Entertainment

Rich Fury/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Why Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard Perfected This Parenting Tactic Makes Total Sense

by Korey Lane

Whether she's voicing a Disney princess, being a hilarious bad mom, or helping hurricane victims, there's really not a lot Kristen Bell can do wrong. And the reason Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard do "tag team" parenting is also worth talking about, because it makes total sense. Because even though Bell may play one of the legendary "bad moms" in the movie of the same name, in real life, she's anything but.

Speaking at the Alliance of Moms’ Raising Baby event on Saturday, Bell spoke to People about her own parenting style, and what she said will have moms and dads everywhere nodding their heads in agreement. Basically, they tag team it. "We switch kids all the time," she told the magazine. "Because if I’m talking to the 2½-year-old, and I’m done, I’ll just be like, ‘We’ve got to switch. I don’t want to talk to this kid anymore.'"

Honestly, what parent hasn't been there before? Dealing with one kid is exhausting, add in another and you've got a whole lot of frustration waiting to happen. Bell is certainly fortunate to have such an amazing husband and partner there to help out, but it's not just their tag team parenting that's garnering attention.

Tag teaming with their children is definitely a worthwhile approach, but it's not without its faults. "It’s not about perfection, but it is about being thoughtful and not reactive," she explained of their tactic to People. "So in order to not be reactive, we switch kids a lot."

In fact, a 2014 study found that "the average mother ends up with only 17 minutes to herself a day," according to the Daily Mail. So if Bell and Shepard can help each other out and switch kids and problems every now and then? Sounds like a pretty good plan to me.

Bell also explained that it's so important to be open and honest with their children while tag teaming. Because even though they may be young, kids still notice when something is up with their parents, and that's not a bad thing to Bell, as she told People:

You don’t want to be reactive to you kids. You want to be thoughtful, and you want to be setting a good example. Sometimes that example is crying in front of them and saying, "I’m overwhelmed," or "I’m sad because of XYZ," or "I’m just sad because I’m feeling sad. I’m going to let my sad out. And then I’m going to find a way to cheer myself up."

Honestly, how great is that? According to Roma Khetarpal, author of The “Perfect” Parent and founder of Tools of Growth, expressing emotions and recognizing them is a key in not getting too stressed out as a parent. "Say the feeling out loud or in your inner voice: I am feeling angry," she wrote in an article for HuffPost. "Then okay it; validate the feeling. When we validate our feelings, we accept them as they are instead of fighting them."

And that's exactly what Bell and Shepard are doing in tag team parenting their daughters, 4-year-old Lincoln, and 2-year-old Delta. Bell also recognizes that sometimes, her lack of sleep plays a huge role in how she parents her kids. "If I had had a full night’s rest, I would be able to be more patient with them sometimes," she explained to People, continuing, “It’s a toss-up between that, and truly feeling confident that what you’re doing for your child is the best thing, because it is extremely counterintuitive."

So, maybe, just maybe, if you need a break from one of your kids, try tag team parenting. Of course, this tactic isn't possible or suited for everyone, but it seems to be working well for Bell and Shepard.

Check out Romper's new video series, Romper's Doula Diaries:

Watch full episodes of Romper's Doula Diaries on Facebook Watch.