Potty training toddlers is no easy feat, and sometimes parents feel like their efforts just go down the drain.
And while it can be among the No.1 (or No. 2) stressors for moms and dads of toddler-aged kids, Jeannie Mai is sharing the unexpected outing that helped her teach 2-year-old daughter Monaco how to use the potty.
"Not only was the zoo helpful for her to learn about real animals and to see them in action, but she also got to witness firsthand what it looks like when these animals that don't have flushing potties go use the potty," The Real alum told E! News in an exclusive interview. “So after being there and watching the actual hippo doing his thing right there next to his little bay of water or the giraffe dumping in another area where he just ran through it with his feet, she was like, 'Ew! Oh my god! Gross!'"
And it looks like it got the job done.
"Watching the zookeeper have to hurry after these animals and cleaning it up after everybody has smelled it—like these hundreds of people that have seen it—she immediately learned day one how to potty train," she continued. "I was able to put trainers on her, like underwear, the very next day.”
Needless to say, Jeannie—who welcomed Monaco with ex-husband Jeezy in 2022—was thrilled it was a roaring success.
"I was so excited about that," she added. "So I never knew a trip to the zoo could actually cement Monaco's understanding of potty training."
But before you rush off to check out some animals in their exhibits doing their thing, know that this wasn’t the only thing Jeannie did to help Monaco learn. The 45-year-old said she also had the little one follow the three-day potty training method.
"Monaco went to the zoo on the fourth day where she was actually able to put on the panties and then go out," she explained. "But it's all about encouragement and about celebrating and never shaming—never, never shaming the body, never making them feel like they're doing bad. Always making sure that they know how well they did and how proud we are of them, and the body just naturally takes place as they love the celebration for themselves.”
Indeed, Jeannie advises parents to flush away any criticism during the process.
"They’re already doing the best job they can by trying to potty train their toddler. That's a big feat," the Raid the Cage cohost continued. "But making sure to just be so encouraging in the process so that we remember that they're supposed to make messes—that's their job. So none of it feels like, 'Ugh! Why did you do this? Another load of laundry.’ No, we get to do their laundry because we get to take them through this milestone. So that’s the biggest flip of the mind to remember.”
Another milestone Jeannie sees Monaco going through is a stronger formation of memories and ability to attach meaning to them. So while "kids usually live moment to moment," she added, she’s trying to teach her toddler how to be grateful for past and future ones too.
"I love at the end of the day I'm going through my phone, and I'm looking at all the pictures of everything we did from the moment she ate breakfast, to the dessert we made after it, or the park that we stopped at, or the way she finally learned to get both legs up on her skateboard," Jeannie shared. “We take pictures of everything. And when I reflect over my phone to show her my pictures afterwards, we get into these little story times of how she felt at that moment—how she was maybe nervous or scared or how maybe she showed it off to my mom.”
And as they practice gratitude, the TV star is adding these cherished mother-daughter moments to her list.
"That is so cool to me to see her mind and her brain spin as she remembers such meaningful moments throughout the day rather than 'Mommy, what are we doing next? What do we get to do now?'" she said. "She used to be so into now, and I'm like, 'Well wait, let's not forget about everything that happened, how cool that was.' Or the next day, reflecting forward—that’s a big one for her and for me because I want her to just be so thankful of what to look forward to and also what has just happened."
In addition, Jeannie is teaching Monaco more about her heritage—teaching her how to speak Vietnamese the same way she learned.
"I only knew how to speak Vietnamese at home and that's the same rule I apply to Monaco. She's only allowed to speak Vietnamese at home," she continued. "So between my family and her, she understands 100 percent everything. And she speaks English because she's learned it from her friends and from school, but she exercises Vietnamese with us. And that right there, I'm just so thankful for."
Jeannie says they’ll also celebrate the holidays by doing “a bit of a Vietnamese fusion Thanksgiving.” As for what they have planned for Christmas, the America’s Test Kitchen host said they’ll be enjoying the day at Disney World.
But first, they have something else to celebrate—the release of Jeannie’s new movie Christmas in the Spotlight.
"To act is something that I enjoy having fun with,” she said. "And I've never really thrown myself into it because I've always had jobs that kept me on set for such a long time that I couldn't step away for a film, and this is the first time I'm able to do that—especially since my daughter is at an older age now where I can either take her on set with me or have her in stable care so I can really throw myself into acting. So when I got this opportunity, I was like, 'Oh my god, it's literally the best of my favorite worlds coming together—Christmas, my favorite holiday, and something that I just love dabbling in and having fun with.' So it's a dream come true, honestly."
The Lifetime film—which premieres Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.—follows a pop star who connects with a football player after he attends one of her shows and they navigate dating in the public eye. (Sound familiar?)
And while Jeannie—who plays manager Mira—suggested she knows Taylor Swift’s music all too well, she admitted she had to brush up on Travis Kelce’s sport.
"When I took on the role, first off, I had to learn about football—just a couple things because I don't watch football," she said. "I love Taylor, but I'm like, 'What's Travis up to? What's that story about?' Because I know that this kind of highlights that love a bit. But I was like, well first off, I gotta know what a linebacker is. I know you gotta get to the end of the field to get a touchdown, but what else can I pull out of this? Because Mira, my character, has to be a superfan."
Luckily, Jeannie had her MVP Monaco to help her prepare for the part.
"She was watching me read my lines, she was there with me when I was getting coached," the actress added. "She also was with me when I was going through some of my cuts and studying my football. She's learned definitely a couple football dances too."