Julia Roberts shares her 'simple rules' for parenting teens - and her trick for helping her family stay 'so deeply in love'

Julia Roberts has shared the positive way technology allows her family to stay 'so deeply in love.' The actress also has one strict rule about its use. 

Parenting older children comes with just as many obstacles as parenting younger ones, as the rise of those taking teen-ternity leave surges. For those unfamiliar with the term, it involves parents of teens taking a career break, to spend more time caring for their older children. 

Some parents are faced with tackling teens that won't talk to them anymore, and the ever-present need for technology and how to deal with children getting their first phone.

Julia Roberts is the latest celebrity to weigh in on technology and parenting, sharing the positive way it has helped her remain a parent to her grown up children. She also has one strict rule for phone use when her family are all together.

Appearing on the Today Show in a clip shared to TikTok, mum-of-three Julia described how phones allow her to be a mum to her kids now they live elsewhere, in the same way she was when they all lived under the same roof. 

The Pretty Woman star is mum to twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, 19, and 16-year-old Henry, with husband Danny Moder. 

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"I parent them the same way out of the house that I parented them in the house," she said. This involves asking them "Are you getting enough sleep, and you sound like you're sick, and are you drinking tea, and text me when you get home."

She went on to describe how much she appreciates her children for continuing to let her be the same mother she's always been, adding they do this "with no eye rolling." The actress sweetly described how the clearly close family stay connected between different homes and across time zones.

She said "Henry and Danny are home, and I'm in another time zone. And then Finn is somewhere and Hazel is somewhere, and we were all on a FaceTime together the other day, all of us."

Roberts then went on to share the love and connection between the family. "It was so fun," she said, adding "We were all so happy to be together in that way. That we are still so deeply in love."

The actress has also shared the one very strict rule she has in place when it comes to phone use when the family are all together. According to SheKnows, the star has clearly stated there are to be no phones around the table when everyone is at home.

"So, for us, we just had sort of simple rules where we had a charging station, where everybody’s phone goes when you get home," she said. Roberts added "There’s no phones at the table, certainly."

Commenting on her parenting style on TikTok, one user wrote "This speaks volumes as to what a kind, warm, genuine, respectful and present mom she was and is. What a beautiful soul she shared with her kids."

Another added "I love that she gets it’s a privilege to be in your adult kids lives. I have three of them, and it’s the greatest feeling to experience their lives with them." 

For more on parenting, an expert has shared some tips on carving out some alone time at Christmas, a time when the mental load can soar. One mum also shares why Elf on the Shelf is harmless fun, and shouldn't be turned into a mum war.