Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes have one specific parenting rule in place

Ryan Gosling might be having the most successful year of his career so far, with cinema goers across the globe rushing to see one of this year's no doubt biggest hits, La La Land. And with two young children at home, it is not like his private life is free from hectic days either. The 36-year-old and his wife, actress Eva Mendes, are busy raising little Esmeralda, 2, and Amada, 9 months, but are  – and have always been – notoriously private about their home lives. In fact, the pair has kept their children out of the public eye since they were born, which is exactly the way they like it. An insider recently told PEOPLE:

"Ryan and Eva are incredibly private, but at home, they’re just like any normal family".

The most down-to-earth bit? The star couple are so determined to give their girls a "normal life" that not only are they refusing to use a nanny to help out with their daughters, they also continue to live in the two-bedroom house that was once Gosling's bachelor bad. Another source said:

"Their focus is on giving their girls a normal upbringing". "They don’t like the L.A. lifestyle and love to get out of town where they have more freedom to be out and about without all the attention.”

And when they do need some extra hands on deck with the kids? Eva's parents pop over and help out with babysitting duty.