Josie Bissett: From Melrose Place To Motherhood

Seventeen years after actress Josie Bissett made her Melrose Place debut, she’s headed back for another dose of sitcom scandal on the new version of the hit show. Now a single mom-of-two – she and her ex-husband Rob Estes split in 2006 – the 38-year-old is also known for her role as Kathleen Bowman on ABC Family’s The Secret Life of an American Teenager. Josie, seen here at this week’s Melrose Place launch party, recently took time out from her busy schedule to talk to Cookie magazine about her happy home life with kids Mason Tru, 10, and Maya Rose, 7.

On Saturday mornings in the Bissett home: “I love weekends! I love not having to get the kids up early for school. We all wake up at our leisure; the kids know not to wake me up. Then we make breakfast or go out to eat with family. There is usually a sporting event or two to watch!”

On her most frazzled mom moments: “It always stressed me out when my kids were infants and cried in the car. They always sounded like they were crying to death when they were that small ... and the car seats are turned the other way! Ugh! I was always frantic to find the pacifier or stretching into awkward positions to get my pinky finger into their little mouths to suck on so they would stop crying.”

On her family’s favorite ritual:: “We love cooking a meal and sitting down to eat it together. I enjoy getting their input on ingredients and hearing their ideas about what might taste good. It's so important to engage your kids to create rituals and moments that they will always remember. Right now I'm working with Heinz Ketchup on a contest where people can share their favorite family memories at HeinzWholesomeMemories.com. For each memory shared, Heinz had pledged to make a donation to the National Gardening Association so more families can make memories through gardening together.”

On what she learned from her own parents: “They taught me, by example, to allow your children to follow their dreams.”

On her guilty pleasures:: “Coffee, red wine, and dark chocolate.”