Lori Loughlin’s wholesome on-screen persona is more than just a role she plays. A fan favorite on the ’90s hit sitcom Full House—still popular in reruns today—the wife and mom of three is just as comfortable making dinner and cleaning clutter from her closets as she is starring in her Hallmark Channel series When Calls the Heart and as a leading lady in television movies like Northpole 2. (Look for her on spinoff Fuller House on Netflix in 2016.)
Happy at the core
“I’m a happy person at my core, and I’ve always tried to surround myself with people who make me laugh,” Lori says. “My husband makes me smile, giggle and laugh out loud. As a result of seeing us laugh and genuinely enjoy each other, we’ve raised happy kids, who have what I hope is a positive and realistic outlook.”
Lori says she’s been blessed with a happy, healthy family and a successful career. But that doesn’t mean every day is sunshine and roses. When things get rough or don’t go exactly the way she wants, she takes a timeout. “I tend to see a glass half-full. So I step back to take a deep breath and try to focus on all the positives in my life.”
Her grandmother’s remedy also helps. “It sounds so cliché, but I really love to rely on my grandmother’s answer for everything: Have a nice cup of tea,” she says. “There’s nothing like taking 10 minutes to separate yourself from the noise and quiet your mind. Every woman deserves to give herself that break now and then.”
Just keep talking
To guide her kids, Lori has stepped into a familiar role. “I use the same technique as my mom. She just kept talking to us,” she says. “As a teen, I was completely annoyed and thought, ‘Yeah sure,’ when she would talk about the same things over and over, sometimes in different ways. Now as a parent I can see she was totally right to never let there be radio silence when it comes to the important issues as well as staying connected.”
Even if her own kids roll their eyes or seem uninterested, Lori doesn’t stop talking. “I don’t talk at them; I talk to them. Even if I’m white noise, just like my mom occasionally was with me, at least I know even a little bit is getting through.”
Since family is her No. 1 priority, the secret to her professional success is choosing projects her children and their friends can watch. “I certainly don’t judge anyone who makes a different decision, but for me, happiness at work has come from taking roles I’m not embarrassed or ashamed to have my kids or my parents see,” Lori says. “Staying true to my heart has been what’s comfortable and what fits for me.”
Managing a full house
Household must-have: Furry friends. “We have a golden retriever, Bianca. We used to have two but lost one last year to cancer. I love my furry girl so much, she brings me—the whole family—so much joy. I’ve always had dogs and don’t know how I would exist in a household without pets.”
Toughest parenting challenge: Social media. “When I was a kid if someone passed a note that was derogatory, it could be destroyed. It’s not like that for kids today. It’s a hard lesson for kids to learn—and for parents to watch—that anything you text, tweet or post on the Internet is permanent, and those mistakes and messages last forever.”
A full heart: “I don’t think any of us ever dreamed Full House would have such staying power and tremendously loyal fans. It’s fun to be walking down the street and have a 7-year-old come up to me and call me ‘Becky.’ There is a whole new generation of viewers, and I’m truly blessed to have been part of that show.”
Read more: Balancing a Full House
Gina Roberts-Grey is an award-winning writer based in upstate New York.
