Jennifer Garner has reflected on how her approach to balancing motherhood and acting has changed as her three children have grown older, saying she no longer feels the need to apologise for pursuing work that brings her happiness.
The 54-year-old actress shares Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, with her former husband, Ben Affleck. During a recent appearance on InStyle, Garner discussed the guilt that can affect working parents and explained why she now views her career as a positive example for her children.
“Yeah, because work is part of life, and I get so much joy from what I do,” she said. Garner acknowledged that reaching this point took time. When her children were younger, she found it difficult to manage the emotional pressure of leaving home for professional commitments. Now that they are older, however, she believes they better understand why acting remains an important part of her life.
“My kids, now that they’re older, when they were younger I struggled with it so much, but now that they’re older they’re just like, ‘Thank you for showing us that work is something to be enjoyed.’ It doesn’t have to just be tedious all the time.”
The Alias star also offered direct advice to other parents who may feel conflicted about combining family responsibilities with their careers. “Let go of the guilt, it doesn’t serve anyone,” she said.
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Garner’s latest comments echo an earlier interview with InStyle in which she said she deliberately reduced her acting workload while raising her children. She explained that she worked very little when they were young and then stepped back further during what she described as an “upheaval” in her family.
The actress and Affleck separated in 2015 and finalised their divorce in 2018. Although Garner continued to appear in select projects, she made motherhood her main priority and generally chose work that allowed her to remain closely involved in her children’s lives.
As they have become more independent, Garner has been able to devote more time to acting and producing. She said she appreciates returning to the profession without seeing it as something that must fill a personal or emotional void.
“I feel lucky because I really come at [acting] from a place of joy,” she said. “I just really love to do it.” Garner has also said she does not apologise to her children when she accepts a job, although she thanks them for supporting her. She sees hard work, mistakes and setbacks as normal parts of life rather than experiences parents should hide from their children.
Her message reflects a shift from guilt towards acceptance. After years of carefully limiting her professional schedule, Garner now believes that enjoying her work can teach her children that a career need not be seen only as an obligation.