Dax Shepard reveals the main 'stressor' in his and Kristen Bell's relationship

Dax Shepard has opened up about the biggest challenge facing his 19-year relationship with Kristen Bell, revealing that navigating their daughters' puberty has become the primary source of tension in their marriage.

Speaking on Wednesday’s episode of his Armchair Expert podcast alongside guests Erin and Sara Foster, the 51-year-old actor admitted that while he and Bell have generally been “pretty good at handling” their differences over nearly two decades together, raising daughters Lincoln, 13, and Delta, 11, presents constant hurdles.

“It throws the whole dynamic into a new zone that you have to figure out,” Shepard explained. “You know, I think it’s really hard when they’re really little because you care so much about the decisions you’re making with the kid. You’re certain you can f–k it up.”

The Parenthood star noted that parenting felt somewhat manageable during their daughters' earlier school years, but entering the teenage phase abruptly shifted the goalposts.

One aspect of the couple's life continues to cause tension among them (Dax Shepard / Instagram)

“And then there’s a sweet spot between, like, [age] 6 and puberty,” he said. “You’re like, ‘This is working out pretty good. I think this compromise, however we’re doing it, is working.’”

However, as their daughters enter their adolescent years, Shepard admitted that differences in parenting styles lead to frequent friction between the couple, who first began dating in 2007.

“And then there’s more stress,” he confessed. “I like to think if we didn’t have kids, it would be pretty smooth sailing.”

Despite the friction, Shepard insisted their arguments never turn toxic, emphasizing that they “don’t scream at each other or swear at each other.” Instead, he acknowledged that their busy household dynamic often leads them to postpone difficult conversations.

“We’ll kick something down the road for a week,” he shared. “We’ll go to bed for a week where it’s like, ‘We’re gonna have to talk about this eventually.’ But when will that day be? When will there be enough free air in the f–king room without the kids to mount this?”

Fans were quick to applaud Dax's honesty on the subject (Christopher Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images)

The father of two added that the emotional delay creates its own quiet pressure: “So certainly, there’s like four or five nights in a row where you’re like, ‘There’s a talk looming. There will be a sit-down.’”

Since marrying in 2013, the couple have earned a reputation for their radical transparency regarding parenting and domestic life.

Bell recently confessed to Bustle that she cries “weekly” while balancing motherhood and marriage in the public eye.

Over the years, the pair have raised eyebrows by candidly sharing unconventional parenting choices—from Bell admitting she lets their daughters drink non-alcoholic beer to Shepard stating he actively encourages his daughters to speak up and push back so they know how to advocate for themselves in adulthood.