Exclusive: Ashley Tisdale Talks Being a Toddler Mom With a Daughter in the Throes of the 'Terrible Twos'
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As any toddler parent knows, it can be a roller-coaster ride of emotions throughout a 24-hour day. They are giggling and joyful one moment and then their little world turns into a swirling tornado of frustration. Then, just like that, they’re back to their happy selves again. That’s exactly the stage Ashley Tisdale is in with her adorable daughter, Jupiter Iris, 2, who she shares with her husband, Christopher French — and at their house, the “terrible twos” have officially arrived.
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She shared those toddler-mom moments she’s experiencing right now with SheKnows at Sweet Earth Foods’ “Veggie Come Back” event in Los Angeles. Describing her daughter as “the sweetest” little girl, Tisdale also laughed at the fact that Jupiter just “has those days” when “she doesn’t know what to do with her frustration.” Sometimes a scream emerges from out of nowhere and Tisdale has to ask, “What is going on?” She adds, “And it changes so quickly, how did this just start to happen? And then, she’s back to being sweet.”
Tisdale feels that Jupiter is “going through it,” so she wants to do her best to guide her emotions. She tells her daughter, “’Take a deep breath. I know you’re frustrated, and I acknowledge that. It’s okay to tell me what you want.’ We’re trying to navigate that right now.” The 37-year-old actress also leans on her support system when she needs advice, including her “mom friends, because [parenting] is all new to me still” as well as her husband who is “super patient” and loves to read child-rearing books. She adds that he’s always ready to step in for those “moments when you need a break.”
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Tisdale knows that those adult timeouts are often crucial during mealtimes because Jupiter has hit that picky eating stage. “She’s definitely difficult in the eating department,” she notes. “We are trying to figure out what she will eat besides pasta. Someone told me that would happen, and sure enough, it does happen.”
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Tisdale, who has been on her own health journey, tries to eat “100% plant-based foods one or two days per week” — which is perfect for her as a Sweet Earth Foods ambassador. She’s been able to incorporate some of their “flavorful” meals like Mindful Chik’n Strips for salads and tacos, Vegan Pad Thai, or her husband’s favorite, the breakfast burritos. As for Jupiter … well, she’s still saying “no” to things. “I’m trying to put broccoli in front of her and to make her see it, and she’s just not into it,” Tisdale laughs. “This is crazy!” Yep, that’s the real-life view of a toddler mom.
So, she’s now dusting off the advice she served up to Jupiter “when she was really little and getting frustrated on tummy time.” Tisdale recalls, “She was just so small, and she wasn’t speaking at all. I would tell her, ‘It’s okay you can always get through it.’ Those are the things I like to share with her … things in life that I’ve learned … you’re never stuck, you can always get through something.” Just like any parent getting through that buttered noodle stage, you will get through this, too.
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