Jennifer Garner, 51, often has her hands full with her three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, 51! Not only is the starlet a working actress, but she’s also a proud co-founder of the baby food company, Once Upon a Farm. During an October 9 interview with Access Hollywood, Jennifer shared how she copes with “mom guilt” when she is away for work. “Working moms get such a bad…we get all freaked out because we’re told constantly ‘you have 18 summers,’ ‘you have this much time,’ ‘time is fleeting,’ and it makes you panic,” she explained.
The 51-year-old went on to share the advice that her own mother shared with her about being a parent. “My mom has always said to me ‘You’re their mom forever, don’t worry you can do your job. You’re their mom forever. I wish I had worked, I would have been a better mom. Your kids are going to be so proud of you.’ She’s always given me that kind of grounding in that sense,” Jennifer continued.
Ben’s ex-wife made sure to share her own advice for working mothers. “So, if you come from a place of expansiveness instead of feeling just like ‘I can’t be a mom because I’m also working, and I’m supposed to be guilty all the time.’ You better just lean into wherever you are any day exactly like right now,” Jennifer said. “Just be here when your kids show up be there and we’ll have a great time.”
The 13 Going on 30 star made sure to explain how “balance” works for her as an actress, businesswoman, and mother. “In my world the balance is that sometimes I’m really fully all around and sometimes I’m really not,” she said. “So whatever it is, however your balance looks just give yourself some grace.” Jennifer and the proud dad share daughters Violet, 17, Seraphina, 13, and son Samuel, 11.
Further in the candid conversation with the outlet, Jennifer revealed whether or not her “work ethic” has been passed down to her and Ben’s kiddos. “They are still figuring out who they are,” the proud momma said. “From what I can tell right now… yeah absolutely.” Despite her and Ben’s success in Hollywood, Jennifer noted that she doesn’t want to “put any pressure” on what she “expects” from their children. “They’ll decide if they’re going to have a crazy work ethic or if they’re going to have a more measured approach to life,” she concluded. The Gone Girl star and Jennifer were married from 2005 until their 2018 divorce.