mario-lopez-kids

Extra host Mario Lopez is featured in the Summer 2015 issue of Parents Latina magazine and opens up about family life with wife Courtney and their two kids: daughter Gia, 4, and son Nico, 21 months.

On their kids: “My wife and I call our son Wreck-It Ralph, because he destroys everything. He’s got a lot of fire in him. My daughter is very dramatic. She’s been sick recently, and this morning she said, ‘Oh, my god, I’m not going to feel better. My cough is never going to go away!’ I told her, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be okay.’ “

On the family’s upcoming summer vacation plans: “We’re going to Puerto Vallarta with my sister and her kids. Altogether, it will be seven kids. We’ve been taking my children to Mexico every year since they were born. Knowing where their culture and language are from is important, and we still have family there. The kids have these funny passports; we had to hold their heads up for the pictures because they couldn’t do it yet.”

On how spirituality plays a major role in his family life: “We try to go to church as a family every week, sometimes without the baby, because babies will act up. If not, my daughter and I will go every week. They’re definitely going to go to Catholic school. It’s really important to me that they get a faith-based education.”

On which big life lesson he will pass down to his kids: “First and foremost, it’s going to be treat others with respect. Be polite: Manners go a long way. Try to come from a good place. And aside from that, stay focused and do the right thing.”

On the biggest lesson that he’s learn about fatherhood since becoming a dad himself: “There are no time-outs, really. Weekends, you think you can catch up on rest, and it’s the opposite. It gets even busier. It’s a different kind of busy!”

On how important it is for him to keep his own kids humble: “I don’t want them to be spoiled. I make sure to communicate, especially with my little girl, how blessed she is – by going to church, Boys & Girls Clubs, to certain events where kids don’t have it so good, where she’ll be able to witness need and recognize it and later be able to help.”