Katherine Heigl thinks lockdown has given her 'better handle' on parenthood

7 March 2021

Katherine Heigl has a “better handle” on parenthood thanks to lockdown.

Josh Kelley and Katherine Heigl

The 42-year-old actress admitted the “silver lining” of the coronavirus pandemic has been getting more time than ever with kids Nancy, 12, Adalaide, eight, and four-year-old Joshua – who she has with husband Josh Kelley – and she feels she understands them more now.

She told OK! magazine: “[It’s been] pretty chaotic. This is the first time I’ve been at home with my children for a full year since I became a mother.

“There is a real sense of grace to that.

“It was a silver lining because I got to steep myself in that very important part of my life that often gets compromised with work and travel.

“I understand certain behaviours better and have a better handle on it.”

The ‘Firefly Lane’ actress admitted she and her spouse were very relaxed for the first few months – so she was stunned when Josh told her he thought they were “strict” parents.

She added: “At one point, Josh said to me, ‘We are pretty strict Katie.’ And I said, ‘In what way? How are we strict? Because it feels like chaos to me and I can’t get a handle on anything.’

“He said ‘Well they have a bedtime.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, so do all children. Mostly.’ And then he goes, ‘Well, we ask them to help with the dinner dishes.’

"And I was like, ‘OK, if you think that’s strict then you and I have a very different philosophy on how to raise children because that’s nothing. I think they should be doing a lot more round here to help and to participate.’ ”

Katherine changed her stance when she realised her daughters were gaming too much.

She explained: “The first four months were a free pass. ‘Sure girls, you can go play that Robolox game you love too much.’

“They’d be off in another room on their computers like little hypnotised robots. Joshua was still running around like a madman but big Josh and I would sit and watch ‘The Voice’ while drinking wine.

“By July, I started to realise letting the girls go into a room and play that game was not wise. They needed to be more involved. Then it became, ‘Can somebody help me unload the dishwasher?’ ”