Sometimes parenting can feel like a never-ending game of Whac-a-Mole. We figure out how to solve one problem and then a new one pops up to take its place. We finally figure out how to stop the toddler from eating the dog's food? Great — now figure out how to get the homemade slime the other kid brought home from daycare off of the blinds!
The thing is, we know that it's totally normal for kids to be curious, impulsive, and prone to looking before they leap (sometimes literally). Every child brings a fresh set of challenges, so even the most experienced parents are always in the market for genius parenting hacks to help make this whole mom thing easier. While we often think about celebrity moms as having all the advantages (hello, nannies, private planes, and enough money to buy every imaginable baby gadget), at the end of the day they are still parents trying to figure it out just like the rest of us.
And like us, celeb moms sometimes hit on a genius parenting hack that is totally worth stealing. We've rounded up 15 famous moms who are doing all of us a solid by sharing the tricks, tips, and smart moves that worked for them and might work for us, too!
Jennifer Garner's Boredom Buster
Mindy Kaling Lets the Guilt Go
Any tip, trick, or hack that encourages moms to not be so hard on themselves is genius in our book. Mindy Kaling told the Today show that she's made peace with understanding that she can't do everything on her own as a single mom.
"Yes, I am the parent of my two children — but there are all these other caregivers in the form of family, friends, and nannies. I couldn’t do it without the village. Absolving myself of guilt for depending on others has been the biggest piece of advice that has helped me," she shared.
Kristen Bell's Smart Safety Idea
There is nothing scarier than when a kid bolts away from the car in a crowded parking lot. That's why this idea shared by Kristen Bell is so smart. As she explained, kids are instructed to use a special phrase when they get out of the car. "'Hands on the circle' (the circle is the gas tank cover) was invented by my brilliant sister-in-law, and has thus far kept my kids safe from any oncoming traffic while I unload the trunk," she said.
Connie Britton's Travel Hack
Just like the rest of us, celebrity moms worry about how to make sure their kids will survive a plane flight without losing their minds. Unlike the rest of us, they get their parenting hacks from fellow celebs like Nicole Kidman.
"The best piece of advice that I ever got for traveling with a kid was from Nicole Kidman my first year in Nashville," actress Connie Britton shared during a 2020 radio interview. "She said we have it down to a science because they have an iPad that they are only allowed to use on the plane. So the only time [my son] uses an iPad is on the plane. He sits down in his seat. He's like, 'Mom, can I look at my iPad?' I'm like, 'Yeah.' We don't speak the entire plane ride. Instead of giving him multiple doses of Benadryl, just do the iPad and then it goes back in his backpack when we land."
Reese Witherspoon's Social Media Hack
Being a parent of teens means realizing that sometimes (always?) they are paying far more attention to their phones than they are to boring old Mom — even if Mom is Reese Witherspoon! We love that the Legally Blonde star uses social media, including this Snapchat picture, to communicate with her teens. Gotta meet them where they're at!
Chrissy Teigen Isn't Afraid to Manipulate
Listen, we have to be honest: We're not totally against lying to kids. Especially when it comes to getting a little guy to actually eat some lunch and it only involves having to pretend that their favorite character is also a big fan of whatever we might be serving.
Sarah Michelle Gellar Demands Payback
Celebs may have more money than the rest of us, but we love that Sarah Michelle Gellar is determined to raise kids who aren't wasteful or spoiled. In a 2017 interview with the Today show, she shared her hack for making sure her kids aren't wasteful. "My daughter was doing this thing lately where she was asking me for a cup of milk and not drinking it. So I told her that every time she'd ask me for a cup of milk and not drink it, I would take a quarter out of her piggy bank. Someone has to pay for that milk," she explained.
