Jamie Chung & Bryan Greenberg Open Up About The Mania That Is The Toddler Years
The busy parents of twin toddlers chat with us about their “divide and conquer” schedule, traveling with kids, and what he really wants for Father’s Day.
Actors Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg are ~busy~. Chung has had cameos in some of 2023’s biggest hit shows (hello, Succession!) and has several film projects in production. The year has seen Greenberg in Netflix’s buzzy You People and complete his first directorial effort: Junction, set for release in 2024, which he wrote and stars in. They just bought their dream house. And, oh, did I mention they’re the parents of twin toddlers?
In other words, they’re square in what might be called the “roommate years” — that time when you kind of feel like you’re just two people cohabitating to raise tiny humans. How, I wonder aloud, do they prioritize time with each other… and time for themselves?
“Yeah, we’re just trying to figure that out,” Greenberg admits with a laugh when I catch up with the couple via Zoom. “We’ll take any advice on that last part.”
In fact, the pair does their best to keep the mayhem to a minimum by adhering to a classic piece of parenting advice: Keep the kids on a schedule. “On the same schedule,” no less, Chung points out (because, *twinning*).
“We know when we go to the park, we know when they feed, we know when we take a nap,” rattles off Greenberg, with Chung adding, “We have our nighttime routine, our morning routine…”
But, as most parents can deeply relate to, that makes it damn near impossible to venture out into the world much and do things like date nights or dinner with friends.
Their hack? Host at home.
“Pre-kids, it was big Friday night out; now it's big Friday night in. We'll have all of our friends with kids the same age over. I'll cook a big meal for the kids and a separate meal for the adults, and we'll all eat together,” Chung says. “It's absolute chaos, but at least you're doing it with your friends… you have extra hands, and you have your whole community helping you out and entertaining. It's just really fun.”
The other way they keep their heads above the proverbial parenting waters? “Divide and conquer,” reveals Greenberg.
“The way we split up the responsibilities is one person basically preps the meals and cooks every other day,” he says. Greenberg gets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Chung gets Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Then, on Sundays, the couple comes together to create a shopping list and order what they need for the week. “We’ll do our grocery shopping right there on the spot, have it delivered that evening so that we can meal prep and have everything ready for the following week,” explains Chung. “It’s like we’ll take little meetings together.”
They swear by Shipt, a popular delivery service they recently partnered with, to get their groceries sent right to their door (an order even arrived during our interview).
“Our routine is Sunday night meetings, our Sunday night shopping, Sunday night food prep,” says Chung. “It’s so necessary to be on the same page and to have resources to help us out.”
If you’re thinking, Wow, they really have their sh*t together, don’t be mistaken — Chung and Greenberg readily admit that parenting is a constant work in progress for them. It did not start off as seamless as it now sounds, Greenberg promises. “It was hard at first because we started arguing about who did what.”
“Or the dishes,” Chung interjects.
“Yeah, and for me, I need my marching orders, right? If I know what my days are, then you can just do your thing, and I’ll do my thing,” Greenberg says. (“I totally drilled that in, and Bryan’s so willing to help,” notes Chung.)
The couple also isn’t afraid to come right out just ahead of summer travel season and say it: vacationing with kids is stressful. But it’s a lot less stressful if you embrace two things — screen time and organization.
“Our kids just got to the age now where they can actually pay attention and focus on a YouTube video or an iPad or something like that, [so] I think traveling might be a little bit easier,” says Greenberg. “Before, when we came from New York to LA, it was passing time with one Cheerio per second. It was like six hours of just Cheerios.”
Laughs Chung, “That was your technique. That wasn't my technique.”
She handles the pre-travel logistics, including prepping and packing for a trip, relying on packing cubes (“super convenient”), having a list (and “checking it off”), and not stressing about last-minute things you need to grab (“have Shipt bring it to you”).
The refreshingly candid couple will kick off this summer, though, the same way as the rest of us: figuring out what to do for Father’s Day.
What’s on Greenberg’s wish list?
“Being a new dad, I didn't really realize how important Father's Day is, just to be able to spend time with your family — and also how hard it is being a father to two newborns. So, I have no shame in asking for a new TV or anything,” he jokes, before adding, “I’m really just looking forward to being spoiled by Jamie and spending more time with the kids.”
“... And a flat-screen TV,” deadpans Chung.
