Kristen Bell Reveals the Question Her Daughter Asked That Left Her and Husband Dax Shepard Stumped
Honesty may be the best policy, but sometimes it's hard AF.
Before Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard welcomed daughters Lincoln, 11, and Delta, 9, they committed to never lying to their children, no matter the question asked. "It requires a lot of brain power," Kristen acknowledged in an exclusive interview with E! News, "because you have to filter what's appropriate for their age group, what isn't going to scare them too much, but just maybe enough. You have to make all these quick calls, all these blank decisions, and it's hard."
It'd be far easier, the Veronica Mars actress continued, "to do it how parents throughout history have done it, which is, 'Because I said so.' I just don't think that yields the best results."
So she and the Armchair Expert podcaster were open about his struggles with addiction and forthright to a fault when their girls asked about where babies come from.
"One kid asked us and Dax started explaining the sperm meets the ovum," recalled Kristen, "and truly, within 30 seconds, she had walked outside because she was so bored. So it's worked in our favor, and we're going to keep it up as long as we can."
But, admittedly, they have moments where they contemplate going to the bad place.
"I mean, yeah, when my daughter first asked us, 'What happens when we die?'" Kristen reflected of toddler-aged Lincoln's wise-beyond-her-years query. "My husband and I looked at each other and we were like, 'What tale do we choose?' And then we were like, 'We don't know. You might just become flowers, but you might end.'"
As it turns out, the truth nipped that line of questioning in the bud.
"She cried for a minute," the 43-year-old acknowledged. "Then she went, 'Okay.' I still can't believe we got through that."
And though Kristen admitted there are a few pieces of information she gatekeeps from her girls, "Mostly it's how my checking account works and stuff because I don't really need you to have that."
With all other information, though, she makes it a point to let it go.
The benefits of moving their bodies, for instance, "We talk about it a lot," stressed Kristen, who likes to lead by example. "They don't love it when you just come at them with advice. But if my husband and I say, 'Ugh, I'm feeling so sluggish, I really need to move my body,' then we say, 'Do you want to come on a walk with us?' They're much more likely to join."
So she's talking the talk in her partnership with PLEZi Nutrition, the brand co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Having already notched a win with the brand's low-sugar fiber-filled juice boxes (her daughters are so sweet on the juice, they started trading it at recess in what Kristen dubbed "a big black market trade on the blacktop"), the Michigan native signed on to co-host the PLEZi Absurdly Good Games along with magician Sean Sotaridona.
With chances to win both merch and cash prizes for sharing their skills on the 'gram through July 8, said Kristen, "We want to see everybody's fun, style, creativity, individuality and personality come out through the way that they move."
As for their family's vibe, it can best be demonstrated through their latest obsession: Netflix's reality series Physical: 100.
"They have these physical competitions," she said of the show, which sees 100 ultra-fit competitors battle it out to see who's the most in shape. "And they're these semi-obstacle courses. And because we started watching that with the kids, we're monkeys, we want to imitate. So they started building obstacle courses at home. I think talking about it is really the first step before you instigate the rule of physical activity."
Basically, she's not holding back anymore.