Meet the Parents: Jessica Alba & Cash Warren

Q: What do you think each other’s parenting strengths are?

JESSICA: Cash has the ability to pull himself out of a situation. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the moment, especially when there’s a challenge or conflict, and he is just so much more relaxed. I learned from him to make the time that we have with the kids really count. Even though I can’t be there for every moment, when I am there, I try to make it magical.

CASH: I love how much she pushes them. Jessica is a loving disciplinarian. She’s direct and has no problem putting them in their place. We have a nice good-cop, bad-cop routine. Then, when she’s being the nice one, I’ll step up.

Q: Was going from two to three a big adjustment?

J: Every kid you have changes the family dynamic. I didn’t realize how easy it was with one, because it was so jarring going from no kids to having a kid. When you go from one to two, you realize, Whoa, OK. So I really don’t have any time for me.

That was when we first had to carve out time for date nights and plan time to see friends. When our son—Hayes, now two—arrived, everyone had an adjustment period. For Haven and Honor, it was about reassuring them that they’re always going to be important.

Q: How do you chill in the summer?

J: I like to disconnect and relax and not be on our phones or think about work. We love spending time with the kids and being present with them, so that’s the goal when we do a summer trip. When we’re home, we have barbecues and hang out and the kids have sleepovers.

C: I love summer. My mom lives in France, and growing up, I spent summers there. So out of the country and expose them to new places. They’re pretty adventurous.

Q: How do you deal with bickering kids?

C: We’ve found that if they’re busy, they don’t have as much time to fight. When they don’t have anything to do, it seems the most entertaining thing is to get on each other’s nerves. With our two daughters—Honor, 11, and Haven, eight—Jessica and I will divide and conquer. Jessica will take Honor out and I’ll take Haven out, or vice versa. Sometimes, you’ve just got to separate the fighters.

Scenes from a family: mom Jessica, dad Cash, and Honor (11), Haven (eight), and Hayes (two)

Q: How do you teach your kids the importance of giving back?

J: I’ve always told my kids that nobody chooses to be born in tough circumstances, and everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. At Cash’s company, Pair of Thieves, they created a holiday called National Sock Day. They’ve given out millions of socks to homeless shelters, and we’ll go with the kids to distribute socks and hygiene products. During the holidays, we adopt families and the kids help me pick out gifts and put lists together—necessities like warm blankets, backpacks, and shoes but also books and toys, too. I hope my kids always feel the need to give back.

Q: With all you’ve got going on, how do you manage stress?

J: I 100 percent feel better mentally after working out. It releases stress and makes me feel connected to my body. Do I do it as regularly as I want? No. If I can work out three times a week, that’s great.

Q: What are your goals for your children?

C: One thing that Jessica and I are 100 percent aligned on is that we’re not raising a–holes. If they get out of line, we’re not going to stand for it. We’ve tried to maintain the values our parents taught us.

J: I don’t shy away from setting boundaries and routines. They have to make their beds. They have to set the table, clear the table—those are no-brainers, right? They participate in taking care of the home and themselves.

Q: How is running a family like running a business?

C: I’ve always looked for business partners who complement me. They have strengths that are my weaknesses, and that holds true for Jessica and me. Communication is key in both areas; nothing works if you don’t have each other’s back. And whether it’s making your household work or your business work, you have to be totally committed.

“Keeping it all together is a little overrated. Kudos to anyone who can and does, but I’m also grateful to role models like Jessica and Cash who show that you don’t always have to have the answer and it’s still going to be OK.”

—Drew

Jessica’s Honest Summer Self-Care

Me Moment Soaking Salts

“I love a bath in the summer. It’s totally relaxing. I’ll put a mask on my hair and a mask on my face, then soak in the tub with these salts.”

Prime & Perfect Mask

“This is so yummy-smelling because it contains a lot of fruit-based antioxidants. Sometimes the girls and I all put a face mask on and just talk.”

3-in-1 detox mud mask

“When I have more breakouts and need to detox, I use this mask. Honor likes it, too. Doing this stuff with the girls teaches them about self-care, and it’s a nice bonding time.”

By Laura Morgan | Photographs courtesy of the family