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Kevin and Eniko Hart believe there are similarities between raising children and being pet owners.
“Just like a baby doesn’t come into the world knowing everything, they need guidance and learning,” Kevin Hart explained to Parents.com. “Dogs are quite similar; they require teaching and acclimatization too.”
Eniko Hart shared that looking after dogs gave her a head start in caregiving before she became a mother.
“I was a dog parent before I became an actual parent. Taking care of an animal is a precursor to raising children,” she explained. “We’ve always treated our pets like family, and that mindset has stayed with us.”
Both children and pets demand regular attention. With Kevin’s frequent business trips and the couple’s shared commitment to their four kids, having a nanny has been indispensable.
“She’s the No. 1 right now. She puts in more time now,” Eniko says of their nanny. “But they still show us all the love and affection.”
Kevin is dad to Heaven, 20, and Hendrix, 18, whom he shares with ex-wife Torrei Hart, as well as Kenzo, 8, and Kaori, 5, with Eniko. According to Kevin, their dogs have brought the kids a lot of joy.
“A dog and a child build a special bond because they are growing up together,” he says. “When you go and look back down memory lane and see those photos of when your dog was a puppy, when your baby was a baby, it shows you how long a dog has been a part of the family, and how much you guys have grown since the dog’s involvement in the family.”
When it comes to parenting, Kevin considers himself as the “fun parent,” who pirioritizes communication over perfection.
“I believe in communication and conversation,” he adds. “I don’t think anybody’s perfect or can be perfect. So the idea of perfection doesn’t exist in our house. The idea of solution and communication does.”
Eniko says she’s fun as well, but notes she’s also the disciplinarian.
“I’m the fun parent as well, but I am more of the disciplinarian,” she says.