Jennifer Garner is grateful for her kids' patience as she throws herself into her work.
The Alias alum first became a mom two decades ago when she welcomed daughter Violet, 20, with Ben Affleck, to whom she was married from 2005 to 2018, and with whom she also shares Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14.
But the doting mom is a self-described "worker bee," and won't "apologize" for putting as much effort into her craft as she does motherhood.
© FilmMagicDuring a Monday, July 13 appearance on TODAY, Jennifer opened up about her recent comments to InStyle, when she noted: "When I work, I don't apologize to my kids for it," adding that instead she does "thank them for being so sweet about it."
As host Jenna Bush Hager said: "You thank them for their patience, but you don't apologize," Jennifer emphasized: "Yeah because work is part of life, and I get so much joy from what I do."
"I really do believe that any job I have had I've just really loved, the getting in there and just doing the best [that I can]. I mean I like to work," she added.
© Getty ImagesJennifer then noted that her kids growing up has also made her own feelings about balancing work and balance evolve, as the kids have evolved as well.
"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."
"Granted I have a pretty great job," she quipped, but still maintained: "Let go of the guilt, it doesn't serve anyone."
© InstagramSpeaking with InStyle last month, Jennifer said: "I relate to that feeling of like, 'Okay, I gave everything to mothering. I'm still their mom, I'm not going anywhere, I'm still all-in. I'm also really grateful to have this part of my life back.'"
© Getty ImagesShe also reflected on the time she took away from acting to focus on motherhood. "First of all, when you're in a performance kind of role, you give up a year/year-and-a-half of performance while you are pregnant, having a baby, recovering," she noted, adding: "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."
"I feel lucky because I really come at [acting] from a place of joy," she said, gushing about getting to focus on her craft more again. "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. I was really, really happy when I was working in summer stock and making a hundred bucks a week."
