Just days after Drew Barrymore announced her decision to divorce husband Will Kopelman after nearly four years of marriage, the actress has assured fans she is keeping her daughters‘ happiness her No. 1 priority amid her split.

“I thought I knew what love was, but holy cow, I did not,” the 41-year-old actress said of daughters Olive, 3, and Frankie, 23 months, in Good Housekeeping‘s new May 2016 issue. “I could never have imagined the kind of love I have for my children. I am who I am because of my daughters. I’m an overachiever parent, and not because I think I’m going to repeat the patterns of my parents.”

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Drew with Olive and Frankie in December 2014.

Though Drew herself had a very untraditional childhood, the E.T. star said she’s working hard to ensure her two kids have a stable upbringing. “I’ve already broken that pattern in my life,” Drew said. “But having grown up in the opposite way, I’m raising my children with all consistency, all protection. This is my chance to get it right.”

RELATED: Drew Barrymore Shares a Photo of Herself Looking Happy as Ever Following Her Divorce — See the Pic!

Drew and Will — who married in June 2012 — announced their separation on April 2. They previously welcomed daughters Olive and Frankie in September 2012 and April 2014, respectively.

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Drew and Will in October 2015.

“Happiness is not this yellow, blithe, floating thing,” Drew added in her Good Housekeeping interview. “It’s something that takes a tremendous amount of work. There’s a warrior aspect to being happy. You’ve got to fight for it. And only when you’ve got that kind of earned happiness is it really good.”

RELATED: OMG! Drew Barrymore Gets a New Tattoo of Her Daughters’ Names — See the Pic!

So what’s up next for Drew, professionally? According to People, the actress just landed a guest-star role on her sister-in-law’s Bravo show, Odd Mom Out. Will’s older sister, Jill Kargman, portrays lead character Jill Weber on the series, which premiered in June 2015. We’re glad to see Drew, Will and their families are remaining amicable despite their breakup!