Charlize Theron Explains Why Reverse Psychology Is a Tool She 'Believes in' as a Parent

When it comes to parenting her two daughters, Charlize Theron relies on a classic method.

Chatting with Entertainment Tonight at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project's 4th Annual Block Party over the weekend, the actress, 48, shared that she uses reverse psychology on her daughters Jackson, 11, and August, 7, to help them learn the right values.

"I think the thing that I've learned as a parent is like, as soon as you tell them to do something, they don't do it," Theron shares. "So reverse psychology is what I believe in."

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Noting that she's been teaching her daughters the importance of helping others, Theron says that she hopes her girls learn by watching her example.

"This is something that I fell in love with before my children came into my life. It's part of me now," she says. "It's been 17 years. They have really seen me be a part of this and work towards making this as successful as possible. And so hopefully [they learn] through that."

"But also, I hope that they will find their own interests," she adds.

In April, the Bombshell actress shared snaps from her family vacation to New York City with her daughters on Instagram.

The first picture in the carousel showed Theron sipping on a soft drink while taking a selfie with August. Other photos included in the post showcased her daughters visiting the 9/11 memorial, attempting to pose for a picture holding up the Statue of Liberty and attending MJ: The Musical on Broadway.

"We came, we saw, we did it all. NYC you were a treat! ❤️," she captioned her post.

Earlier that month, Theron brought her daughter August to sit front row with her at the Dior pre-fall show at the Brooklyn Museum. Wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt and a Dior gold necklace, the proud mom sat next to her daughter, who looked stylish in a blue letterman jacket and black purse.

August smiled as she posed beside her mom, holding hands with Theron as the two walked to their seats in another photo.