The actress got sick of lying to Sam and Lola about media coverage on their dad’s very public antics, so she sat them down for a “conversation about addiction.”

Denise Richards decided honesty is the best policy and Sam, 7, and Lola, 6, deserved to know the truth about their father. Did she do the right thing?

Speaking on the Today Show on July 26, Denise says, “I got a book to read to them. I was just lying to them about so much, and covering up things and totally lying. It was just getting too confusing that I had to sit down with them.”

Denise admits, “It’s too early (for them to understand),” but explains, “I told them enough for them to make sense of things that were going on.”

The 40-year-old, who recently adopted a third daughter, Eloise, admits she still worries about Charlie, who she divorced in 2006: “Of course (I worry). He’s the father of our children… (But) he’s also a survivor. If anyone can pull themselves together, it’s Charlie.”

Was it a good idea to talk about addiction with her daughters? Weigh in, HollyMoms!

– Ian Garland