Jennifer Garner may have always had “no doubt” that she was destined to be a mom, but one thing she may not have guessed was just how ferociously protective she would be with her eldest child as she embarked on motherhood for the first time.
During an interview with Allure as their May 2023 cover star, the 13 Going On 30 actress admitted she was “all over” her first daughter, Violet, and, by extension, “a nightmare to everyone around me.” Garner labeled herself as “such a first-time mom” in the early days of parenthood, adding, “[My eldest daughter] didn’t have a shot.”
As much of a hovering parent she may have been the first time around, The Last Thing He Told Me star is now a seasoned mama, with a nearly-adult daughter, Violet, 17, another full-fledged teen daughter, Seraphina, 14, and a son well on his way to teenagehood, Samuel, 11. Of all three, whom she shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck, Garner said, “I have a lot of faith in my kids. I don’t love every behavior all the time, always. [But] it’s gnarly growing up.”
The beloved actress even shared some wisdom for other nervous parents. “Your kids will really figure out who they are and what they are when they’re older, and most likely they will hew toward lovely,” she said. Someone add “America’s Den Mom” to Garner’s impressive resumé — we’ll take her sensible, sage parenting advice any day.
She Wanted to Become a Mother From a Young Age
The Once Upon a Farm co-founder explained that motherhood was always in the cards for her, regardless of the exact path that would lead her there. “I really could have been a mother in any way. I could have adopted, I could have fostered, but there was no doubt I was going to be a mom,” Garner said.
She recalled feeling inherently maternal as a kid, sharing that she was always carrying a doll with her and even started a babysitting business with a friend with she was a young teen.
Facing Paparazzi Harassment For Years
Another aspect of motherhood that was a nightmare for Garner in the early days of motherhood is one all celebrity parents face: paparazzi harassment.
The Hollywood sweetheart revealed that there was a two-decade-long period of time during which she really struggled socially because she “was on baby watch every single day.”
Garner elaborated, “The day after I had a baby, [the paparazzi] were watching again. They kind of rush you through your life because they’re just trying to get to the next stage of something they can sell,” she explained.
After she “learned a while ago that I’m way too sensitive to what is written about me [and] my family,” Garner stopped following any media outlets that cover celebrity news. Partnering with fellow actress Halle Berry, The Adam Project star even got California to pass a state law in 2013 to protect famous individuals’ children from paps.
She Restricts Her Kids’ Social Media Use, Too
In addition to shielding her kids from paparazzi, Garner also puts a limit on how much social media Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel are allowed to consume.
During an April 2023 interview with Today co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie, the Daredevil actress explained a deal she negotiated with her children regarding social media: “I just said to my kids, ‘Show me the articles that prove that social media is good for teenagers, and then we’ll have the conversation. Find scientific evidence that matches what I have that says that it’s not good for teenagers, then we’ll chat.”
Garner shared that her eldest, Violet, is actually “grateful” for her mom’s dedication to her and her siblings’ best interests. “It’s a long haul,” the Juno star said, adding, “I have a couple more to go, so just knock on wood. We’ll see if I really hang in there.”
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