Sarah Michelle Gellar [1] is best known as Buffy the vampire slayer, but the actress and mother of Charlotte, 8, and Rocky, 5, is adding anther strong female lead to her résumé: take-no-crap mommy. She recently told Today of the strict rules she and hubby Freddie Prinze Jr. enforce [2] in their home to ensure they're not raising spoiled children — and we're taking notes. Check out some of her shrewd and hilarious rules below:
Kids must help with the cooking
"I do a lot of cooking with the kids. I'm big on child labor," Sarah jokes, adding that she includes her little ones in the shopping and the meal-prep process because she's "not a restaurant."
You have to give all foods a real try
"We have a rule in our house. You have to try something 10 times and two times more before you decide whether or not you like it."
Chores are just part of being a family member
"I don't love the idea of giving them money to do chores that they should do anyway."
Wastefulness is not tolerated
"My daughter was doing this thing lately where she was asking me for a cup of milk and not drinking it. So I told her that every time she'd ask me for a cup of milk and not drink it, I would take a quarter out of her piggy bank. Someone has to pay for that milk."
We love this no-nonsense approach to raising kids into good people, but for those who find it a bit harsh, Sarah doesn't care. In fact, she told Today she gives zero expletives. "Kids need limits. I would feel mommy-shamed if I raised a serial killer." That sound you hear is moms across the country shouting "amen!"