Drew Barrymore's 'No Guardrails' Childhood Impacts How She Raises Her Daughters

Drew Barrymore is one of the best examples of how kindness is akin to strength. Her eponymous talk show is a safe space for stars and audiences alike, and that same attitude clearly extends to her two daughters, Olive and Frankie, at home. The former child star's approach, however, is not without some necessary tough love at times — especially considering Drew Barrymore's own heartbreaking childhood. While recounting her decision to take away her eldest daughter Olive's phone on Instagram, in 2024, the "Whip It" director drew from her own troubled past. She started off the piece, slyly entitled "Phone Home" in a nod to one of her most famous roles, by providing some context regarding her struggles with boundaries as a child actor. 

Barrymore recounted, "I wished many times when I was a kid that somebody would tell me no. I wanted so badly to rebel all the time, and it was because I had no guardrails." After finding worldwide fame at the age of just 7, thanks to her role in the 1982 family classic "E.T.," it's unsurprising that having "too much access and excess" altered the youngster's perception of boundaries. Forced to figure out how to navigate the public eye all by herself, Barrymore's preteens were a chaotic time. 

During an appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," the "Scream" star described how, "I was going to clubs and not going to school and stealing my mom's car," which ultimately landed her in a psychiatric institution for 18 months (via People). Although Barrymore's path in life has been imperfect, she sees it as the ultimate learning experience, especially when it comes to raising her two children.

Drew Barrymore is refreshingly honest about her troubled past with her daughters, but it doesn't necessarily make her decisions as a parent any easier. Self-judgement can be particularly challenging, as the the "Ever After" star confessed on the "Chicks in the Office" podcast. As Barrymore explained, "I was so unforgiving of myself when my kids were younger and now [...] It's shifted into something very different. And I'm having the best time ever. I've learned boundaries." Maintaining those boundaries, as well as respecting her daughters', is key for creating a safe space without the pressures of perfection. 

During a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the former child star opened up about her approach to raising Olive, who was born the year before. "I will absolutely instill in her that you cannot be ashamed of the journey that it took to get where you are if you are proud of yourself," she shared. "But I will also try to instill in her that I did not have guidance and that is why I lived my life that way. There is no option for her to take that path because she has guidance," (via RTÉ). 

Drew Barrymore's relationship with her mother is hardly conventional, but despite all their hardships, the "Charlie's Angels" star has "so much empathy for her now, because I am a mother. And none of us [are] perfect," as she noted on Instagram. Being a parent is not easy, but Barrymore's philosophy helps her create space for her daughters' identities without erasing what it took to build her own.