Hilary Swank got candid about the biggest lesson she has learned since becoming a mother to twins Aya and Ohm in April 2023. The Million Dollar Baby star told People that watching her kids take in the wonders of the world had taught her how to appreciate the small things and rethink everything from their perspective.
"I really like watching them learn about the world and being reminded that they don't have any pre-context of anything," she shared.
"They see something, and we have this predisposed idea of everything that we come into contact with because of what we've learned, or how we've read about it, or how someone taught us. And they don't. And it makes you question so many of the things."
© Getty ImagesThe 51-year-old added that she worked hard to stay present with her twins, despite being a busy working mom and advocating for infant health with the company HealthyBaby. "It's much harder than one would think," she said of staying present. "I think that that is such a good reminder when you feel how good it feels to really be in the moment and be present with people without having those stressors."
"I don't want to lose sight of that," Hilary declared. "Nothing's in our control except what we're talking about today, [and] doing your research for the future to be healthier because health is everything."
The star is currently advocating for the passage of the California Bill AB 1901, which would require manufacturers in the state to list every ingredient in a diaper.
© Instagram"Once you hear that a diaper can be unhealthy, you can't unlearn that, and you need to learn more about what that means and how that can affect your children and other people's children, and our future, because disease starts in utero," she told People.
Learn more about Hilary's motherhood journey below...
"That's the type of research, and that's the type of planning, and that's where I want my thoughts to be if they're not right here in this moment."
Hilary, who welcomed her kids at 48 years old, shared that becoming a mother later in life was ideal for her and her husband, Philip Schneider.
© Hilary Swank"I would have had kids earlier," she told Women's Health. "I'm not saying I actively waited until 47. But that was a magical time in my life, when it all culminated. It was the right time for a myriad of reasons."
© Getty Images"I'm a very different parent than I would've been, even in my early 40s," she continued. "I'm much more patient. I'm much more understanding. I am much more, I think, interested in a different way than I would've been."
"I'm really interested in their brains. I'm fascinated about what makes them tick. And I have my career that's already established, so I'm not divided," Hilary explained. "I'm able to really sink in and be present with them and be a hands-on parent."
