7 Strict Rules Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard's Kids Follow
They have two children.
Actors Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are one of those couples that have a lot of fans for a lot of reasons, but mainly because they are so down to earth and chill. Seemingly no topic is off-limits for these two, either during TV interviews or on Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast.
Shepard and Bell are also parents to two daughters, 7-year-old Delta and 8-year-old Lincoln, and a lot of times, the themes they cover in interviews and on talk shows are about what it's like being parents. Strict or not, Bell and Shepard have several times shared the rules they have for their kids, as well as what it's like keeping those rules in place while their daughters grow up.
While parenthood looks different for everyone, we can't help but wonder what friends, coworkers, and even celebrities do to manage children and all the ups and downs that come with being parents. Even if we don't admit it out loud, we might second-guess our parenting techniques from time to time, especially when others talk about what they do or don't do.
Here are the 7 strict rules Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard reportedly make their kids follow:
1. They lock their daughter in her room at night (until she calms down).
Photo: Jaguar PS | Shutterstock
Dealing with a wild child when it's bedtime can be a nightmare for parents, and Kristen Bell and husband Dax Shepard are no strangers to that chaos. According to Parents magazine, "My 3-year-old [Delta] decided to stop sleeping about nine months ago." Bell went on to add that Delta would turn lights on, move furniture, and bang on the door. Bell's solution? "We switched the doorknob. We turned the lock on the outside."
Some parents may find this technique controversial, but Bell adds that they unlock the door once Delta calms down and tires herself out.
2. They don't lie about Santa Claus.
If you're a parent (or hey, just an adult around children), then you know that one lie about Santa Claus can turn into 30 lies. Bell and Shepard have decided that the lies aren't worth it – but they do make an effort to keep the magic of Santa alive for their kids.
In an interview with US Weekly, Shepard shared: "I have a fundamental rule that I will never lie to them, which is challenging at times." Topics like Shepard's weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings aren't off the table, so neither should the topic of Santa Claus.
According to Hello Giggles, Shepard says that Delta and Lincoln “love watching movies about Santa, they love talking about Santa, they don’t think he exists. They’re super happy and everything’s fine.”
RELATED: How — And Why — Dax Shepard Told His Kids He'd Relapsed
3. Mom and dad change birthdays to fit their schedules.
Photo: Tinseltown | Shutterstock
One of the perks about having young kids is that they're not as committed to their schedules and calendar apps as adults are (crazy, right)? When it comes to birthdays in the Bell-Shepard household, celebrations wait until both mom and dad are free.
Since Bell and Shepard have demanding work schedules, they occasionally miss birthdays. In an interview with Today, Bell shared: "If it’s, like, a Wednesday and we can’t celebrate and we’re both working late, then—guess what—your birthday is on a Saturday." She adds that the girls are young enough that they don't know anyway.
4. Tantrums get ignored – period.
Managing a conversation with a child during a temper tantrum can be next to impossible, which is why Bell and Shepard simply don't do it. Rather, they wait until the tantrum is over before engaging with Lincoln and Delta.
According to US Magazine, Bell says: "Sometimes when they’re having a tantrum, treat them like the hot girl in high school. Just ignore them and they’ll come to you." Children are much more likely to listen and engage when they're not as emotional.
According to Romper, "We have very strict rules in our family about how we treat people with respect, especially our family members. We are going to be with each other in the long haul, so it’s important to always be respectful and treat your sister the way you want to be treated."
5. If they argue in front of their kids they must apologize in front of them, too.
Photo: Featureflash Photo Agency | Shutterstock
Even without words, kids can feel the tension between adults. Whenever Shepard and Bell would argue or snap at each other in front of Delta and Lincoln, they realized that they were only seeing the bad part of an argument, not the resolution afterward.
According to Huff Post, after snapping at each other, Bell shared: "We go into the bedroom and then, just privately, we say, ‘God, I’m sorry I snapped at you, I had a really tough day.’ Well, they don’t ever see that. But the next morning, they just assume the problem went away.”
Their solution? Shepard and Bell make a promise to each other that they would start apologizing in front of their kids after a fight. Even if they have to role-play a make-up conversation from the night before, they make sure to do so in front of their daughters, along with physical affection, so they know what resolution looks like.
6. They don't force their children to bathe regularly.
You may have heard about Bell and Shepard in the news recently – along with Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher – regarding how frequently they bathe their children. According to People, Bell shares that she's "a big fan of waiting for the stink. Once you catch a whiff, that's biology's way of letting you know you need to clean it up."
Bell also shares that there is a "responsibility for your environment. We don't have a ton of water, so when I shower, I'll grab the girls and push them in there with me so we all use the same shower water."
7. They don't share pictures of their children's faces on social media.
Deciding whether to share photos of your children on social media is a choice every parent has to make – celebrity or not. For the Bell-Shepard household, it's a no-go all around: "They shouldn’t be punished for who their parents are," according to CheatSheet.
When the couple does share family photos on social media, Lincoln and Delta are always given their privacy with their faces blurred out. Their reasoning is to protect their daughters from too much attention while they're young. Whether this will change as they grow up, only time will tell.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment, pop culture, and feminism. She plans on writing a book in the future.