHOCOLATE FLAVOR TO NANNY BRANDY
MARK IT RED IF YOU FINISH IT "
The next morning, Jinna was awaken by a shiek. Shiloh screamed from fright as her hands and back were stuck on the bed with a quit wrapped around her body. Pitt touched the bed and concluded that someone applied glue on it. They put Shiloh, as well as the sheet into the bath tub and Shiloh stopped crying until she was free. As Shiloh was the only biological daughter, Jinna thought the couple might storm into the room of the other kids and question them. To her suprise, Jolie and Pitt just walked to their room, yawning, with one embracing Shiloh in arms.
This aroused Jinna's great curiosity. In 2007, Jolie going to Vietnam to adopt an orphan has caused a sensation. Some people thought she was just acting and others thought she was obsessed with children. So Jinna wanted to see how Jolie educated kids.
Unique "Alarm clock"
At 6:30 in the morning, the alarm clock went off suddenly. Jinna got up and saw no one in the living room. Something was knocking at the door, it turned out a big Labrador dog, a smal shepherd dog, a persian cat and a sheep beating the door with their paws. As soon as the door was open, the animals went upstairs and then noises were heard.
Jinna made breakfast chocolate butter and pitza with another nanny Brandy. The Labrador dog ran into the kitchen,then a Asia-born, handsome boy appeared at the door. Brandy asked,
"Maddox, what are you going to make for breakfast?"
"Tomato pasta."
Then the sheep came, followed by a yellow-skin boy, Pax. Jinna then understood that the alarm clock set at 6:30 was to wake up the animals, who were the alarm clocks of the kids. Jinna said hello to Pax in Vietnamese, who returned in Vietnamese,too. Jinna was moved to hug him for he didn't forget his native language.
Shiloh came downstairs, followed by a persian cat. She smiled at Jinna naughtily, as if she had forget being played tricks on last night.
Maddox was very skillful at mixing tomato butter. He made breakfast for his parents once a week and it has lasted for two years. Then he picked up the interphone, said,"Daddy, wake up, or you'll find eggs in your shoes. and mommy, wake up,or kufu panda (the protagonist of a cartoon with Jolie as the co-producer) has nothing to eat but mustard."
A war at breakfast
Jolie and Pitt went downstairs with sleeping eyes. Just as kids got used to be waken up by animals, the couple also enjoyed the fun of being waken up by the kids. Spotting a kid was not around, Jolie asked,"Where is our Princess Zahara?" Pax answered,"She would go on a hunger strike as a protest for Shiloh breaking her toys, unless you two grant her the right to play with Shiloh's Treasure Chest for one day!" Jolie picked up the phone," Honey, if you go downstairs now, i promise you'll get a surprise bigger than the Treasure Chest."
At last, Zahara came down. She is a chubby black girl with bowed legs. When she was adopted, she was on the verge of death from sickness. Jolie took her across the world to find the cure and finally she was recovered.
As the kid sat down, Jolie said,while eating noodles,"Last night, someone applied glue on Shiloh's bed and i want to know who did this. I want the truth and I also need you to promise never do it again."
Maddox dropped a cookie in front of Pax, shouting"It is him who has the strong adhesive." Pax quickly stood up, retorted"It was not me, Zahara has stolen it." Zahara reacted violently, throwing chololate butter at Pax's face, which angered Pax, who throwed cholocate everywhere as if it was a bomb and shouted"Go to hell" in Vietnamese. As the war escalated, Pax shouted in Vietnamese, Zahara in African, Maddox in Cambodian,and English and French were also heard among them. Feeling a lot of fun, Shiloh shrieked excitedly, grabbed some food and applied it all over herself. Food was thrown everywhere, but the couple enjoyed their breakfast leisurely as if nothing had happened. After finishing his breakfast, Pitt said,"I am 'on duty' tonight, and who did it should confess, or none of you are allowed to watch cartoon in a week", The couple left the room, leaving the children at war.
The truth came out
As soon as Jolie and Pitt retreated, the kids became quiet. They let Brandy change their clothes and went to school. Maddox went to soccer school; Zaraha learned ballet; Pax and Shiloh learned music and painting.
As Jinna cleaned the mess, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. While Brandy explained,"Kids know where they are from, they thank their parents and want to prove that they are the best in front of Jolie and Pitt. As long as the couple is around, the kids want to assert themselves.Chocolate and pitza are their favorite food, it also because they dont hurt when used to throw at each other. The time Jolie and Pitt spent with kid is less than an hour, but they will do their best to meet their needs. Breakfast is always the same. but snacks will be served to supply nutrition"
Jinna asked,"Why doesn't she demand everyone to speak English, i think she will not know if kids speak dirty words." Brandy answered,"Because she hopes the kid will not forget where they come from. She found tutors to teach the kid their native languages, bought two houses in Vietnam and Cambodia for her two sons. Every year she takes them to live there for a couple of days, telling them to come back as they grow up to help more people there since they are one of them." Then it came to Jinna that, in this seemingly choatic family, there are humanitarian rules. At that time, the bell rang, and the department store delivered goods as the couple ordered all kinds of toys, clothes and food for the kid in their spare time, one of the package said "Treasure Chest."
In the afternoon, the kid went home one after another and did things written on the boards. When Jolie came home, she opened the presents with the kids. When Zahara got the Treasure Box, she screamed with excitement, and gave Jolie a kiss,
"Mom, i applied the glue."
"why?"Jolie asked patiently.
"Because Shiloh always falls asleep with the quilt falling off, i think if i applied some glue, the quilt will stick to her and she won't catch cold."
Maddox, standing by, cut in,"Why don't you admit it this morning?"
"Shiloh broke my toys and Pax said I wanted to revenge, so i am afraid if i told the truth, no on would believe me."
Jolie kissed gently on her face, and said,"Honey, i trust you all!"
In the evening, Pitt came back. By "on duty", he meant that making dinner for the kids by himself. By dinner, he meant French fries and fried chicken and they enjoyed their dinner. Jinna asked Brandy,"Why not revoke all the rules, for my part ,only the last one is obeyed." Brandy answered,"Don't obey all the rules doesn't mean the rules are of no use. Sometimes ease the rules a little is more effective than enforce them violently."
Such a happy family is rarely seen in the world with parents being superstars and kids being supercool sweethearts. In this familly, besides money and glory, there are also love, happiness, kindness and freedom.