Even L.A.'s Finest stars need to hide out sometimes... even if it's in the bathroom.
The pandemic has been hard on everyone this year, but especially for parents. And although Gabrielle Union might make motherhood look easy, she's no exception when it comes to the heightened stress that moms and dads are experiencing.
The mom to 2-year-old Kaavia James Union Wade opened up about how she's been navigating parenthood during quarantine in a new interview with Parents magazine.
Last week, the Bring It On alum told the outlet about one oh-so-sneaky trick she uses with her family, which also includes her stepchildren with Dwyane Wade: Zaire, 18, Zaya, 13, and Xavier, 7.
"I can't even front," Gabrielle joked. "I will claim a gastrointestinal issue so fast to get a little extra time."
That's right: She admitted she holes up in her bathroom to get some much-needed alone time, just like the rest of us.
The 48-year-old actress said she's thankful to have help from her "village," referring to both her and Dwyane's mothers, along with Gabrielle's niece and sister, who all live with the famous couple. "We all rely on each other, and we all muddle our way through. And when it gets to be too tough, we offer grace," she explained.
"It doesn't make you a failure," the Think Like a Man star added. "Needing help does not make you weak or vulnerable—it just means you need help like everybody else."
Ultimately, her A+ tip is to accept the fact that you will never know it all. As Gabrielle put it, she realized "that I don't have all the answers and that, ‘I don't know' is a real answer that more people should embrace."
She married the basketball player in 2014, and they welcomed their first child together via surrogate in 2018. Gabrielle wrote on social media at the time, "We are sleepless and delirious but so excited to share that our miracle baby arrived last night via surrogate and 11/7 will forever be etched in our hearts as the most loveliest of all the lovely days. Welcome to the party sweet girl!"
Earlier this year, the We're Going to Need More Wine author introduced the world to Dwyane's daughter Zaya, who publicly came out as transgender.
"Meet Zaya," Gabrielle wrote on Twitter in February. "She's compassionate, loving, whip smart and we are so proud of her. It's Ok to listen to, love & respect your children exactly as they are. Love and light good people."
Two weeks ago, the mom reflected on Zaya's coming out journey. Speaking with actress Taraji P. Henson on the Facebook Watch show Peace of Mind With Taraji, Gabrielle emphasized that "Zaya's peace is non-negotiable."
She told the host, "She asked for a demisexual flag for her birthday, and Dwyane's like to me, 'Do you know what that is?'" But as she knows, parenting is a learning process. "We only know what we know... You have to be open to embrace what we don't know," she said.
Read what else Gabrielle has said about motherhood during the pandemic.