Drew Barrymore won't let her kids act until they are 18.

The 40-year-old actress - who shot to fame when she was just seven years old and was in rehab at 14 - knows Olive, three, and Frankie, 18 months, may ''hate'' her tough stance but she is determined to shield them from the limelight while she can.

She said: ''I would not let them act. I want them to be kids. They might hate me for it, but there is no way until they are 18.''

However, when they reach adulthood, the 'Miss You Already Star' - who is married to Will Kopelman - will support her daughters if they do decide to follow in her footsteps.

She added: ''If they are 18 and still serious about it, of course I'd support that. I'll take it one step at a time.''

Drew's kids don't see her as famous and she hopes they are ''empowered'' by her decision to be a working mother, and don't resent her career as she has a good work/life balance.

She told Grazia magazine: ''My kids know me as the one who wakes them up every day and takes them to classes and gets them dressed. They don't see me as some famous figure.

''You make your work a positive thing so your kids see that work is empowering, but then spend more time with them than everything else, so they see it doesn't take you away from them.''