NEWS'They Gotta Earn It': Will Ferrell Reveals His Kids Fly Economy to 'Learn the Value of a Buck'
Will Ferrell shared that he had his kids fly economy to help them understand the value of money.
March 30 2026, Published 8:41 a.m. ET
Will Ferrell is keeping it real when it comes to parenting.
During the Tuesday, March 24, episode of the “Harland High Podcast,” the 58-year-old star opened up about how he makes sure his kids don’t grow up entitled, even with his Hollywood success.
Will Ferrell wants to teach his kids about earning money.
“Whenever we take a family trip, I’ll sit in first-class, and my kids will sit not only in coach but a different airline…not even on the same flight,” he shared. “They only get to fly red-eye with as many layovers as possible. I’m trying to teach the value of a buck.”
That’s not the only rule in the Ferrell household.
“They have got to… like food and clothing. They’ve got to earn it. They have just got to figure it out. It’s part of life. Figure it out, I had to!” the Despicable Me actor added.
The comedian claimed that his children fly economy during family trips.
Ferrell shares three sons — Magnus, 22, Mattias, 19, and Axel, 16 — with his wife, Viveca Paulin.
The comedian previously admitted that parenting can get chaotic fast.
During a 2020 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he told Jennifer Aniston that raising boys is “like running a small correctional facility.”
The Anchorman alum even joked about how quickly things can escalate at home, saying he can go from "I'm sorry your feelings are hurt" to "Get upstairs now and brush your teeth! Shut up! I don't care. Why? Because I said so!" in just minutes.
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The 'Despicable Me' star said parenting boys can be chaotic.
Still, Ferrell kept his sense of humor about it all, as in a 2023 interview with The Wall Street Journal, he was asked about the biggest takeaway as a parent.
"Being a parent is a huge responsibility," Ferrell began. "You learn a lot of lessons, but the overriding lesson I've learned is that I hate children."
Despite his strict parenting style, his kids clearly enjoy being around him.
Magnus even opened up about living at home during a break from college while pursuing music. Though he admitted it can be tough to find personal space, he said the experience was better than expected.
“I love my family so much. That sounds so bad. I love hanging out with them, but I think that's part of it. I get to live at home. I get to have home-cooked meals,” he shared. “But I also have to do things you got to do when you live at home. I mean, you got to help run the house. It's like you have to."
Will Ferrell said his sons are each 'funny in their own ways.'
At the end of the day, Ferrell also makes room for fun. In a past interview with Parade, he said his sons are each “funny in their own ways,” and he loves seeing them make people laugh.
Magnus once wore a friend’s glasses and posed seriously for his yearbook photo as a freshman — something he thought might get him in trouble.
Instead, Ferrell encouraged it, recalling how he told his son, "‘No, you’ve got to do it every year! Fantastic!’"
He added, "It’s fun to see them make their friends laugh. Very similar to me, they’re good kids at school and yet they like to try to be funny."
