Molly Sims has built a successful career across modeling, acting, podcasting and beauty, but motherhood remains one of the roles she takes most seriously.
The 53-year-old star opened up about raising her three children with husband Scott Stuber and admitted that balancing family life with everything else does not always come easily.
“I think I mom really hard and then I play really hard,” Sims told Us Weekly. “I don’t think I do both well all the time.”
Sims and Stuber, 57, share sons Brooks, 14, and Grey, 9, as well as daughter Scarlett, 11. Rather than trying to meet an unrealistic standard of having everything perfectly balanced, Sims said she has learned to question the expectations people place on themselves.
“If you’re constantly putting expectations on an outcome, you’re kind of never really happy,” she explained.
When it comes to parenting, however, Sims is clear about what matters most to her. She wants her children to remain grounded despite growing up around the wealth and opportunities that can come with life in Los Angeles.
“I run a tight ship,” Sims said, explaining that raising children in the city can be difficult because of the amount of money and lifestyle they may see around them.
Her priority is keeping Brooks, Scarlett and Grey “as normal as possible” while teaching them to be polite and responsible.
Sims also strongly believes in sports and the lessons that come from being part of a team. She sees those experiences as another way for her children to learn discipline, cooperation and accountability.
Hard work is another major part of the family’s parenting philosophy.
Sims recalled that her own parents expected her to work from the age of 14, and she wants her children to understand that success is not something they should automatically expect.
“My parents made me work since I was 14, so I think no one’s gonna give it to you,” she said. “Our kids, they have to figure it out. We’ll help them, but ultimately, it’s the person, right? It’s the child.”
She and Stuber also try to lead by example.
Their children see Sims reading scripts and working on her projects, while Stuber, a film executive, spends time writing notes and handling his own professional responsibilities.
“They’re seeing us work. They’re seeing us navigate [our jobs],” Sims explained. “They’re seeing us tired. They’re seeing us get up and exercise and, you know, I think it’s a lot of work.”
Her message to the children is that life requires “hard work with a little bit of luck [and] with a little bit of magic.”
Parenting also changes depending on the child.
Brooks is heading into eighth grade, Scarlett into sixth grade and Grey into fourth grade, and Sims said each has a different personality and different needs.
“They’re all very different,” she said. “So you kind of have to parent and meet them where they are.”
Despite the challenges, Sims describes her children as “really good kids” and Stuber as “an excellent father.”
Above all, the couple tries to stay present as their children grow.
Sims said she and Stuber make a conscious effort to enjoy the different stages of their family life because childhood moves quickly — and those years do not last forever.
