Mindy Kaling Realized Praising Kids Too Much Isn’t ‘Healthy’ Thanks to B.J. Novak’s Parenting Advice

“But I do think that’s how we can change things,” Mindy Kaling said of the parenting advice her pal B.J. Novak gave her

Mindy Kaling is making sure to raise emotionally stable children.

The Emmy Award nominee, 43, opened up about some of the wise parenting advice her pal B.J. Novak gave her about daughter Katherine “Kit” Swati, 4½, and 2-year-old Spencer Avu as she appeared this week on Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast.

“I grew up always feeling ugly, overweight, othered. And so with my daughter I’m always telling her that she’s beautiful,” she explained. “To the point where my friend B.J. is like ‘You can tell her other compliments.’

“It’s funny to realize ‘Oh, I’m focusing too much on this.’ Every morning I’m like ‘You’re so beautiful,’ to the point where that’s not healthy either. But I do think that’s how we can change things,” Kaling added.

She and Novak, 43, previously enjoyed an evening of stargazing with Kit as they took her to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles last month, sharing some sweet photos from the outing.

“My four year old had the best night of her life at our star party + Saturn spotting at @griffithobservatory!” she wrote in the caption.

“We kept her up way past her bedtime and it was worth it, even though it was cloudy last night. Thank you @bjnovak for sharing your passion for astronomy and for @orionbearastronomy and @griffithobservatory for a spectacular night!” Kaling added.

Kaling, who has kept her children’s paternity private, previously dated Novak from 2004 to 2007 after meeting on The Office. She told Marie Claire last month that speculation of Novak being her kids’ father “doesn’t bother” her.

“He’s the godparent to both my kids — and they have such a great relationship — and so far [the rumors haven’t] affected my happiness at all, it hasn’t affected my kids or BJ,” Kaling said. “If that’s what is going to be titillating to people, I’ll take it.”

Novak told PEOPLE in 2014 that his and Kaling’s relationship is “complicated,” adding: “A really complicated person and a really complicated friendship, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”