Actress and mom Cameron Diaz appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week and talked about what life’s been like since her two-year-old daughter, Raddix, who she shares with husband Benji Madden, joined their crew.
Diaz kept it real, telling Clarkson that motherhood is “the best thing I’ve ever done in life,” but also admitting sometimes she loses her sh*t with her toddler (as millions of moms nod their heads in agreement).
The actress explained that when dealing with a cranky Raddix, she goes through her “mom checklist” to see what may be the problem. “Did she eat? Is she tired? What time is it? When was the last time she ate? When did she nap? You just kind of start there, and you go, ‘What just happened? Is there something she’s trying to communicate to me?'” Diaz explained.
Diaz and Madden announced the birth of their daughter in early 2020, noting that they wouldn’t be sharing pictures of her anytime soon. “While we are overjoyed to share this news, we also feel a strong instinct to protect our little one’s privacy. So we won’t be posting pictures or sharing any more details, other than the fact that she is really cute!!” they wrote at the time.
Diaz said when she does lose it with her girl, she’s quick to patch things up. “You know what’s also really imperative—to repair. Like if you do blow up, just to repair that and say, ‘Oh my God, mommy lost her sh*t’ And, ‘I didn’t mean to say that to you. If I hurt your feelings or if I upset you, I just want you to know that mommy’s human too.'”
Clarkson agreed, adding that she feels she’s able to have similar conversations with her two kids, seven-year-old daughter River Rose and six-year-old son Remington Alexander. “I’m not afraid to say, ‘Mommy messed up. I should have handled it this way,'” she said.
Parents are, indeed, human, and it’s perfectly normal to have moments of frustration dealing with all of the things we go through. But taking the time to acknowledge your words and actions lets your kids know it’s ok to have big feelings as long as you address them.
“I feel like as a parent, my job is to help her find the words to her emotions, her experience, what she’s going through,” Diaz said. “And be able to help her identify that and move through it.”
