Does Suri Cruise Need Friends?
October 14, 2008 by Julie Bonner
Image used with permission by Newscom
The headlines are every where reading “Suri Cruise is Desperate for Friends!”. Someone told the New York Post that Suri gets overly excited when she meets any children.
They said, “Whenever she sees kids, she gets excited and runs up to them and hugs them as if she never gets to see kids her own age. There’s not a lot of socialization there.”
I don’t know if I believe this or not, but I imagine it is super hard for any celebrity kid in the friends area. All I know is that we see Suri Cruise, maybe a few times a week, headed to rehearsals with her mom or out to dinner with Tom and Katie. Where is she the other 90% of the time? Who the heck knows!
Source: Showbiz Spy
I will be the first to comment! Every picture that I see of Suri around other children she looks at them like they are from another world! I have seen plenty of pictures of her at the playground and she acts like she wants nothing to do with them!!! I have never seen her run up to anyone and hug them. I would like to see a picture of that!!!!!!!!!!!
She’s a beautiful child, but they’re raising her to be a prima dona, or so it appears. Very different from the down-to-earth pics of other celeb children out there.
I’d love to see a pic of this, I know I recently wrote about her not having any friends according to People Magazine or something. I can actually see her doing this, children this age are pron (sp) to doing exactly that when they meet other children. I mean they don’t see the harm in it.
I totally agree with Nancy. I want to see those photos of Suri running & hugging other children too!
I think Suri prefers to play alone although I belive she needs to be with friends at her age more often.
Because she harldy gets to play with kids her age that’s why she just simply doesn’t know how to interact with them. Poor kid.
I have never see suri like that. she is always in very good perform of dress and stuff she is wearing but not friends, i have never see it. but, of course she has friends, victoria beckham kids and other famous
celebrity kids. And if she have, she will not have to showing to paparazi, I mean that is her life, right…
I must be the odd one out here , because when I went to the park with my 1st son and he was Suris age, whatever he did we did together, he always looked at the other kids, but never mingled with them, it was just him and me as far as he was concerned, with my 2nd son it was very different because of his older brother, he interacted more because of him. I have 3sister in laws and we all had our kids around the same time, when they used to meet up, (i’m talking about Suris age), they were together , but didn’t really ”play” together each one was doing their own little thing, or wanted whatever the other one had, we only see the public life of Suri, I think she has a very wonderful and loving private life, one that we only get tiny tiny glimpses of, she has a huge family ,on both sides, and also little kids love playing with older kids, maybe while they are in NYC , things may be a bit different for Suri, but thats alright too, because she does other fun things,, that a lot of kids her age just don’t do.
Annie,I agree with you 100%. You are so right on! My daughter is around Suri’s age and she is the same way. It’s so easy to judge this child when we really only know very little. She is more fortunate than most young children; that I can tell you!
The places we see Suri, there are many paps around and she does react to them. Besides, like Annie said, kids that age rarely play together. Atleast most kids I know.
May be she does that to other kids of the costars. Lithgow did say there is a mini nursery at the theatre for Suri and Phillip’s kids.
ISN’T SHE FRIENDS WITH THE BECKHAM BOYS???? HELLOOOO???
Maybe she’s just really nice and friendly. And besides, I saw this video on youtube of her and Katie at a playground. She was ignoring the other kids. Don’t listen to the tabloids.
I don’t believe the story. Suri would not be allowed to “run up and hug random children.”
Why would a little princess be allowed to play with the common riff-raff in public parks?
It’s a silly notion. Katie knows there are too many germs about.
Suri is being raised very carefully to fulfill her destiny both as daughter of Tom Cruise and rising star of their church.
The article about Suri’s life mentioned her weekly trips to the Cheslea Pier gym, where she took a private class with her mother. My 2 year old also attends gymnastics, but a PRIVATE class? This is a perfect example of lack of socializing. It’s interesting that TC is “Very picky about other people’s kids”, given his own upbringing. What does “picky” mean? What qualities are needed to have a playdate with Surie Cruise. You honestly believe she “Plays” with Victoria Beckhams older boys, and these are her “friends”? I think it’s very sad to see pics of her on a playground, with her parents working SO HARD to be her playmates (and not get those gorgeous dresses dirty).
Karen please, let’s not over react here. You sound exactly like someone who doesn’t have children of their own! I promise you that most children Suri’s age (my daughter included here) do not by nature seek out other kids at the playground to socialize with that they don’t already know. We don’t do that as adults and we don’t do that as kids!
Actually, I have two very social children, plus I’m a teacher of young children. Toddler might not come up and say “Play with me” but there is a keen interest in their peers, and there is more interaction and curiosity than mere parallel play. Also, yes adults do interact on playgrounds (at least where we live), and in other settings. You personally might not be interacting with other adults in this kind of setting. To make a comment that it obvious I don’t have children…obviously it’s not so “obvious” and perhaps you are not always that right(?)/
Look people, we are all fans of Tom and Katie (which should be the reason we visit this site) but that does not mean that they don’t make mistakes as parents LIKE THE REST OF THE HUMAN RACE. There is what we WANT to believe and then there’s what we have seen from them and what we have been shown is two parents who close down family friendly facilities so that there child is “undisturbed” by others. Also we have seen Suri have playdates with Mom and Dad pretty much all the time. I do believe that Suri is treated as if she were made of glass. And no I don’t think, based on what I have SEEN that her parents would allow her to go beyond two feet from them , much less be allowed to run up and hug some random children. Do I think that Tom and Katie love Suri and want what’s best for her, ABSOLUTELY but I also think that they are sheltering and over-protecting her to the point that it will effect her socialization skills with other children
I agree with Andria. Suri not being allowed to socialize with other children will have negative effects on her for the rest of her life!
I am so surprised at Tom & Katie, because didn’t they have middle class lives?
I also am alone, but Suri Cruise has Tom Cruise, jamsi sera alone
Ohhhh, Karen! Please go back and read your comment above mine. It’s just such nonsense! Every parent who takes their 2.5 year old to the playground…plays with them!!! Maybe you children are too social. I might casually speak very briefly with another parent at the playground but I don’t hang out and play with them!
Also, anyone who believes for a minute that Suri doesn’t get to interact with other children her age is just wrong. Katie and Tom have more friends and connections than any of us will ever have. I’m sure they make sure that Suri has time with children her own age. Andria you don’t have a clue; what stupid statements from some of you!
The point is , that Tom and Katie do have a private life, they have lots of friends with children, and family with children, and how do we know that while in LA, or even in NYC, Suri does ‘nt go to a playgroup, we really don’t know. There seems to be a few photo ops lately,to me ,and I might be wrong, this means there is an exchange for something, in this case a certain amount of privacy for Suri, so she can do thing s and go places without being hassled by the paps. What bothers me a bit with some comments is , how the negative always comes up first, when judging Suris life, and we forget that she has 2very loving parents who try to do what’s important and right in her life, and if she is overly indulged and treated like a little princess then we are all guilty of that with our children, at least I, my familyand everybody I know who have children treat their children like they are little gods and it does’nt matter whether they are 1 or 21 they are still your babies and you still spoil them and you still want to give them everything, so why should life be any different for Suri Cruise.
Annie, once again I’m on the same page with you! ABSOLUTELY everything you said is true.
Leah, I’ve been coming to this site for a while now, I go to other sites only to see pics, never to comment , as I find them a very frightening lot of people. I have always thought that even though sometimes we disagree with each other everyone is basically nice, what you will find out over time, is, who the real fans are(and you don’t have to agree 100%with everything to be a fan) but after a while you will be able to tell who is genuine and who is not by reading in between the lines.
Leah, we are all entitled to our opinions. I may not know EVERYTHING about Tom and Katie and I fully admit to that ( unlike you ). That is why I say things like ” I think” , “I BELIEVE” or “What I’ve seen”. Not “I know for a fact”. It is just an opinion, so you don’t need to insult people just because they don’t agree with you. You don’t have anymore of a CLUE than me or anyone else here because you don’t know their personal lives either. So just CHILL OUT and let people have their opinions!
Andria, your the one that needs to take a chill pill! I will say what ever I want when people post hateful comments. I also say I think. I’m also in the movie industry and I do have more of a clue than you! I will comment how ever I please so there!
Andria, and one more thing…you shouldn’t comment like your some child Psychologist. Any good parent wouldn’t let their 2.5 year old child wonder more than 2 feet from them! Also, too THINK that we see ALL that Suri does is really stupid. Of course she plays with other children! What are Tom and Katie suppose to do let go of her hand and let her wonder around the streets of New York?!! Or play huggie & kissie games with strangers kids on the play ground? Your comment was just odd and weird…
Please Leah, take a step back and read your comments again. You sound caustic, almost bitter, and you certainly have no right to accuse others of making ’stupid statements’ or ‘odd and weird’ comments, much less acting childish as saying you will comment ‘however you please so there’.
Unless you know Tom and Katie personally, your opinions are no more valid than that of others. This is the kind of online flaming behavior that is getting too widespread these days.
Okay, let’s agree to disagree. If the insults continue, I will shut down comments on this post.
Sorry Julie & M. I do get a bit bitter when people make comments that put down Tom & Katie’s parenting and Katie’s body or hair…I’ll try and lighten up a bit. I just wish people would post nicer comments.
cutest celebrity baby….
I do not think Andria or I are being hateful by making personal observations! There was nothing hateful in any of the statements made here. I agree that all of the comments about Katies or Suri’s physical appearance are wrong!
If I have offended anyone I appologize!!!
Also, I do not feel that I am putting down Tom or Katie’s parenting abilities!
Thanks M and Julie
Having read the above comments and realizing that the fans will fight to the death on this issue because in the end it reflects on Tom and Katie both. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion without it being called hate. Since there are literally hundreds of pictures of Suri out and about practically around the world, I think we would have seen 1 or 2 pictures of her playing with other children. My personal take on this is that Tom has a lot of rules in what Suri can and can not do. For instance, we haven’t seen her dressed in normal play clothes since the Germany days when she was dresses in little jeans and wore socks and shoes and a coat when appropriate. We have seen dozens of pictures of Katie and Suri at the park. To me, she looks sort of interested in the other children but doesn’t really look like she knows how to engage in play with them. So everywhere we see pictures of her in what should be a fun, playful time with smiles and perhaps a bit of running around, playing, etc we see Suri and her mom by themselves. I think she is a lonely little girl often left in the care of nannies and maids and whoever else she is surrounded by when mommy and daddy are busy with their own agendas. Even when Tom took her to the Build a Bear place, he cleared the place out of other children and they went at a time they could basically have the store to themselves. When Mom shops, she is seen playing and talking to her dolls and stuffed animals like they are her friends and perhaps they are the only friends she has to play with.
Yes, thank you Nancy, I didn’t think it was “hateful” either. I would like to restate what I said earlier. I DO think that Tom and Katie love and want whats best for their daughter.
Oh boy here it goes again! Concerned Mom, I think you need to focus on your own children…you seem to think that Suri is sooo sheltered and not allowed to play with other children. When I take my 2.5 year old daughter to the park we play together. She is not really interested in running around with kids she doesn’t know. I can see why Tom protects Suri. Nothing worse than a snotty nose kid running around at the park! The bigger kids are usually really pushy and practically run over the smaller ones at the park! Gotta wonder, why you feel it is so important for Suri to latch on to strangers! Again, Tom and Katie have their own set of friends with children and their not going to allow the media to take pics of Suri playing! We only see a fraction of Suri’s world. Nothing wrong with playing in dresses and skirts. She is a girl!!!
Leah,
Why do you get so defensive when some of us have opinions other than yours? It appears that Suri leads a very sheltered life, but that does not mean that Tom & Katie do not love their daughter! When you put yourself out there for the world to see, there will be comments made by people. I believe that goes with the territory.
They are going about their lives and in doing so enjoying NYC at that.
Good for them.
Nancy, you only assume it is sheltered. AGAIN, we only see a fraction of little Suri’s world. I just think it is silly to assume that Suri is a lonely child. I’m a stay at home mom to a daughter that is Suri’s age. My daughter doesn’t play with kids her own age all the time either. Let me assure you; no damage is being done. Plenty of time for socialization in a child’s life. This is when a child builds an imagination and learns how to entertain themselves. I would hate it if my daughter was playing every day with other children; that is my opinion. I just get tired of people who think Suri is being raised wrong. That child has an amazing little life and tons of adventure. Not to mention she has already seen more of the world than most of us. PLUS, I think she will always have plenty of friends growing up. The end
Wow, Leah.
You would hate it if your daughter played with other children every day? That’s kinda sad.
Tyler, what is SAD is for you and other people to think that a child can only be happy if they are around other children all the time. Nothing in my daughter’s life is sad. My daughter is usually with me and we have a blast. I think its sad when parents stick their kids in daycare all day! When my daughter enters preschool and grade school she will get plenty of social stimulation with other children on a daily basis; probably a lot of colds and flue too!
Flu not flue
Thanks for the input. My daughters are grown and very very happy. I was a single mom who spent every moment I had besides work doing things with them. We lived in Arizona, we went hiking and exploring around Indian ruins, Oak Creek Canyon, etc. We lived in Florida, we did all the parks-Disney, Universal, Sea World, etc which by the way is NOT what they remember. They do remember all the time we spent at the beach with friends they brought along, all the sleepovers we had with their friends over at our place,etc. You don’t know me so please don’t presume to tell me where I am coming from. I feel that Katie and Tom love Suri very much, but traveling the world with a small child, living in hotels and this house and that house, do not make for a stable environment. She is obviously traumatized by the cameras and yet recent pics I think on JJ show Tom standing outside his SUV letting all the papps stap away while Suri is cowering in his arms.. He takes her to a park in a designer dress and it has to be an arranged event because no one even looks their way, much less interacts with Suri. I do nanny work on the weekends and the little boy I watch and take to the park engages automatically with any children there and in fact is disappointed if no one comes to play with.
I often wonder why people believe that one size fits all when it comes to children…….. That is not the case and to say a particular child does this and that child that therefore yours should be doing it too is something I don’t understand.
What makes for a stable environment more than anything is having/knowing that parents are there for their child no matter what, that parents enjoys spending time with their children whether or not there are nannies in their employ.
The paps as annoying as they are will always be a part of Suri’s life. At 2 and a half she seems to be playing hide and seek/peek-a boo with them. If she follows her parents lead, she will learn to smile maybe wave and move on………….That approach has served her parents well.
My only wish is that the paps respect the fact that Suri is a toddler and let her be but maybe in this day and age that’s asking too much but it shouldn’t.
I agree with Mary that “one size fits all” does not and should not apply to children. Just because Leah’s daughter does not play with other children at the playground does not mean that Karen’s children are “too social” (a ridiculous comment BTW) because they are more outgoing.
I have worked in childcare and am a mother and in my opinion. Suri does not know how to socialize around children her age. Again, my opinion. I am not an expert and do not profess to be. That’s not saying that Suri isn’t loved or well taken care of. I’m sure she is - - but yes, I think she is sheltered. She is taking private classes at Chelsea Piers for heaven’s sake - - and everywhere she goes, she is accompanied by her parents’ bodyguard(s). As someone else pointed out, the last time she appeared to be in children’s play clothes was in Germany last year - - she is taken to the playground in fancy party dresses. Of course that child is sheltered and of course she is going to stand out.
I feel for her, I really do. I wish Tom and Katie would put her in some little jeans or coveralls and put her in a playgroup with other children her age. She needs that. As wonderful as the parent-child bond is, Suri is at the age where she should be flexing her independent muscles a little bit and stepping away from mom and dad, to understand children her age.
Mary, I also agree about the paps. I feel that Suri is, dare I say it, traumatized by the pap attention. She covers her eyes, her ears and buries her head in her father’s or mother’s shoulder. I think that’s sad. Expecting the paps to back off is expecting too much, unfortunately. However, I do wish that Tom and/or Katie would ask the paps to step back and respect Suri’s privacy.
I think Suri gets to interact with kids her own, we just don’t get to see it and that is at it should be.
Tom and Katie both have large extended families and friends and colleagues with children around Suri’s age. We aren’t privy to their lives away from the outings so to judge based on pictures which only capture moments in time seems unfair.
As an example, from what I read Patrick Wilson’s son and Suri are around the same age and he and Katie set up a dressing room in the theatre as a playroom.
As an onlooker to see the way the paps encircle Tom and Katie to capture a picture is disturbing and I think they should back off especially so when Suri is with them.
It seems to me that the paps are not allowed to assemble directly in front of where Tom and Katie are residing but with those long range lenses the pics taken makes it appear as if they are.
i think she is a very healthy looking, BEAUTIFUL, well behaved child, and she seems age appropriate not playing with friends. most kids that age just look at each other but play solo even if they are right beside them. this is how they learnto form relationships. in my opinion katie and tom seem like wonderful, loving, parents. so what she is a little spoiled. all 3 of my kids were and still are and they are grown. being a little spoiled helps them to gain trust and confidence.! lighten up on them. they look like they spend alot of time with her and really have fun with her.
I think that Katie invites the attention. She takes her child to the playground dressed in a new summertime designer dress — an environment where other kids are dressed for play (and for the weather). Although Suri’s very cute, she stands out like a sore thumb. Even Mary would have to admit (even if in private where no one else can hear her) that Katie’s behavior is a little odd
If Katie would come back down to earth, I believe there’s a chance that she could reverse some of the damage done. The key is to get the blogs to lose interest in her circus act.
In other words, to cut the circus act.