Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard prefer to be an open book when it comes to parenting their two daughters Delta, nine, and Lincoln, 11.
The Frozen actress, 43, revealed that like any other couple, she and her husband have found themselves in arguments – but if it happens in front of their kids, there is a surprising rule she and Dax follow.
"We always make up in front of them if anyone gets snarky or frustrated or fights, which we all do," she told People.
Stressing the importance of teaching Delta and Lincoln about conflict resolution, Kristen explained: "We do not have the makeup, our conflict resolution, be behind closed doors.
"Even if at dinner, let's say, one of us is frustrated and is a little snarky and then we go to bed. We'll apologize to each other the next morning.
"Then we will apologize and make amends to each other in front of the kids so that they can see how conflict resolution actually happens," she added.
© Getty ImagesKristen and Dax are very private about shielding their daughters' identities on social media and will also disguise their appearance if posting photos online.
Speaking to Romper about their reasoning behind it, Kristen said: "My feeling is that I chose a career in the public eye. I chose to be quoted, I chose to have my picture taken. I don’t know them yet. I don't know if they will want that. So I really don't have the right to choose for them."
However, the couple – who have been married for over 10 years – are very open when it comes to their relationship with their children.
© InstagramThe Veronica Mars star opened up to Real Simple in 2023 about no topic of conversation being off-limits with her daughters, expressing her disdain for the word "taboo" and saying: "I think it should be stricken from the dictionary.
"I know it's shocking," she continued. "But I talk to my kids about drugs, and the fact that their daddy is an addict and he's in recovery, and we talk about sex."
Dax has been sober for over sixteen years and has been nothing but open and honest about his journey with addiction, previously revealing that he had a relapse in 2012 after a motorcycle accident led him to misuse painkillers again.
© InstagramKristen further told the outlet: "There are all these 'hard topics' that don't have to be if you give the person on the other end your vulnerability and a little bit of credit."
She added that above all else, honest communication is what's most important for her and her family, particularly when someone has made a mistake.
She said: "If there's one thing I want to teach my kids, it's how to make amends – and that it's for themselves, so they can like who's in the mirror a little bit more."
