When it comes to whether kids should be allowed to curse, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell have a unique approach with their daughters, Lincoln (12) and Delta (10). Meanwhile, Seth Meyers and his wife, Alexi Ashe, take a firm stand against it with their own kids. The two celebrities recently hashed out their differing philosophies, highlighting how family dynamics shape such decisions.

On a recent episode of Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, he opened up about the rules he and Bell have set for their household. “I tell the girls, these are just sounds you make with your mouth—you get to decide what they mean,” he explained. That said, his policy isn’t a free-for-all. It’s rooted in his own habits: “I swear in front of them all the time,” he admitted. So, in their house, the girls can curse too—but only when it fits the moment, when they “nail it,” and never in public places like restaurants. Those are the guardrails.

Meyers, though, was quick to say that approach wouldn’t fly with his kids: sons Ashe (9) and Axel (7), and daughter Adelaide (3). “We just don’t allow it,” he said, though he conceded slip-ups happen. “Alexi’ll give me that look, like the kids picked it up from me,” he joked. “But c’mon—we walk them to school in New York. Yesterday, some guy on the phone was yelling, ‘Tell ’em to f–k around and find out.’ Then the kids go, ‘What’s that mean?’ And I’m just… stuck.”

Another key difference? Meyers has two sons, while Shepard and Bell have only daughters. “With boys, you can’t trust the rules,” Meyers said. “You tell ’em, ‘Only curse at home,’ and they’ll be yelling it in the school hallway by lunch.” Shepard nodded in agreement: “Boys would absolutely do that. Girls? Maybe you could trust ’em, but not boys.”

Shepard pointed out that kids hear curse words at school anyway, so banning them at home might not even work. But Meyers laughed, “It’s not just the words—it’s the delivery. Alexi and I had this tiny argument, and I muttered, ‘Jesus Christ’ as I walked off. Next thing I know, Ashe’s stomping out of the room going, ‘Jesus Christ’—same tone and everything. I had to sit him down and talk.”

Shepard’s stance has evolved over time. Back in 2020, Kristen Bell told Good Morning America that their daughter once asked, “You never said ‘f–k’ was a bad word.” At first, they’d ignored cursing to avoid encouraging it, but that changed. Now, they’ve landed on their current policy: controlled, context-based swearing at home.

One thing’s clear: A playdate between the two families might get interesting.