At the end of a long day, sometimes moms just need to unwind with their favorite TV show, the chocolate you’ve been hiding from the kids, and a nice long cry. I don’t even necessarily have to have a reason to cry — it’s just a way to release all the pent up stress of the day. Melissa Joan Hart totally gets it, and her secret to getting through the tough days with her three boys is so simple it’s genius!
“I have a crying spot,” the Sabrina the Teenage Witch alum told SheKnows at the Variety Power of Women New York today. A crying spot? That sounds intriguing!
“I was told by a friend to always have a crying spot. I do have a crying spot,” she explained. “So, a place I go to retreat after I’ve had a tough day.” I love that! And now that I think about it, I remember my mom telling me once that she used to cry in the shower when she needed to let off some steam. As a fellow mom of three boys, I totally want to steal this. If my crying spot could come with some fluffy blankets and maybe an espresso machine, that would be fabulous!
The Melissa & Joey star also opened up about being “outnumbered” in her house as the mom of three sons. (She shares Mason, 18, Braydon, 16, and Tucker, 11, with husband Mark Wilkerson.) “Three boys can be a little overwhelming,” she told us, explaining that they have a lot of “energy” and “know how to push buttons.” She added, “There are some tough moments, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world because it’s the greatest job I’ve ever had.”
The Dirty Little Secret star opened up about parenting in a May 1 interview with TODAY, where she admitted that her kids are spoiled. “They are a little spoiled. I’m not going to lie,” she said. “You want to give your kid everything and you want to make their life easy. But by doing that, you’re actually hurting them.”
So now, Hart and Wilkerson are reversing course and practicing “natural consequences.” She explained, “Sometimes those natural consequences are harder on the parents, I think, but the kids learn a lesson from it.” Props to her for recognizing that her parenting style wasn’t working and course-correcting instead of just giving up or digging in her heels!
Parenting is challenging, but Hart is focusing on doing her best — and giving herself grace (and a place to cry!) when things go wrong.
These celebrity parents are sharing the struggle — and sweetness — of raising teenagers.
