Melissa Joan Hart's Sons Are Growing Up Fast
Melissa Joan Hart grew up in the spotlight after becoming a child star. She's enjoyed a successful career, but could her children be following in her footsteps? Hart is a proud mom to the three sons she shares with husband Mark Wilkerson. They are Mason Wilkerson, Braydon Wilkerson, and Tucker Wilkerson. In 2015, when the boys were young, the "Melissa & Joey" actor gave an interview to Yahoo Parenting in which she discussed her thoughts on them becoming actors. "Would I be OK with my children being entertainers? Not this young. I did take one son on an audition to see what would happen," she said. "But I'm way too busy to be a stage mom. If they want to be in Hollywood, they have to finish school first ... I won't let [a job] direct our family." Education is a priority, but there are many things that Hart would do to protect her children, and she acknowledges that motherhood has its challenges.
"The thing with parenting that nobody really prepares you for is that you always feel like you are failing," she told Hello! magazine in 2023. "It's overwhelming. But there's that love and that desire to protect and that feeling of, 'I will do anything; I will die for these people.'" But who are these three young men who have changed Hart's life? Meet her sons, who are growing up fast.
Melissa Joan Hart has raised her children with an emphasis on faith
Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Wilkerson are raising their sons as Presbyterian Christians. Faith plays an important role in their life, and Hart is vocal about this. "I feel like every time something bad has happened, I've come out of it because of my faith," she said on the "Journeys of Faith With Paula Faris" podcast. Her beliefs have anchored her, but she's also learned important lessons about tolerance and acceptance of others when her son had a debate over religion with a Jewish friend. The interaction left the actor wondering if she had handled the situation correctly and questioned how she was teaching her sons.
"When the mom [of the child] called me with a problem in sixth grade, I was like, well, 'Do I regret telling my son that we don't know if people believe in Jesus, so we don't know their character?'" she said."'Is that a wrong thing to say? Did I set my son on the wrong path, or was that the right thing to say, and I should defend that?'"
Hart also feels that her religious teachings help communicate her love for others. "We're Christian," she told Fox News Digital in 2023. "And so we are shown love through Jesus, and then we share that love."
They don't want to follow in their mom's footsteps
Melissa Joan Hart started acting at age 4. She's learned a lot about the industry but would not encourage others to follow her path from such a young age. "For those that want to get into it younger, I would say focus on school," she told Forbes in 2023. "While you're in school, use whatever is around you to hone in on a skill, whether it's dance classes, acting classes and joining, you know, a theater club or learning a musical instrument or taking singing classes."
As of 2024, Hart's children have no plans to follow in her footsteps. "We don't really have them in the industry. I don't love the idea of having to drive them to auditions [and dealing with] the rejection," she told Us Weekly in 2023 of her and her husband Mark Wilkerson's decision. "I mean, I think the rejection would be good for them in a way [to] keep them from being too spoiled, but no mommy wants their baby to go through rejection." The "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" actor hasn't had to discourage them from performing because they are totally disinterested in her work. "They want nothing to do with it," she confessed.
Melissa Joan Hart's sons inspired their parents' fashion line
Melissa Joan Hart is a woman of many talents, including becoming a fashion designer with her husband, Mark Wilkerson. The line is called King of Harts and focuses on boys' clothing. "My husband and I had trouble finding boys' clothing that we liked, especially T-shirts, which all had licensed characters on them," she told Yahoo Parenting. "I wanted my kids to look different. ... We take inspiration from our boys." She also admitted the brand meant a lot to her, saying, "This line is my baby and something I've wanted to create since my children were young."
It's a project that holds special importance for Hart, but it has not been without its challenges because starting a new venture with small kids is time-consuming. "It's taken a lot of extra focus to start King of Harts," she told People. "But this has been a dream of mine since my first son was born nine years ago, and I'm thrilled it has finally launched." As for how much input her sons had for the collection, Hart told the publication that they "weighed in on favorites from the line, so we know we have represented many personalities and preferences in the line." Their different styles also helped achieve a more versatile collection.
Her eldest son is a pilot
Melissa Joan Hart has seen how quickly her boys are growing up. "They're getting huge," she said in an interview with People in 2022. "My oldest is driving, and it's really upsetting." The son she is referring to is Mason Wilkerson, who is also working on getting a pilot's license. "He's a pilot also, so he flies planes," Hart told People. "I know he has a respect for engineering and machinery. So that helps. The younger two, I'm more afraid of driving." Achieving milestones like these reminds Hart that her boys can't stay young forever, and she referred to driving as "a loss of their childhood."
Mason shares his love of being behind the wheel with his mom, who is passionate about cars. "I love to drive. I actually race car drive as a hobby," she told Parade in 2019. "I'm always the one behind the wheel, driving with my friends and my family. We do a lot of road trips." In the same chat, Hart mentioned that the family dislikes flying commercially. So, learning to fly privately is a way for Mason (and the rest of his family) to avoid this.
Melissa Joan Hart's sons aren't interested in dating
Melissa Joan Hart is active on social media. She posted an Instagram photo of herself and her second child, Braydon Wilkerson, from his prom in October 2023. The proud mom posted a second snap of her son and his date. "Love this kid (and his lovely date)," she wrote. In April 2023, Hart posted an Instagram photo of her eldest, Mason Wilkerson, at his prom. Interestingly, just a year earlier, she had discussed how Mason was uninterested in dating.
"He's sort of navigating it now. But he wants to focus on football, so he doesn't want anything to distract him from that," the "Drive Me Crazy" actor told People in a 2022 interview about Mason's focus. But when her kids start dating, Hart will ensure they know how to treat their partners. "I am teaching them to have basic manners and be kind to everybody but being especially gentle to girls, especially when it comes to dating and understanding that hearts break differently for everybody," she said in her 2023 chat with Hello! magazine.
In the same interview with People, Hart discussed how she was having the safe sex talk with her kids — and their reactions to hearing about it. "The oldest one wants to know nothing," she said. "He's like, 'Stop, I don't want to know.' The middle one's like, 'Tell me a little. That's gross. Okay. Stop,' and the little one is like, 'Tell me everything. What's a period?'"
They live away from others
Melissa Joan Hart doesn't live in Hollywood; avoiding the paparazzi has been a smart decision. In October 2023, she posted a picture on Instagram and discussed her family's move to Nashville. "[Three] years ago today, this crew moved to Nashville to make a new home and create new memories," she captioned the family photo. In the caption, she told fans they added to their family with their dog, Sully, and thanked everyone involved in making their new location "such a wonderful place to raise our family." This also meant that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hart-Wilkerson brood were more isolated. "Luckily, we were in the mountains, so we weren't in a place where we had to be around a lot of people or that didn't wear their masks a lot," she said in an interview with Yahoo Life in 2021. "We looked at it as a good time together."
The "Clarissa Explains It All" actor has raised her children somewhat in the public eye but without the dangers of the paparazzi. To achieve this, she's used social media to her advantage. "There is such a weird fascination with celebrity kids. [In the past] you didn't know about Madonna or Paul Newman's kids. I share everything on social media, and [as a result], there is less interest in my personal life. When you try to hide, people are more interested," she told Yahoo Parenting in 2015. She also admitted to taking her kids to public events.
Melissa Joan Hart's sons are learning about the world
Melissa Joan Hart is raising her sons to understand the importance of helping others. This includes getting involved in the World Vision Choose Joy campaign. "[T]hey do such amazing work around the world and in our country," she told Capital District Moms in 2022 of the charitable initiative. "For instance, we're building a well in Zambia where our sponsored girls are. For my husband and my 20th anniversary, we're bringing our boys to see the work that's being done. They don't just fix a problem — they teach people how to solve problems."
In December 2023, Hart posted a photo on Instagram of her eldest, Mason Wilkerson, holding a goat and explained the importance of the picture in the caption. "It's not too late to gift a goat to a family in need through @worldvisionusa gift catalog!" she wrote, encouraging fans to help those in need. "Our family trip to Zambia this year taught us that goats are a true gift that keeps on giving to families and villages in impoverished countries around the world!"
Giving back is important but so are knowledge and history. In July 2023, the star posted a photo on Instagram from her family vacation in Johannesburg. While there, they visited the Apartheid Museum and "a shanty town where 5,000 people live," she wrote in the caption. "It was another eye opening part of the trip for all of us."
They weren't big fans of their mama's work
Melissa Joan Hart has loyal fans but cannot count her sons among them. "They think it's weird. And you know what, I kind of get that. They're like, 'It's just weird. I don't want to watch you on TV, and I don't want to watch you kiss another man in a Christmas movie,'" she told Us Weekly in 2023 about her films.
This is not the only time Hart has expressed how uninterested her sons are in her work. "My kids are always kind of rolling their eyes like, 'Oh, you just want to show us your movies and your show," Hart told "Today" in 2023. "I'm proud of some of them!" Hart admits to occasionally watching old shows she starred in, and one of her sons has started to like "Melissa & Joey." The "Holiday in Handcuffs" actor called this her "proud mom moment" after her son (she doesn't specify which one of the three) called the show "really funny."
However, Hart has not habitually let her children use technology or sit in front of the television. The kids "don't really like electronics, and they are just as happy reading as playing with toys," she said in a chat with People in 2017.
They're great at skiing
Since early in Mason Wilkerson, Braydon Wilkerson, and Tucker Wilkerson's lives, Melissa Joan Hart has posted photos from their ski trips. It appears this is a hobby the whole family enjoys, and they have a Lake Tahoe home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In December 2023, she posted a photo on Instagram of herself with two of her sons on a ski slope. "My happy place with my best boys doing our fav thing!" she captioned the picture.
In January 2023, Hart posted a snap of herself and all three boys riding a ski lift. "I've been a skier/rider since I was a little girl, and it's always been my dream to have all three of my boys on the mountain together and here's a rare picture of me [on] a lift with all three of my little guys since they rarely ride with me," she captioned the Facebook post. The veteran actor previously discussed her love of skiing in an interview with Parade in 2019. "I usually try to get a workout in, in the morning. When I'm in LA, I go for a hike, or in Tahoe, I'll go ski," she said. "I try to make sure I get a little activity in the morning, and that always gets my day going right."
They spend quality time together as a family
The Hart-Wilkersons spend a lot of time as a family. Melissa Joan Hart uses her social media to give fans a glimpse into their lives and the activities they get up to. This includes a trip to Walt Disney World in September 2023. "What a wonderful way to celebrate my Tucker turning 11!" she captioned the video montage of photos from the trip, which she posted on Instagram. The same month, the actor posted a photo on Instagram of herself and Mason Wilkerson attending a Smashing Pumpkins concert. Hart shared her thoughts in the caption, writing, "@smashingpumpkins with this kid! Holding on to every moment I can with my senior! #classof2024 challenge."
Hart also shares special milestones on social media, like the first day of school. "And so it begins! The start of the 'lasts.' Mason's last First day of School. Brady's first day of high school and Tucker heading into 4th grade," Hart wrote in August 2023.
The "Christmas Reservations" actor's sons are reaching milestones and getting closer to adulthood. She realizes this is a great time to prepare them for the world and set realistic expectations. "As far as raising them, they can see I am in the working world, and I have a really good work ethic. I'm trying to teach them to stay busy, to be a part of your community," she told Hello! magazine in 2023. "I'm trying to make them well-rounded men."
Their loving parents have different approaches to parenting
Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Wilkerson make a great team; their sons have two dedicated, hands-on parents. But they've tried to keep their lives as normal as possible. "My husband and I, while the kids were always a priority, we also made them fit into our lives instead of us fitting into theirs," she told Business Insider in 2019.
Wilkerson's help with the kids allows Hart to take on the projects she wants. "Without him behind me, I couldn't do what I do and entertain people because I would have to stay at home with the kids," she told Hello! in 2023. "I could not have asked for a better husband and a better partner in this world to raise these kids." But they have different approaches to parenting and who is the disciplinarian. "My husband calls me 'Santa' because I spoil the kids," Hart told Yahoo Parenting in 2015. "I do it because I see them less than he does — 'Oh, you want a lollipop? OK!' — it's mom guilt, for sure. My husband has the iron fist." But they are not alone when raising their boys because, in the same chat, she confessed to having a nanny help them.