Kristin Cavallari reveals why children fly coach while she enjoys first class

Reality star says earning rewards through hard work has become central part of how she is raising three children

Kristin Cavallari has revealed one of the parenting rules she believes teaches her children an important life lesson, explaining that her three children fly in coach while she travels in first class during family trips. The television personality and entrepreneur said the decision is part of a broader effort to ensure her children understand financial responsibility despite growing up with privilege.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast, Cavallari explained that she intentionally avoids giving her children everything they want simply because she can afford it. Instead, she encourages them to work towards their goals and appreciate the value of earning rewards.

"Something as small as they fly coach, I’m flying first class," Cavallari said. "That was important to me when they became old enough that they could. It’s not difficult when they’re older. I’m like, 'Bye guys, have fun back there.'"

Cavallari shares three children with former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler. Their sons Camden Jack, 13, and Jaxon Wyatt, 12, along with daughter Saylor James, 10, have gradually been introduced to lessons about money and responsibility as they have grown older.

The former Laguna Beach and The Hills star believes seemingly small parenting decisions can leave a lasting impression. She explained that separating travel classes is not about denying her children comfort but about helping them recognise that privileges are earned rather than automatically expected.

"It’s good for them," she said, adding that small lessons can ultimately make "a big difference in the long run."

Cavallari also shared another example of how she encourages independence. Rather than buying whatever her children ask for, she expects them to earn money if they want something beyond their basic needs.

"My kids don’t just get whatever they want," she explained. "And if they want something, they have to work for it."

Last summer, both of her sons launched small neighbourhood businesses to earn spending money. Cavallari revealed that one son washed windows while the other cleaned rubbish bins for local residents. The experience allowed them to understand entrepreneurship while working towards purchasing items they wanted.

"So one of my boys was washing people’s windows. And the other one was washing people’s garbage cans. Because if they want something, they got to go work for it. And they got to make it happen," she said.

Since finding fame during the 2000s through MTV reality television, Cavallari has expanded her career into business, launching her lifestyle brand Uncommon James and building a successful company while raising her family in Nashville. During the podcast conversation, she acknowledged that balancing motherhood and business continues to be an ongoing learning process.

"I think there are so many ways to come into being a businesswoman and a mother, and there is no one size fits all," she said.