Why routines and structure are a must for Eva Longoria’s family: 'People are always amazed at how much I can get done in a day'

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Actress, producer, director and activist Eva Longoria laughs when she compares her 4-year-old son’s upbringing to her own as the youngest of four girls.

“I don’t even know if [my parents] parented at all,” Longoria jokes. “There aren’t pictures of me in my childhood because they’re like, that’s the fourth, we don’t need pictures of her. Very different experience to an only child.”

In her home, the former Desperate Housewives star says all the attention is on her little boy, Santiago, whom she affectionately calls "Santi" and shares with her husband Jose “Pepe” Baston. It starts in the morning. Despite the typical a.m. chaos and rush to get out the door, Longoria says the family has a routine of making breakfast together. The meal always includes refried beans, flour tortillas and a high-decimal volume.

“We’re a Mexican household so it’s loud,” Longoria tells Yahoo Life. “It’s a fun activity. Santi loves to roll out his tortilla. He loves cracking eggs. He’s been cooking with me since he was 2 and I love when he’s part of the process. Breakfast is a lot of 'you cut the strawberries, you crack the egg.' When the kids are more involved in the process they’re more likely to eat it. He’s a really good eater, I think because of that.”

Longoria knows firsthand the importance of starting a child’s day with a full belly. It’s the reason she teamed up with Kellogg’s to help fight childhood hunger. Now through May 9, shoppers can purchase the special Eva’s Breakfast For All Bundle, packed with Pop-Tarts, assorted cereals and other breakfast treats, for $25. For each bundle purchased, $1,000 will be donated (up to $100,000) to No Kid Hungry, which reports that one in eight children in the United States is living with hunger.

“When I think of a child living with hunger, that means that they’re definitely not learning in school. That means that they’ll stay in a cycle of poverty because they just can’t get ahead,” Longoria says. “Hunger bumps up against a lot of other socio-economical issues. This campaign and this breakfast for all campaign really is a simple gesture and a simple idea that could make an impact on a big issue.”

Just like the breakfast routine, Longoria says a repetitive, consistent schedule is a must in her house.

“My husband calls me a sergeant sometimes,” she says. “We have little pictures and little charts for [Santiago] and he gets a sticker when he completes things and if you go out of order, he’ll correct you. He’s like ‘no it’s brushing teeth and then books’ and you’re like ‘yup, yup, you’re right.’"

She considers herself a strict mom, but allows her son to feel in control with freedom to make some choices and express himself. Brushing teeth is a must, but what toothbrush he uses is up to him. Eating vegetables is a non-negotiable, but he gets to decide if it’s broccoli, cauliflower or spinach.

“Allowing him to pick his clothes in the morning, go for it. I don’t care if it matches. I don’t care if socks stick out. I don’t care if you want to wear two different shoes,” Longoria says. “I think that’s important. They have autonomy and they feel like they’re in control of their lives and they are making decisions for themselves and it makes them feel empowered.”

The routines and a supportive team help Longoria balance all the plates she’s juggling. Her six-part CNN original series, Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, is in the midst of airing. She also hosts a podcast, Hungry for History with Eva Longoria and Maite Gomez-Rejon, which explores food from their culture.

She’s also gearing up for the national premiere of Flamin’ Hot, a biographical dramedy she directed about a former Frito-Lay janitor who claimed to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The movie will be available on Hulu and Disney+ on June 9.

“I am really good at prioritizing and I’m very efficient," Longoria says while conducting a Zoom interview and doing a required daily COVID test for work purposes. “I’m not on Instagram hours a day. Who has time to be on Instagram hours a day? If I’m in traffic I do all my calls in the car because when I get home I want to be with Santi. I don’t want to be on the phone. I don’t want to be on the computer. People are always amazed at how much I can get done in a day. Time is my greatest wealth. I’m either spending my time, wasting my time or investing my time, so I try to invest my time.”

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