Kelly Ripa Refused to Be 'Friends' With Her Kids Until She Stopped 'Paying for Everything' and They Became 'Normal' Adults

Kelly Ripa got candid about parenting styles — and why she and husband Mark Consuelos refused to become "friends" with their children until they grew up.

During the Friday, May 22, episode of Live With Kelly and Mark, the longtime lovers discussed a growing trend known as "mommunes," where single mothers live together and co-parent their children under one roof to help offset rising housing and childcare costs.

"This explosive national rise in the mommune communal multi-family household is where single mothers pool their income, share their properties and co-parent their children under one roof," Ripa explained.

While the concept intrigued the hosts, Ripa admitted the setup would only work if the parents involved shared similar approaches to raising kids.

"You gotta really like your friend. And you gotta really like their kid," Consuelos joked.

Kelly agreed, adding, "You have to make sure that your friends that you’re communing with have the same parenting styles that you have."

The TV personality explained that she and Consuelos were “strict, regimented parents,” unlike some of their more laid-back friends.

“I had some loosey-goosey friends with loosey-goosey parenting styles, where the kids were in charge,” she said.

The Riverdale actor chimed in, “And they were friends.”

“Right, they were best friends with their kids. We didn’t do that,” Ripa continued. “I was like, ‘I’ll be friends with my kids when they’re adults and normal people.’ Right now, since I pay for everything, they are not my friends. They are basically my employees.”

The couple — who share children Michael, 28, Lola, 24 and Joaquin, 23 — later reflected on how their parenting dynamic has evolved now that their kids are older.

Mark recalled a memorable conversation he once had with eldest son Michael when he was just a child.

“I remember I had a conversation with Michael. He was way too young for this conversation,” Mark shared. “He goes, ‘Why can’t I…’ and I go, ‘Listen dude, my job is to keep you out of the morgue and out of rehab.’”

The actor said his son looked confused, prompting him to add, “‘And out of jail! Those are my three things. That’s what my job is at this moment.’”

Kelly burst out laughing while remembering Michael’s reaction.

“He was like 7,” she said.

Mark added that despite the tough-love parenting style, things are different now.

“But now we’re friends,” he noted.

Kelly agreed, quipping, “Now that he’s a normal person.”