Jennifer Garner, the former actress and mother of three, has opened up about her journey in balancing motherhood and her career. In an interview with TODAY, she shared her thoughts on her recent comments about her dedication to her work and how it has evolved over the years.
Garner, who welcomed her daughter Violet, 20, and sons Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, with Ben Affleck, expressed her gratitude for her children's patience and understanding. She revealed that her perspective on work has shifted as her children have grown older. Initially, she struggled with the balance between her career and motherhood, but now, she sees work as an enjoyable part of life.
"I struggled with it so much when they were younger, but now that they're older, they're like, 'Thank you for showing us that work is something to be enjoyed,'" she said. "It doesn't have to be tedious all the time. Let go of the guilt, it doesn't serve anyone."
Garner's comments come after she previously mentioned in an interview with InStyle that she relates to the feeling of giving everything to motherhood and being grateful to have her career back. She also reflected on the time she took away from acting to focus on her family, noting the challenges of balancing a performance role with pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood.
"When you're in a performance kind of role, you give up a year or year-and-a-half of performance while you are pregnant, having a baby, recovering," she explained. "When my kids were little, I worked so little, and then we had such an upheaval in our family, that I really hardly worked for a long time."
Despite the challenges, Garner expressed her joy in returning to her acting career. She emphasized that her love for her craft and the community of people she works with brings her happiness. "I feel lucky because I really come at [acting] from a place of joy," she said. "I'm not tortured. It's not filling a hole. I just really love to do it. And I love to be around people who love to do it."
Garner's honesty about the complexities of balancing work and motherhood is a refreshing reminder that careers and families can coexist. Her perspective encourages a more nuanced approach to work-life balance, where both personal and professional fulfillment are valued. As she continues to navigate her successful career and motherhood, Garner's insights inspire a conversation about the importance of self-care, support systems, and finding joy in various aspects of life.
