Kristen Bell Outed Her Kids As O’Doul’s Drinkers
O’Doul’s, the drink that tastes like beer, but isn’t beer! O’Doul’s has been around since 1990, and it’s a great option for people who don’t do booze. Like Dax Shepard, who has been sober for 16 years. Or Lincoln and Delta Shepard, his kids, who also apparently like to toss back an ice-cold ‘Doulies every once in a while.
Kristen Bell – aka Lincoln and Delta’s mom – revealed everything we didn’t need to know about her daughters’ favorite drink during an appearance on Carla Hall’s podcast, Say Yes! with Carla Hall (via People). Kristen assures us it’s not weird that her 7 and 5-year-old drink their dad’s favorite beer-like substitute. One, because it’s 0.5% alcohol by volume, which technically means there’s not enough alcohol present to classify it as booze, and in Kristen’s words, it’s “just bubbly juice.” And two, because it’s a daddy-daughter bonding thing.
“I’m going to get a lot of flack for this. And let me start by saying I don’t care. You’re allowed to give me any advice you guys want, any of these listeners. You’re welcome to tell me I’m a terrible parent. I don’t care. I’m a great parent, I think. I’m learning every day. My husband brought home a six-pack of O’Doul’s last night. And my daughters often ask for O’Doul’s. The reason for this is because when we first had our child and my husband would put her in the BABYBJÖRN and we’d walk around the neighborhood, he’d pop a non-alcoholic beer in his hand and the baby would paw at it and put the rim in her mouth. It’s a sentimental thing for my girls, right? It makes them feel close to their dad.”
Everyone has their own sentimental moments with a parent. Some kids might have bedtime stories, others have a movie night. And in the Bell-Shepard home, it’s turning the kitchen into Cheers Jr. Speaking of which, Kristen explains that O’Doul’s time is centered around conversation of Dax’s sobriety. The girls know all about their daddy’s substance abuse issues, which Kristen believes has created a healthy dialogue about addiction. Like how Kristen and Dax’s girls celebrated their father’s 16-year sober anniversary at the beginning of this month:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEnYSJoMIhE/
But just like real drinking, Lincoln and Delta have to learn there’s a time and a place to chug a cold O’Doul’s. Then again, Kristen doesn’t really care if they get their non-alcoholic drink on during COVID home school, which they apparently did, which is fine, because dialogues about addiction and whatnot.
“They have 15-minute breaks where they’re allowed to jump around and grab a snack and wiggle it out. And I walk in to check on them at 9:30 and both of them are drinking an O’Doul’s on their Zooms. They’re both just sipping their Doulies. And I’m like, ‘What must these other parents and teachers think of me?’ And then I remind myself, ‘You don’t care, Kristen. They can pretend like you’re doing something wrong.’ I would argue that I’m not, because it’s nonalcoholic. If anything, it opens up the discussion for why Daddy has to drink nonalcoholic beer, because some people lose their privileges with drinking. Drinking’s not always safe.”
It’s nearly impossible to get drunk from non-alcoholic beer, so Kristen and Dax don’t have to worry. But I do worry about their kids. Their taste buds have adapted to drinking O’Doul’s. No disrespect to O’Doul’s, but it’s pretty gross. We live in a world where delicious non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice wine exists, and you’re stocking your fridge with O’Doul’s? Won’t somebody think of the children’s poor taste buds!
Pic: Instagram