Jennifer Garner discusses the 'hard' part of raising her kids she shares with Ben Affleck

Jennifer Garner is a doting mum to three children, all of whom she shares with her ex-husband Ben Affleck. 

In a new interview, the 51-year-old reflected on some of the toughest jobs in parenting as she watches her children approach adulthood. 

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"They're really solid right now," she told People Magazine. "I'm just watching them in this new phase of life where they're figuring out who they're going to be and what they're going to study."

The 13 Going on 30 actress lives in Los Angeles with her children Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12. Since their divorce in 2018, Jennifer and Ben have remained on good terms and live near each other. 

Asked whether it's difficult to let her children make their own decisions, the Hollywood actress admitted that it's "so hard". "I have a really hard time not saying, 'This is what I see you as,' and 'I think you should,'" she added. "I really have to sit on my hands."

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In a previous interview with Allure, Jennifer humorously reflected on her early days of motherhood, admitting to being a bit of a "nightmare" as a first-time mom. 

"I was such a first-time mom," she shared. "She couldn't have a free thought — I was all over her. I was a nightmare for everyone around me." 

Jennifer also revealed that her children prefer watching their father's movies over her own. "They don't mind watching their dad, but they kind of want me to be their mom," she said. "They don't want to see me upset and women cry more in what we do. And they don't really want to see me in a romantic thing." 

The actress was married to the Oscar-winning star from 2005 until 2018, with the pair confirming their split in 2015. Over the years, they have remained amicable and have been praised for their co-parenting. 

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Just after the split news, Jennifer told the Today show: "It has to be [a good relationship], you don't have a choice." 

Ben's wife Jennifer Lopez even praised the former couple's co-parenting relationship in 2022, when speaking to Vogue. She simply stated that they "work well together."