Mariska Hargitay Says Life at Home With Peter Hermann and Their 3 Kids Is ‘Happy Chaos’

Mom of three Mariska Hargitay loves spending time with her two sons — August, 13, and Andrew, 8 — and her daughter, Amaya, also 8. She opened up about her life at home with husband Peter Hermann and their children in a new interview.

“Being at home, this is my happy place,” Mariska, 56, gushed to People on Friday, March 6. “The idea of being home changes everything, and I can see it with my kids, too, that idea of, ‘Oh, OK, Mama’s home, everything is fine.’ And in this house, it’s happy chaos when everyone is here.”

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The Lake Placid star loves being a mom so much that she said it’s “the most important thing I’ll ever do.” However, Mariska is still trying to find the perfect balance between her family and work life.

“There’s not enough hours in the day,” she explained. “I’m on a TV show, and I have a foundation and three children and a husband, and they all need, as anything that you value does, a lot of focus and energy. Time is my most precious commodity now. I’ve had to think smarter to get more done.”

Don’t worry too much about the brunette beauty because at the end of the day, the actress said she always finds “peace” being at home with Peter and the kids. “I’ve always wanted this to be the joyful house,” she explained.

Mariska’s children has definitely had a big impact on her life. In March 2018, she told People that August, Andrew and Amaya have made her a “better parent.”

“They taught me to really listen. My husband is my North Star, and my kids are my teachers,” the Leaving Las Vegas star gushed. “Peter and I, we’re so different that it’s been amazing how we complement each other. He knows everything I don’t.”

That’s one of the reasons why Mariska married Peter in 2004. “The beauty is that families are made in so many different ways, and that was my reality as a child. Growing up, my family was made in such an interesting and unique way, and now I have that with my own family, and so I understand it,” she added. “It’s been amazing.”