Celebrities Who Make Their Kids Follow Very Strict Rules
People look to celebrities all the time for fashion inspiration, life advice, and of course, parenting tips. As all parents know, bringing up kids comes with insurmountable pressure and mistakes made along the way. Famous moms and dads have often been the subject of ridicule and parent shaming, and practically every move they or their children make is captured and shared with the world. On the other hand, this has also given us an inside look into the parenting styles of our favorite television, movies, music, and political personalities.
You would probably think that most children of the stars get free rein and are spoiled rotten, and you would definitely be right about some. However, there are also several celebrities who are very strict with their kids. After all, raising your children in the spotlight must be difficult, and famous parents might need to be more stern when it comes to rules and discipline. Many don't want their kids to become brats, and many would also probably want to keep up their reputation as good parents for the public. Whatever their reasons, here are some of the celebs who make their kids follow very strict rules (and why).
Kourtney Kardashian doesn't let her kids use a microwave
Many celebrity parents are concerned with their children's eating habits, but the eldest Kardashian sister has taken it to another level. Kourtney Kardashian has three children with ex Scott Disick: Mason, Penelope, and Reign, and she is less concerned about the food they eat than she is with how they are heating up their meals. At one point, Kardashian took to her website to share a now-deleted post: "One kitchen appliance I never use is a microwave. If anything needs to be heated up, I prefer to use the oven, stovetop, or toaster oven instead" (via People).
The reality show star added that she did research that led her to get rid of her microwave. She was concerned that plastic containers could leak toxins lika BPA into your foods when heating them with a microwave (so it is recommended that you only use microwave-safe dishes when heating). Kardashian concluded, "Also, I've heard that microwaves can leach nutrients from food and use radiation to heat food. I'm not sure how accurate this is, but when it comes to my family I play it safe."
So her little ones can eat whatever they desire, just as long as their food is cooked in a toaster oven.
Jennifer Garner doesn't keep junk food in the house
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were a stunning couple with a decade of marriage under their belts until their split in 2015. Now, the "13 Going on 30" actor has been in an on-and-off relationship with CaliGroup CEO John Miller, and Affleck is back with Jennifer Lopez, but they still co-parent their three children.
Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel have had an incredibly privileged upbringing, being raised by two famous parents, but they don't always get their way when it comes to food.
Garner has stated that healthy eating is important to her, and she's even the co-founder of Once Upon a Farm, an organic baby food company. The actor told People that she's "pretty strict" about having her kids eat well, saying, "I'm not worried so much about junk food, because we don't have it in the house — although I don't want to be a freak about it, so that they just want to get their hands on it at all costs. It's more than you just want to make sure they're getting a rainbow of flavors and of foods."
Nicole Kidman banned her kids from social media
Parents have a lot to worry about these days, but the rise in technology and social media usage is probably at the top of the list for most. Nicole Kidman adopted two children with Tom Cruise when they were together in the mid-'90s, Bella and Connor, and back then there was much less in the way of social media. But Kidman now has two more children with Keith Urban, whom she's been married to since 2006, and this time around the actor is more strict.
The "Nine Perfect Strangers" actor told Vanity Fair in a 2019 interview that her daughters with Urban, Sunday and Faith, are banned from social media. "They don't have a phone and I don't allow them to have an Instagram. I try to keep some sort of boundaries," she said. Kidman acknowledged that her rules might deem her "unpopular," but she would rather her kids be safe.
Speaking on "Loose Women" in 2020, Kidman spoke more on her decision. "I'm not very techy myself so it's very hard for me to monitor it and stay on it ... I have a 12-year-old right now who's chomping at the bit wanting to get into all that and I'm like, 'No, no,'" she said (via the New Zealand Herald). Perhaps the "Big Little Lies" star will loosen her restrictions as her children get older, but for the time being, she's maintaining her strict policy.
Sarah Michelle Gellar also doesn't allow social media
A few years after they met on the set of the 1997 horror flick "I Know What You Did Last Summer," stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. hit it off and were married by 2002. They are the proud parents of two children, Charlotte and Rocky, and they also ensure their kids follow a set of strict rules — especially when it comes to social media.
Speaking with People in 2022, the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star said, "Our rules are probably stricter than most. Our kids don't have social media. They're allowed to look sometimes when it's our phones." Gellar continued, "I believe kids need to know what their limitations are, and they actually thrive in that environment. We're not mean, we're not unnecessarily strict, but we have rules."
Prinze Jr. also spoke on his parenting style in an interview with Us Weekly, saying he and Gellar have "100 rules" for their kids, but that social media is a big one. "That is a huge responsibility. My son doesn't care. My daughter is definitely curious, but we've explained that these are our rules and different families have different rules," he said. While the celebrity parents don't allow their children to have their own Instagram accounts, they also shield them from the public by not posting photos of their kids on their own social media pages.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have banned certain words
A little while after starring in "Green Lantern" together, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds broke up with their respective partners and began dating in 2011. By 2012, the "Gossip Girl" and "Deadpool" alums were married, and today, they share four beautiful daughters: James, Inez, Betty, and mystery baby number four whose name they have yet to release.
Lively and Reynolds have been fairly open about how they parent their kids; they have turned down projects in order to avoid overlapping film schedules and said they refuse to put their children into the spotlight. For Hollywood parents, these boundaries are probably fairly common, but a less common rule they've laid down has to do with a couple of words that are banned in their household to encourage empowerment in their daughters.
Lively told Glamour in an interview, "My husband was like, 'Why do I always say he?' ... So he'll pick up, like a caterpillar, and instead of saying, 'What's his name?' he'll say, 'What's her name?'" She added that another word they have stopped using is "bossy." Lively remarked that Reynolds said, "I don't ever want to use that word again. You've never heard a man called bossy." She added, "There would never be any negative connotation for a man being a boss, so to add a negative connotation on a woman being bossy? It's belittling. And it doesn't encourage them to be a boss."
Jennifer Lopez only lets her kids use electronics on Sunday
Family is evidently important to Jennifer Lopez, who had her twin children Maximilian and Emme with Marc Anthony in 2008. While she was with Anthony, J.Lo was a stepmother to his four older children, and they had a big family. Now that she's with Ben Affleck, though, his three children have become a big part of her life, and they have one big, happy blended family. Because of this, J.Lo has introduced "Sunday funday" as a strict rule her kids must abide by.
Speaking with E! News, the "Ain't Your Mama" singer said, "Sunday funday, they work towards that because they don't get to use their iPads during the week, or play video games or anything because it's school time. And they have to be good in school and then they get Sunday funday." J.Lo said that she made up the rule to encourage her kids to behave and work hard because "all they want to do is be on these devices all the time."
So she is strict with her kids' electronics during the week and once they have earned their reward, they can use the electronics as much as they like while the singer gets to "take a nap."
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis limit their kids' material possessions
"That '70s Show" co-stars and now-married couple since 2015, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have proven that they are ultimate relationship goals and, for some, parenting goals as well. The movie star parents share two children, Wyatt and Dimitri, and they aim to shelter their children from the limelight whenever possible. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Kutcher said, "My wife and I have chosen a career where we're in the public light, but my kids have not so I think they have the right to choose that."
The foursome lives an extremely lavish life, but in order to preserve their kids' humility, Kutcher and Kunis are very strict when it comes to material possessions. Speaking on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Kunis said, "I like to remind [my kids] that mommy and daddy have money, but they're broke all the time. That is not their bedroom, it is my bedroom that I'm letting them use, so they better take good care of it" (via YouTube).
The "Bad Moms" actor went on to explain that she and Kutcher aren't interested in monetary items. "[My kids] are raised on hand-me-downs from my girlfriend's kid's clothing," she added. Kunis said that she is aware how fortunate her children are, but refuses to let them become "entitled a**holes."
Madonna didn't let her daughter date unchaperoned
The "Vogue" singer has six children, but she has been perhaps strictest with her eldest, Lourdes Leon. Madonna had her daughter with then-husband Carlos Leon in 1996 and reportedly wrote "Little Star" in her honor. In 2007, when Lourdes was just 10 years old, Madonna told WENN, "Late-night TV, junk food, and mess are not tolerated in my house" (via Today). But on top of this list of strict rules, the singer added, "No boys for [Lourdes] until she turns 18."
A few years later, in high school, Lourdes was acting like a typical teenager and had been dating her classmate and first boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet. They were spotted on dates with her father acting as a chaperone in 2013. But finally, Madonna conceded and let Lourdes and her beau go out on a date without parents present.
The caveat? A bodyguard had to tag along — talk about strict. Thankfully, Lourdes is now grown up and can make her own decisions regarding her love life.
The Obamas limited their kids' time on electronics
When the world was first introduced to the first family in 2008, we met Barack and Michelle Obama's two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Everyone wanted a better sense of the family, and after some in-depth research and a handful of interviews, it became clear that the Obamas had some strict rules for their children. For one, Malia and Sasha were expected to play two sports while they were growing up and, according to The New York Times, weren't allowed to use electronics on school nights, including the television and computer.
In a rare interview with Parenting in 2012, the first lady addressed how it's more difficult to raise healthy children today.
"Things have changed. We also didn't have 24-hour kids' TV. If you remember, we had seven channels and a limited amount that was even interesting to kids, like on Saturday morning," she said. The health of America's children was an important initiative for Michelle Obama, and it only made sense for the mother to lead by example.
Julia Roberts doesn't let her kids eat sweets
Setting limits on the types of food your children eat is a common rule parents set out, and it's no different for Julia Roberts. The "Erin Brockovich" actor and cinematographer Danny Moder have been together since 2002 and have had three children together during their two-decade marriage; Hazel and Phinnaeus are twins, and Henry is the youngest of the family. The Hollywood couple's kids are understandably privileged, but like many kids with strict parents, they haven't always been allowed to eat whatever they liked.
In a 2010 interview with People, Roberts said, "I'm a pretty strict mom when it comes to sweets, even though I have such a sweet tooth myself." The actor went on to explain that she only ever allowed her kids to eat junk food on special occasions. She said, "You want sweets, ice cream, and cake to be a great treat and a celebration. Something that's not everyday. I think this makes them appreciate it when they do have it."
Now with teenagers, it's unclear whether Roberts and Moder have been able to make this mandate stick — especially when the actor admits to not enforcing the rule on herself. "I'm not strict with myself," she said. "I cheat."
Megan Fox is strict with her kids about television
It seems like we've seen much less of Megan Fox on the screen, and part of the reason is because she has her hands full with three children. The "Transformers" actor had an on-and-off relationship with Brian Austin Green of "Beverly Hills, 90210," but they ultimately broke things off in 2020. The couple had three children together, Noah, Bodhi, and Journey, whom they continue to co-parent.
Given that both of their parents come from show business, you would think that the kids would be well-versed in kids' TV shows, but Fox is surprisingly strict when it comes to television.
In an interview with Parents magazine in 2014, the actor said she doesn't let her kids watch TV because it's "too stimulating," and there are probably countless parents who could get on board with this sentiment. Fox explained, "I do let them watch movies, I just don't let them watch TV. With movies I feel like there's a beginning, a middle, and an end. It's linear. There's a clear story. I think that it's different than just putting a kid in front of the television, because it's just nonstop."
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard locked their daughter in her room at night
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have been an incredibly adorable couple in Hollywood since 2007, and even bigger role models for parents everywhere since they had their two daughters, Lincoln and Delta. While the "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" actor and "Armchair Expert" podcast co-host have been fairly open about their parenting struggles and mishaps, one revelation had people wondering if the couple went too far.
In 2018, Bell told Parents magazine about their youngest daughter's sleeping habits, saying that Delta "decided to stop sleeping" and they had to lock her in her bedroom at night. "I'm sorry, I know that's controversial, but we lock it when she gets in there, and we stand outside and say, 'We love you, we will talk to you in the morning, but now, it's time for sleep.' And after about 10 minutes, she'll wind herself down," the actor explained.
Bell added that she and Shepard would unlock the door before they went to bed themselves.
Cardi B has banned sleepovers
Fellow rappers and famous parents, Cardi B and Offset, have a blended family, and some strict rules come with it. The couple got together after collaborating on the song "Lick" in 2017 and quietly got married that same year. Offset had three children from previous relationships, Jordan, Kalea, and Kody, and Cardi B became their stepmother before having two of her own children with the rapper. The "WAP" rapper has admitted that her own rebellious childhood is what has inspired some strict rules for her kids, Kulture and Wave.
In an interview with W Magazine, Cardi B said that her mother was a strict parent and didn't let her attend sleepovers at other kids' houses. The rapper explained that her mom's harsh rules led her to skip school and get into trouble.
"My mom tried to stop me from all of that, but I still did it. I joined a gang. If she had let me out as often as I wanted to, I probably would be dead or got my face cut up. Or been a teenage mom," she said. However, she insisted that she intends to be just as firm with her own children — particularly with her daughter, Kulture — and not allow her to attend sleepovers either. "I'm going to be very strict. Like, you can have whatever you want, but you can't do whatever you want," she said.