Reese Witherspoon's parenting style doesn't involve constant coddling. The "Big Little Lies" star admitted that she's raising her three children with tough love.
Witherspoon is mother to 17-year-old Ava and 13-year-old Deacon from her first husband, Ryan Phillippe, as well as to four-year-old Tennessee, her son with Jim Toth. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight to promote her new musical comedy film "Sing" (which also stars Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson), Witherspoon said that she sets "rules around the house."
"I always say if you aren't yelling at your kids you're not spending enough time with them. [I'm] just telling everyone to clean up all the time," the 40-year-old actress shared to the news outlet. Witherspoon said that people don't contact her before 8:15 in the morning because that's the time when she's extra busy on her kids needing to be on the school bus or at school.
Witherspoon also revealed that little Tennessee has quite a temper in the mornings. The child refuses to talk to anybody and he doesn't want anyone approaching him before 8 AM. Tennessee needs an hour of alone time with his toys and blankets and just sits by his lonesome in a room.
A photo posted by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on Dec 4, 2016 at 2:52pm PST
Witherspoon was 23 years old when she gave birth to Ava. She admitted in an interview with Glamour magazine that at the time, she was shocked and she didn't know a single thing about motherhood. For Witherspoon, there's not a perfect time "to have your world turned upside down," but the payoff was worth it because seeing her children "for the first time was primal" and there was "ferocity of love" there, Hello Magazine reported.
The "Tinker Bell" star said that out of all her kids, Ava is the most musically-inclined. The teenager knows how to play multiple instruments -- such as the ukulele, piano, and guitar -- and has attended various music training camps. Ava can also compose songs.
HBO's "Big Little Lies" revolves around three mothers portrayed by Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley. They seem to be leading quiet lives, with their kids going to the same school. The trio, however, unravels when a murder takes place. Also starring are Laura Dern, Adam Scott, Zoe Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgard, James Tupper, Kathryn Newton and Merrin Dungey.
The mini-series premieres on HBO on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Watch the trailer here.
