Busy Philipps admitted she’s “not above a bribe” when it comes to getting her daughters Birdie, 10, and Cricket, 5, to eat their asparagus. But that’s usually the 39-year-old star’s last resort. More often then not, Phillips turns mealtime into a healthy competition.
“I use sibling rivalry,” the host of E!’s upcoming talk show Busy Tonight told Us Weekly at a recent Tropicana event. “I’m like, ‘I feel like Cricket’s going to finish her broccoli first,’ and then Birdie’s like, ‘I can finish it first.’”
Phillips, who shares her girls with husband Marc Silverstein, also shared tips on how to get kids pumped for the first day of school. “Take them to the store and let them pick out fun supplies,” the author of This Will Only Hurt a Little told Us. Her suggestion: decorate plain folders with patterned Washi tape. “You have to try and make it fun,” she explained. “That’s the only thing you can really do.”
While the Dawson’s Creek alum is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to crafting and baking —she struggles to help rising fourth-grader Birdie with her math homework. “She does something called Singapore math,” Philipps revealed.”It’s a different way of teaching math, that I was not taught in school. And I have legitimately no idea what she’s doing.” But Philipps isn’t alone.
“So many parents were complaining that they started a parent class,” she told Us. “Like where parents can go and learn how to help the with kids with their math because it’s so hard!”
Watch the video above to hear more of the star’s mom tips.
Philipps’ memoir comes out on October 23. Busy Tonight premieres on E! on Sunday, October 28, at 10 p.m. ET.
