Brian Austin Green Reveals How He’s Co-Parenting & Coping During Challenging Year

“Honestly, I think it’s just about being as positive through all of it as possible and as safe as possible and as productive emotionally as possible and just as present as you can be,” Brian admitted, after confirming his split from Megan (whom he shares Noah, Bodhi and Journey with) earlier in May, right in the middle of the pandemic. But staying “positive” doesn’t mean putting pressure on yourself to make this year the same as previous ones for your children. “I think the easy trap to fall into as a parent is trying to make this situation, this year, normal because it’s not and it’s OK for it to A: Not be normal and B: Not be presented as such,” Brian explained.

“This is the normal that we have to deal with right now,” the actor continued. This means Brian has had to have real talks with his three young children, whom he requested joint custody of at the end of November amid his divorce. “When the kids want to go to this place or that place and I have to talk about the fact that it’s not even open. That’s not even an option,” Brian added. “There’s movies and, ‘Hey, let’s go to Universal Studios,’ and it’s ‘You can’t go to Universal Studios right now. Disneyland’s closed. Universal’s closed.’ The world has changed and it’s just for now and I get that it sucks but it’s just for now.”

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Brian Austin Green goes on a COVID-safe activity, a Target run, with his three kids. (Courtesy of Instagram)

While Brian is accepting the fact that life isn’t quite “normal” right now, he’s remaining optimistic as a newly single dad. “So, we just have to deal with what we have to deal with right now as it’s happening and it will balance itself out. It’ll be fine. This isn’t the new forever, this is just the new now,” he explained. However, Brian is making up for all the missed activities by doing “Christmas on steroids a little bit” this year!

“We decorated early. We’ve had Christmas music playing since well before Thanksgiving,” Brian revealed to HollywoodLife, after once saying on his podcast in May that he and Megan would still do “holidays as a family” after they separated. As for this first Christmas since the parents’ second split (and the first in a global pandemic), Brian said, “I’m just trying to have as much holiday magic as possible at the house. The holidays aren’t easy for anyone…Nobody knows what to do. You’re playing it by ear. Things are changing rapidly and constantly and it seems like the goal post is moved constantly, so all you can do is just hold on and make the best of it. It’s out of our control at this point.”

Brian is helping other kids celebrate the remainder of this holiday season, too: 10,000, to be precise! The father of three has partnered with the #DriveHope4Kids charity campaign that’ll benefit countless children across the U.S, which you too can donate to. Doing so may even land you new presents of your own.

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“You can donate to help 10,000 kids at local Boys & Girls Clubs in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta and also have the chance to win an amazing prize. The winner will take home $50,000 cash plus a fully customized 2021 Ford Bronco,” Brian said in a press release about his latest charity initiative. He added, “Local Boys & Girls Clubs are a lifeline for kids during this difficult time. They provide a safe place for kids to learn and play and they offer critical programs, educational supplies, tutoring, meals and support. Donations raised from the campaign will fund a STEM Camp, create a community engagement program, provide meals for families in need and award college scholarships to deserving high school students. If you’re able to, I hope you’ll donate and help us make a big difference in these kids’ lives.”