Ryan Gosling may be winning hearts the world over for his layered portrayal of Stereotypical Beach Ken in Greta Gerwig's newly released Barbie, but his partner Eva Mendes is doing the same on social media with her takes on motherhood.
The actress, 49, took to her Instagram account with a new video of herself playing in the park with their two daughters, Esmeralda, eight, and Amada, seven.
The ever candid mom started up a conversation about having respect for your kids alongside loving them, based on a post she'd seen from a fellow mom on social media.
"If you can't beat em, join them!" she said, adding: "It's about respecting kids. All kids. Not just our own." She expanded upon her own upbringing in a Cuban family, saying: "I grew up in an incredibly loving family, but in Cuban culture – the time I was growing up – respecting children wasn't a thing.
"I'm hoping to break this cycle with my kids. I value their opinion. I respect their body. I respect their suggestions/ideas – even if I don't agree with them. And they have a voice in our home. A loud one.
Eva opened up the conversation to her fans, continuing: "I'm always looking to other parents/caretakers for advice. Comment if you want to add to this discussion. I always read comments! Sending lotsa love out there!"
© InstagramSome agreed with her take, leaving comments like: "I always apologize to my kids when I'm wrong. It makes all the difference to them," and: "I think having your children see their mama live a 'joyful' life and engage with playing with them and be silly and encourage them to just be kids…is one of the most important things you can do as a role model for them. Bravo!"
MORE: Eva Mendes shares candid thoughts on parenting while Ryan Gosling is away
Others added their own opinions, with one saying: "Totally, as long as the respect goes both ways. I've seen kids that have a voice, but their parents have lost theirs," and another adding: "Respect is having manners as it is a behavior that is considerate to others and having respect for oneself in doing so the whole world becomes a nicer more empathic place to share with others."
© SkyEva and Ryan, 42, met while co-starring in the 2012 movie The Place Beyond the Pines, starting up a relationship and welcoming their first daughter in 2014.
In a past interview with Women's Health, she admitted that kids were initially the "furthest thing from my mind," till she met her Barbie star partner. "I mean, falling in love with him. Then it made sense for me to have…not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him."
MORE: Ryan Gosling talks rarely seen daughters' 'weird' reaction to Barbie
Ryan himself stated in a recent interview with GQ that Eva telling him she was pregnant with Esmeralda was when he realized he wanted to be a father.
© Getty Images"I would never want to go back, you know?" he said. "I'm glad I didn't have control over my destiny in that way, because it was so much better than I ever had dreamed for myself."
