Irina Shayk Says She and Bradley Cooper Don't Have Nannies, Take Daughter Lea 'Everywhere': 'We Make It Work'

Shayk shares some rare comments on her co-parenting relationship with her actor ex

Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper keep their daughter at the center of everything they do.

Appearing on the cover of ELLE's November issue, the 37-year-old model mom says that she and her actor ex, 48, prioritize giving daughter Lea De Seine, 6, a childhood that's consistent with each of their "normal backgrounds."

“We both take Lea everywhere with us,” she says, confirming neither she nor Cooper employ nannies.

“She’s super easy. Two days ago, I had to go to the gym, so I just got her a drawing book and said, ‘Mama’s working out.’ She was drawing for an hour," she shares. "Then we went to the Michael Kors fitting. She met all the girls. Michael gave her a bag. She drew him a kitty cat.”

The co-parents work together to make sure everyone gets time with Lea while they pursue their respective career commitments.

"We always find a way," she says. Asked about the dynamic of her co-parenting relationship with Cooper, she responds, "He’s the best father Lea and I could dream of. It always works, but it always works because we make it work."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Related: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Take Trip to Italy with Daughter, 'Both Want to Make Lea Happy': Source

Noting that moms in the spotlight are constantly criticized for how they balance their time, Shayk notes that she's "the same person" she was before becoming a mom, but recognizes the criticism that comes with life in the public eye.

"Not everybody is going to like you. And I don’t want everyone to like me," she says. "I am who I am."

"I’m not going to change because somebody who has nothing to do in their life is saying some b------t about me or how I dress or how I’m parenting," she asserts.

When it comes to parenting, both Shayk and Cooper agree it's important to emphasize the value of hard work to their daughter.

“Looking at my daughter now, she’s growing up in a completely different environment,” Shayk says. “She lives in the West Village. She went to all these countries in two months. But we want her to know the value of stuff. We want to show our daughter, ‘You have to work hard to get something.’”

The busy mom provides her daughter perspective at times when she complains about Shayk heading out for work.

"You want to go on vacation, right? You want to go shopping? So I’m going to London. You’re going to be with Daddy, because Mama has to work," she levels with Lea, who she speaks to in in Russian, dubbing it their “secret language.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.