The Strict Rule Eva Mendes & Ryan Gosling Have For Their Kids

Growing up the child of a celebrity couple could mean living a life of freedom and riches, but, in reality, celebs make rules for their children to follow just like any other parent — even royal couple Prince William and Kate Middleton have strict regulations for their kids — and Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling are no different. They have two daughters, Esmeralda and Amada, who are home-schooled, and Mendes shared with The Sunday Times that social media and smartphones for the kids are absolutely not allowed.

"Putting my kid on the internet and being like, 'Oh, search something,' that to me is equivalent to telling her, 'Oh, just go down the street in the middle of the night. You'll be fine,'" Mendes said. "I know that sounds extreme, but that's what I feel."

While Mendes and Gosling live really lavish lives, they haven't forgotten where they came from, and they share those past experiences with their children. Citing the book, "Raising Mentally Strong Kids," Mendes explained she knows her daughters won't suffer the same way she and Gosling, who had a troubled childhood, did, but Mendes still wants them to gain perspective. Having the kids do chores and help out around the house is one way to do that.

This isn't the first time Eva Mendes has mentioned her kids' lack of screen time. In 2022, she shared with Byrdie that she wants her kids to be bored at times. After Mendes and the kids did a plethora of activities in London while Ryan Gosling filmed a movie, Mendes said, "I really feel like when we're bored — not stimulated by a phone, or an iPad, or computer or television — that's when ideas come in. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's dangerous, and sometimes it's enlightening. I really want it to be the summer of boredom."

Moreover, Mendes is a big believer in conscious parenting, which is less about rule-following and more about a parent building a strong relationship with their child. The "Hitch" star also admitted in that Sunday Times interview that she's worried her anxiety may be inadvertently passed onto her daughters. "Subconsciously I can't imagine what they're inheriting from me that I don't want them to inherit from me."

When it comes to parenting, Gosling admitted during an interview with GQ that he will defer to his partner if he's ever unsure how to play something. "I just lean on Eva. She knows what's important, always. She just somehow knows. So if ever I'm in my head about it, I just ask her," Gosling said.