Oh, Charlize... we love you so... even when we see some strange photos of you and your two kids. But it's okay. We know how unfair these images can be. Sure, a picture paints a thousand words... But they're often the wrong ones. Seriously, photos can be so curated, staged, or coincidental that we don't actually know what the heck is truly going on. Still, that doesn't stop us from venturing a few cheeky guesses and having a bit of fun with it. Still, when you really look into things, you can gain one or two actual insights. This is especially true of the very rare photos of Charlize Theron and her kids, Jackson and August. From these pics, we're able to gauge some of the most interesting things about their relationship. Without further ado, here are 15 photos of how Charlize Theron treats her kids.

15 Charlize Will Look Like An Absolute Monster In Order To Protect Her Kids From Harm

Yeah... this doesn't look good, does it? Well, at least this famous moment of Charlize's parenting moment looks monstrous without context. Upon further inspection, we can see that she's clearly trying to stop Jackson from running into the parking lot and getting hit by a car. It's a mother's job to protect her young by any means necessary even if it means not looking so hot in the eyes of the press for a moment or two.

14 Whoever They Want To Be Is Literally Okay With This Super-Star Mom

Not so long ago, it was revealed that Charlize Theron's eldest, Jackson, didn't want to be a boy. The Daily Mail covered the story along with a host of other publications. But none of their thoughts matter. The only thing that does is that Jackson's mother accepts the person they want to be. And, as we can see from this photo, Charlize just wants her kids to be happy and healthy, no matter how they want to dress or who they want to be.

13 Building Connections With Father-Figures Who Aren't Their Dads

Sean Penn says that he was never the adoptive father of Jackson, and Charlize seems to agree. But that didn't stop her from allowing him to build a connection with her child when the two were together. Clearly, she's happy when there are some male influences on her child's life, despite raising her kids on her own. If they are good people, and good for her children, Charlize is happy to have them around.

12 Charlize Is There To Let Her Kids Annoy The Living Crap out Of Her

Another job of a mom is to find peace with being annoyed every single second of the day! Yeah, kids are downright irritating at their best. Sure, they're cute and we love them, blah, blah, blah... But it doesn't stop us from wanting to tear our skin off. Charlize is clearly holding it together for her little ones. And that's what every good mother should do. Frankly, this is impressive.

11 Not Every Day Is Happy And That's Really More Than Cool When You Got A Frilly Hat

How amazing is that frilly hat that her little baby is wearing? Seriously, it's impossible to have a truly terrible day when you have a hat like that. But Charlize has been open and honest about how she wants her kids to know that not every day is going to be a good one. Regardless, she is there to love and support them and maybe buy them an extra hat or cuddly pair of pajamas.

10 Grandma Is Around To Help Mommy Co-Parent... Even When It Looks Really Friggin Tedious

So, Jackson wasn't having the best day here. But his mom and grandma were more than willing to step in and help, even if it wasn't fun for them. That's the role Charlize's mom, Gerda, has taken on. Since Charlize is doing most of the work on her own, Gerda has made herself the co-parent when necessary. This helps Charlize balance the responsibilities of raising two children. It also means that Jackson and August know to rely on their grandma when their mom is busy.

9 Middle Fingers To The Paparazzi While They Actually Have A Childhood

Charlize knows her kids are being watched. She knows that she can rarely take them out in public without some creepy member of the paparazzi snapping their photos. But here Charlize is encouraging her kids not to give a crap. She wants them to do things that every kid should do at their age. I.E. going to the beach without having to worry if someone is going to photograph them at an awkward moment.

8 Whatever's Happening Here, August Clearly Isn't Down With It

Why hasn't anyone made this into a meme? August's face is just perfect for one. Although we don't know precisely what's happening in this photo, we do know that August isn't entirely sure of his mother's comment. But that makes her like every other kid. There comes a time in our lives when we realize some of the stuff our parents said was totally ridiculous. It just looks like that moment happened early for this little one.

7 Never Too Old To Be Carried... Charlize Says... Until Jackson's 35, That Is

No wonder Charlize has such an impressive set of arms! Jackson was clearly too old to be carried around like this. But Charlize obviously let her kid do what they wanted. In this case, it's a sign of a loving and understanding mother. In other cases, not so much. But here, it looks like she also wanted to shield Jackson's face from the glaring flashes of the paparazzi cameras.

6 School Isn't Just An Obligation, It's A Privilege... Even if It Sucks Sometimes

Charlize instills her children with a sense of appreciation for the opportunity to go to school. Where Charlize grew up, as well as where her two adopted children were born, not everyone had a chance at formal education. She knows how vital this is for a child's growth. Here we can see that Jackson isn't bogged down with feeling the obligation of going to school, like most first-world kids. And that's thanks to his mama.

5 Charlize Walks Down The Street With A Legit Princess

Before Charlize was open about Jackson's love of dresses and desire to be a girl, the press constantly made a big deal about Jackson's attire. And frankly, it got boring really fast. Who cares!? Let the kid do what they want if they feel comfortable enough. That's clearly how Charlize feels about the matter. And we can see here that she isn't ashamed in the slightest. She embraces her child's desire to walk down the street and be a freaking princess!

4 Charlize Is A Mom Before All Things, Meaning That She's Willing To Wear A Bag That TOTALLY Doesn't Go With Her Outift

Charlize Theron is an A-List movie star. This means that we almost expect her to be glamorous all of the time. But that's not reality. She's a mom before everything else. This means that she has to wear an ugly backpack that doesn't go with her outfit. If her kids can't or don't want to carry it for themselves, she has to buck up. As some of us know, being a parent is as far from glamorous as it gets. AKA fashion tends to take a backseat.

3 "Don't Borrow Mommy's Cartier Shades, Borrow Grandma's Instead!"

Okay, so Charlize can still be a bit of a glamorous star when she has to be. And those do look like expensive glasses. So, chances are, she probably didn't want Jackson playing with them. But that's why grandma is nearby. If Jackson is so fixated with glasses, Grandma Gerda's glasses can be made available. Hey, we all have to do our part. It takes a village to raise a child.

2 Jackson Gets Into Morning Routines Long Before Coffee Should Be Drunk

Look how cute Jackson looks following morning routines with his mama. Although Jackson may be getting into habits that are a bit above their age. Namely, drinking coffee. But Charlize has to drag her kids with her. Chances are, she needs a good strong hit of espresso every morning to help her keep up with her two energetic youngsters. We know we would.

1 Charlize After A Long Day Isn't Thrilled, But Hey, That's Parenting And She Seems To Rock It

Now, this is a photo of a worn-out mom. Seriously, Charlize appears to have had quite a day with her little ones. But still, she manages to rock it. Perhaps this is because she knows that this is part of the role of a parent -- to endure challenging days with children. And anyone who has kids knows that guiding them through a crowd on a warm day is a task and half.