Kim Kardashian West and Kourtney Kardashian are two of the most famous mamas to ever appear on reality television. Kim and her rapper hubby, Kanye West, share 6-year-old North, 3-year-old Saint, 16-month-old Chicago, and new baby boy Psalm, who recently arrived via surrogate. Kourtney has three babies herself: Mason (9), Penelope (6), and Reign (4), whom she shares with her ex Scott Disick.
Kourtney and Kim have a lot in common. They both love their babies fiercely and do their best to balance their busy work schedules with the demands of motherhood and have two of the spunkiest, sassiest, and most adorable 6-year-old daughters on the planet.
Kourt’s baby girl Penelope and Kim’s mini-me Nori have been BFFs since they were infants, and have a lot in common just like their mamas. However, when it comes to the ways their moms are raising them, there are many drastic differences.
It’s a fact that Kim and Kourt both adore and cherish their roles as mothers, but some of the ways they have chosen to raise their babies are very different. There is no right way to raise a child. Perhaps Kourtney said it best when she stated, “Unless someone has walked in [those] shoes, [people] can’t really judge. Everyone needs to make the best choices for their life.”
Nori and Penelope are both thriving despite their starkly contrasting upbringings. Read on for 20 ways Kim and Kourtney parent differently.
20 Junk Food vs. Couture Cuisine
Kim and Kourtney both do their best to provide healthy meals for their children, but Kourtney is much more strict about what foods her kiddos can partake of than Kim is. Kourt’s household is gluten and dairy free, and she rarely allows her kids to have sugary treats. Kim insists her babies eat fruits and veggies, but also allows her littles to enjoy crackers and sweets on a regular basis.
Kourt recently revealed to US Weekly, “Of course, we pick our battles and I do let the kids have popcorn at the movies and a churro at Disneyland, etc. But for birthday parties, which can sometimes be every weekend, I bring extra gluten and dairy-free cupcakes...and they are happy with that.”
19 Stylish Duds Vs. Comfy Clothing
Nori is allowed to wear silly costumes and cozy digs when she’s at home, but when she steps out, her mom has the final say when it comes to what her wardrobe will be. Kim explained to the Vancouver Sun, “When we go out, she really just wears whatever I want. She makes it really easy. But we have that compromise.”</span>
Penelope is rarely, if ever, told what to wear, and Kourtney favors hand-me-downs over pricey designer clothing. Kourtney recently admitted to People, “I kept a lot of Mason’s clothes, like little blazers and loafers, and I’ve used them on Penelope.”
18 Nanny Time Vs. Family Time
Kim and Kourtney are both committed to doing all they can to make their children the main priority in their busy, hectic lives. They both have nannies to help out when they can’t be around, but Kourt is a little more hands-on with her kids than Kim is, even when the nanny is on duty.
Kourtney has shared, “For me, juggling mommyhood and work is a challenge, but each day I learn little tricks to make it all come together.” Soon after Mason was born, she told Parenting, “Every time I am not working, he is with me. Even on an airplane, he is with me even if the nanny is also on the plane.”
17 Social Media Star Vs. Down-To-Earth Kid
Kourtney and Kim both have huge followings on social media, but Kourtney keeps posts featuring her kids to a minimum, while Kim is all about sharing regular details about her tots. She has stated, “I try to share my life, I definitely love doing that.” Kim has also admitted that she became much more particular about what she chooses to share with her followers after she was robbed in France.
Addressing the fact that sometimes she wishes she wasn’t famous, Kourtney has shared, “I don’t think fame is important to me.” The eldest Kardashian sister has also admitted, “I wish that when we weren’t filming, we could have full privacy.”
16 Traveling Tot Vs. Close-To-Home Child
Kim and Kanye have famously toted Nori along with them to fashion week on more than one occasion, and Kim’s firstborn daughter recently accompanied her parents on a trip to Africa. It’s safe to say that Nori is enjoying many great adventures as she jet sets around the world with her famous mom and pop.
Kourt and her kids vacation as well, and recently went to Italy, but Kourtney is a homebody at heart who loves spending time with her babies in the comfort of their not-so-humble abode. Penelope has seen many parts of the world, but not quite as many as Nori has.
15 Flexible Schedule Vs. Strict Rules
When it comes to sticking to a strict schedule, Kim seems to be a bit more laid back than her big sis. Kim is okay with North staying up past her bedtime for a fun red carpet event or a photo shoot.
Kourtney is always reading up on the latest parenting trends, and often uses the knowledge she gains in her parenting strategies. She has admitted, “I love to read books that focus on parenting topics because there are so many different ways to do things. I find these books offer a lot of great opinions on many different subjects.”
14 Tough Love Vs. Peace And Love
When it comes to discipline, Kim isn’t afraid to lay down the law. A source close to the star told Radar Online soon after North’s arrival, “Kim and Kanye decided before North was born...[that] as [she] gets older, and when she acts up, there will be time outs, taking away a favorite toy, but absolutely no physical discipline.”
Kourtney is all about using love and positivity to motivate her kiddos. Her family thinks her attachment parenting approaches are strange, but she doesn’t care. According to Kourt, “They definitely think I’m insane in my family for having [my kids] in the bed and breastfeeding them forever. But I couldn’t care less.”
13 Stranger Danger Vs. Privacy Please
As previously mentioned, Kim loves to take her daughter to celebrity events where paparazzi cameras and prying eyes abound. She feels her daughter learns and grows from having these eye-opening and rare experiences.
Kourtney, on the other hand, does all she can to keep life low-key and normal for her tots. Sure, she splurges regularly on her kids, but it’s also important to her for her children to have a semi-normal upbringing. On fame, Kourtney has said, “I wish I could live in a bubble and just be with my family. Sometimes I just wish nobody knew who I was.”
12 Sugary Snacks Vs. Limited Sweets
Kim’s kids are seen out and about enjoying sweets like lollipops and ice cream on a regular basis. It’s safe to say Kim doesn’t do a lot to limit the number of sugary snacks her children enjoy. Kourt’s tots enjoy treats too, but their encounters with sweet indulgences are few and far between.
Kourtney shared on her app, “I...try to avoid processed foods in general. I really try to focus on fresh and organic fruits and vegetables, and healthy proteins like salmon, chicken, and eggs.” However, when in Rome, Kourt bends the rules a bit. She admitted that on a recent trip to Italy she and her littles enjoyed frozen treats on the daily.
11 Photo Shoots Vs. Beach Days
Kim is no stranger to photo shoots. She’s been posing for magazine spreads and covers since her four babies were just a twinkle in her eye. In recent years, Nori has accompanied her mom to some of her most fashion-forward shoots. She is a natural in front of the camera just like her mama.
Penelope’s daily activities are often captured by paparazzi cameras, but the majority of the pics she appears in are candid shots in which she’s just enjoying being a kid. Penelope enjoys beach days, birthday parties and playdates on a regular basis, and only poses for professional photo shoots once a year for the annual Kardashian family holiday card.
10 Swanky Events Vs. Kid-Friendly Fun
Kim is known for allowing Nori to tag along with her to what are considered by most to be adults-only events. According to Yahoo Lifestyle, Kim said of Nori’s reaction to attending one ultra-fancy Balenciaga fashion show, “She started to cry when we were walking out the door and we couldn’t leave her. So, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. But it was an amazing fashion show for her to be at for her first show.”
Kourtney, on the other hand, is all about making sure her kids enjoy kid-friendly fun. She has shared, “Being a mom, I love to play with my kids and have fun with them.”
9 Main Man Vs. Independent Mama
North’s parents are man and wife, while Penelope’s mom and dad have never been married, and are no longer together. Both of the girls have two loving progenitors who are united in the causes of raising their children in the right ways.
Kim captioned a 2015 social media post featuring Kanye reading a story to Nori, “Precious moments like this when we were traveling on tour with you are what I live for. You are such a good daddy to North & you will be the best daddy to our new son too!” Kourtney has admitted, “I feel such a sense of empowerment being a mom. But I do wonder: How do they/we do it all?”
8 What Mom Says Goes Vs. Freedom Of Choice
As previously mentioned, Kim often decides what Nori will wear when it’s time to step out of the house. This rule has resulted in more than one pic of Kim’s first born looking less-than-comfortable while out and about.
Penelope has the freedom to wear whatever she wants, and even influences her mom’s style. Kourt has admitted, “Now that I have a daughter, I’ve been thinking about how I’ll define beauty to her…I think my daughter actually influences my style more than having boys. I tend to dress more masculine with pants or shorts or boots, and she makes me want to dress more stylish, more girly.”
7 Child Model Vs. Little Ballerina
In recent years, North has become a sought-after child model who lives in front of the camera. Her first gig was a runway show in Pacific Palisades, California for L.O.L. Surprise. Speaking about the job, Kim gushed, “North is completely obsessed with L.O.L. Surprise...she absolutely had to be involved. She loves to dress up like her favorite characters, so it was so exciting for her to actually become a real-life L.O.L. doll.”
Penelope has hobbies, too, and loves attending ballet classes with Nori, however, Kourtney books Penelope playdates instead of modeling gigs. It doesn’t appear that Kourt’s only daughter will be walking the runway anytime soon.
6 Alone Time Vs. Co-Sleeping
Kim loves to snuggle with her babies, but when it comes time to hit the hay, she likes her space. Nori has been sleeping in her own bed from the very beginning, but Penelope has had quite a different sleep experience thus far.
Kourt loves sharing a bed with her kids and has admitted, “When I was pregnant, a few of my friends told me that their babies slept in bed with them. I remember thinking how crazy that was. Then I started reading up on it and decided it was something I actually wanted to try…It’s what worked for all of us to get the most sleep, so I quickly embraced it.”
5 Technology Central Vs. Limited Screen Time
On the subject of screen time for kids, Kim has said, "I think, especially for kids in their minds—and they're so fragile and so young—that there has to be rules of maybe not sleeping with the phone right next to you.” North may not be allowed to sleep with her phone, but her screen time isn’t limited too often.
Speaking about screen time, Kourt has shared, “Since my kids are over the age of two, I do allow them limited time to play video games and watch television. We have a game room, so I allow 30 minutes of video game time during the week and an hour on the weekends.”
4 Fancy Abode Vs. Kids Welcome
Kim and Kanye recently shared some pics of their stark, white minimalist abode. It’s definitely stylish, but may not be the most kid-friendly design. White doesn’t hide fingerprints or spilled juice very effectively.
Conversely, Kourtney has done all she can to make her home chic-yet-kid friendly. Speaking about her newest home, Kourt told Architectural Digest, “I was ready for something a bit more sophisticated and grown-up than my last house. But above all, it had to be family friendly. This is the place where my kids will open Christmas presents and celebrate birthdays. I wanted them to feel like we were embarking on a wonderful new adventure.”
3 United Front Vs. Co-Parenting Bliss
Kim and Kanye work together to discipline, teach and inspire Nori. They may disagree from time to time, but try to put up a united front when it comes to the ways they parent. Kourtney is no longer with her baby daddy, but all signs indicated that she’s co-parenting with the father of her children like a boss.
A sources close Kourtney recently revealed to E! News, “Kourtney has accepted the dynamic of Sofia being Scott’s serious girlfriend, but isn’t interested in having a close relationship with her. Kourtney is only interested in co-parenting with Scott and their dynamic with the kids.”
2 Freedom of Speech Vs. Restricted Words
Kim isn’t too strict about what Nori can and cannot do. She has shared, “I have such unconditional love for my kids. No matter what, I will always love them and support them in anything they choose to do in life.”
Kourt is a little more rigid and has even selected a forbidden word that Penelope isn’t allowed to utter. After banning her mom Kris Jenner from every using the word "fat” around her kids, Kourtney told Cosmopolitan, “I just don’t want to start getting anybody self-conscious. They say if a mother is confident about her body that the daughters are way more likely to not have eating disorders.”
1 Loving Mama Vs. A Mother’s Love
Kim and Kourtney may parent in very different ways, but one thing they definitely have in common is the love they have for their babies. Kourtney has shared, “I think it’s always changing, but what’s most important is knowing that they’re my priorities, no matter what’s happening..they always come first.”
Speaking about motherhood, Kim has said, “It completely changed my life. You have a different set of priorities. Nothing matters except your brand new family...there can be ups and downs with kids, but no matter what, I always learn so much from them. Being a mom is the most important job I have.”
Sources: UsMagazine.com, People.com, ETOnline.com, EOnline.com, RadarOnline, IBTimes.com, Insider.com
