Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Share the Best Advice They Give Their Kids
As parents of three, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are used to dolling out advice. And on Monday, the couple shared some of the best they’ve given over the years.
Prior to attending the TrevorLIVE New York Gala, Ripa and Consuelos, both 48, opened up to Entertainment Tonight about parenting sons Michael, 22, Joaqui, 16, and daughter Lola, 18 — explaining that they’ve encouraged their kids to always stand up for themselves — something Ripa has learned first hand when clapping back at social media trolls.
“I always say this, I counter-troll with love. I never really take it [seriously],” Ripa told ET. “I sometimes wish people could hear my voice as I’m saying it out loud. You don’t really have the proper context.”
“I think I have the most clever trolls. I do,” she joked. “I think my trolls are amazingly clever and I will feed them. They deserve to be fed. We inspire each other. You can literally tell when I am sitting in the dentist office, if the subway is broken down, if there is a signal that has gone out, just by how many people I have clapped back towards, because if I am busy I don’t really read the comments.”
Consuelos also told ET that he encourages his kids to network.
“I think especially with the programs that they’re in, the peers they are going to school with are people they are going to be working with, so [we’ve told them] make connections, cultivate those relationships,” he said.
Rippa added, “I think what they have learned so far in their young lives is that you show up for people when they show up for you and you show up. And you don’t make a commitment and suddenly a better offer comes along [and you leave the other behind].”
The proud parents received The Trevor Project’s Champions Award at Monday night’s event — a prize with which they were honored for their support of the organization’s mission to help suicidal LGBTQ youth.
“It’s oftentimes that people who suffer from alienation, loneliness or isolation are the most giving of those very things,” Ripa told ET. “They are the most giving and welcoming and loving. So anytime I can lend my voice, my small voice, whatever it is that I can do to help and to really show people that we all are the same. We are the same and we are all deserving of equality. Until we are all equal, nobody is equal.
“This night’s about hope,” said Consuelos. “So it’s really about hope and I think that’s a good cure for many things.”
Just last Thursday, the family came together to cheer on their daughter Lola as she received her high school diploma. The Live With Kelly and Ryan host shared a family photo to Instagram, captioning it, “The Graduate 🎓 #2019.”
In April, the entire Ripa-Consuelos crew sat down for PEOPLE’s Most Beautiful issue in which Mark and Kelly dished about the beauty and style advice they’ve handed down to their kids.
“What is the one thing I’ve always told you?” Ripa asked Lola. When Lola searched for the answer, Ripa interjected, “Never touch your eyebrows! I have always told you never to touch your eyebrows, and you never have, and I’m so right about that.”
They also revealed that out of everyone in the family, Lola has the best sense of humor.
“She is just so smart and witty and funny, and she just gets it, you know?” Consuelos said of his daughter. “Lola knows exactly what people are about and how to handle herself in any situation.”
