Keri Russell: ‘Kids Are All Different’

Ramey

When it comes to raising children, what works for one mom may not work for another. That’s why Keri Russell — herself mom to River Russell, 18 months — has approached motherhood with a mindset of "kids do…what they do." When asked Monday by The View co-host Sherri Shepherd whether River is still taking a pacifier, for example, the 32-year-old actress revealed that he only used it briefly as a newborn and then decided for himself that he was done. "I feel like, [kids] are all different," she explains. "You’ve got to let them do what they do."

While still pregnant Keri expressed a hesitancy to hire a nanny, but after accepting a part in Bedtime Stories she realized that she could no longer go it alone. Upon arriving in Los Angeles to shoot the film — which opens Dec. 25 — Keri utilized "a babysitter" and soon realized all she had been missing out on! "Boy, it sure is nice when someone helps you!" she notes.

The role was offered to her directly by co-star and father-of-two Adam Sandler, who suspected that the timing might be right for both actors. "He called me and said, ‘I hear you’re pregnant,’" Keri explained. "[He said] ‘I have a kid, and I want to make a movie my kid can see, and you’re having a kid so you should come do it with me.’" Only too happy to oblige, Keri said that she did take precautions to limit River’s time on set when she was shooting scenes as a mermaid, which required her to wear contact lenses. "One of the special effects guys said, ‘Don’t let River see you with the contacts, because the eyes are how they connect to you and it might weird him out,’" Keri shared.

River is Keri’s son with husband Shane Deary.

Source: The View