Jessica Alba Reveals Her Family Pet Peeves, Importance of Expressing Needs to Husband Cash Warren

Jessica Alba loves her family — but like any mother, even she has her own pet peeves.

In one of this week's cover stories, Alba — who shares Honor, 12, Haven, 9, and Hayes, 3, with husband Cash Warren — opens up to PEOPLE about raising her three kids and the unique (and relatable!) challenges that come with being her family's matriarch.

"Haven steals my phone and goes on TikTok because she's not allowed to have social media," says Alba, 40. "Whenever there needs to be a chore done, Honor loves to be doing her homework."

"And Cash plays chess and does New York Times crosswords pretty much every waking hour that I'm trying to talk to him about anything," she adds.

Jessica Alba/instagram

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When the going gets tough, Alba has Warren, 42, to help her through it all.

To keep their happy marriage on track, Alba, who tied the knot with the producer and entrepreneur in 2008, says that incorporating dates night has been beneficial to their success as a couple.

"At different times, there were different things that we needed. Around the time I had the kids, it was like, 'I need [date night] once a week,'" she recalls. "And he's been like, 'I need you to be present on the weekends and not work.' Over-communicating, maybe that's it."

Mike Rosenthal Jessica Alba

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The twosome additionally "over-communicate what's happening before it gets to the point of no return," the actress says.

Being intentional about touching base with one another is also key. "I don't think we have a secret at all," she says of their marriage. "We just have to check each other."

For the Honest Company founder, she's learned the importance of balance and adaptability when it comes to juggling her at-home life and busy career.

Mike Rosenthal

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"I do think where you choose to be present is where you're going to give your all. But during COVID, my kid's going to come in and interrupt a meeting," she says. "I'm not less capable of making decisions or doing things. I just have to pause. 'What is it? Stop fighting with your sister.' That's life. We're not robots."

The L.A.'s Finest alum continues, "But I think the self-care piece of it is often left out. And mental health. We don't give ourselves enough time and space for that. And I wish we did."