Love may be blind, but we're all ears to this marriage message.
Vanessa Lachey and husband Nick Lachey may have become the go-to hosts for all of Netflix's reality dating series—Love Is Blind, The Ultimatum, and Perfect Match, which will see Nick flying solo—but she wants to make one thing clear: They expertise does extend to relationship advice.
"I don't want to say we don't know what we're doing, but we don't know what we're doing!" Vanessa told E! News' Francesca Amiker while promoting her new partnership with Kinder Joy. "Like most people, we're figuring it out as we go along."
Still, Vanessa said that the couple, who celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary last July, have learned a lot about relationships while watching the show's contestants attempt to build a life together amid the strangest of environments.
"What we constantly talk about learning is how important communication is," the 42-year-old shared. "Yes, it is so cliche. Yes, it is so like, 'Oh, we've heard it before.' Well, then use it."
"If people really turn towards each other and communicate, you will find that a lot of misunderstandings will get resolved," she continued. "You will find that nobody's a mind reader and you can actually really hear your partner out and understand where they're coming from and maybe help cater to that."
The couple has been together for 16 years and have three children—Camden, 10, Brooklyn, 8, and Phoenix, 6—and Vanessa, who said she's "grown and changed in my wants and needs," credited their "constant communication" as a key factor in success of their relationship.
On a recent date night, the 98 Degrees singer asked, "'What are you feeling you need more of now?'" Vanessa revealed. "And I just thought that's so interesting because it changes. We just were talking at dinner and we had the best time and we learned a lot more about each other that we don't usually get in the hustle and bustle of kids and work."
And if one Hollywood couple is busy, it's the Lacheys. Not only do they co-host Love Is Blind and The Ultimatum, Nick is set to front another Netflix spinoff, Perfect Match, while Vanessa stars on CBS hit drama NCIS: Hawaiʻi.
So the somewhat frazzled mom, who splits her time between Hawaii and Los Angeles, was thrilled when Kinder Joy reached out about helping launch the Birthday Pack for their fifth anniversary as she'd nearly forgotten about order a treat for daughter Brooklyn to bring to school on her Jan. 5 birthday. In a time crunch, Vanessa remembered the Kinder Joy birthday packs and ordered two packs from Amazon.
"It's a two-for-one, the treat the toy," Vanessa explained. "Every kid's allowed to take their own. And teachers nowadays want everything individually packaged. You're welcome!"
The eggs were such a hit in Hawaii that Vanessa ordered more for the goodie bags at Brooklyn's birthday celebration in California, starting a practical new tradition for the mother and daughter.
"It was about making the moment and having a little favor to give," Vanessa said of assembling the packages with Brooklyn. "She's so giving and loving and nurturing."
And every bit as entrepreneurial as mom. Inspired by the task, shared Vanessa, "She wanted to start a little party planning company. She's a girl after my own heart! She made fliers. It was the cutest thing. She's like, 'We need to copy these and put them all over.' And then she goes, 'Or on your Instagram, mom.'"
Maybe it's time to add party planning to the Lacheys' ever-growing resume?