Jennifer Garner’s Daughter Didn’t Know Who Her Mom Really Was Until a Classmate Told Her

Jennifer Garner reflected on how her daughter’s interaction with an old school classmate led to a very revealing conversation.

Jennifer Garner’s kids only knew one side of their superstar mom. But after one of her daughters had an eye-opening conversation with a classmate, Garner had to sit her down and explain who she really was.

Jennifer Garner’s daughter only knew her as mom for the longest time

Garner has been very open about how much being a celebrity has affected her family life. Being constantly spied on by paparazzi made it difficult for Garner to spend time with her family outside of their home.

“Anywhere that we went, it was a total circus. My one daughter tried to play soccer, and it was such a zoo for the families that they just said, ‘can you please not,’” Garner recalled not too long ago in an interview with Kelly Corrigan.

Garner also resented how she couldn’t even seek medical attention for her kids without the interference from paparazzi.

“For 10 years there were at the very least six cars, and often 20, outside of our house, and outside of school and at the pediatrician’s, and you’re begging them, ‘Please step aside from the pediatrician’s door. I have a sick kid, please,” she added.

But in Garner’s earlier years as a mother, it took some time before one of her children fully grasped their mother’s celebrity. Garner once spoke to fellow actor Jessica Biel about her family life in a joint interview with Marie Claire. During their discussion, Biel brought up an interesting rumor she heard about Garner’s oldest child Violet.

“Oh, I heard the sweetest story about Violet the other day,” Biel said. “One of Violet’s classmates came up to her and said, ‘I heard Jennifer Garner lives in your house.’ And Violet said, ‘No, she doesn’t.’ The other kid kept insisting, so Violet came home and asked you, ‘Mom, who is Jennifer Garner and why are people saying she lives with us?'”

Garner confirmed that Biel heard right.

“Wow. That’s true,” she said. “She just knows me as Mom, so I did have to explain to her for the first time about the difference.”

Jennifer Garner felt like she was a nightmare during her first years of motherhood

Garner spent a long time preparing for parenthood. In an interview with Allure, she confided that there was no scenario in which she wouldn’t eventually become a mom. And marrying Ben Affleck or anyone else wasn’t necessarily a requirement to achieve this dream.

“Being a mother was one thing I knew I was going to be,” Garner said. “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. I mean, I was the kid with the doll everywhere I went. And I had a babysitting company with my friend Carrie — C & J’s Babysitting — from, like, seventh or eighth grade.”

After finally having children, it took Garner some time before she figured out how much space she should give them. Especially given the attention that comes with being celebrity 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 added. “I have a lot of faith in my kids. I don’t love every behavior all the time, always. It’s gnarly growing up. We didn’t have the eyes on us that our kids have. I was such a first-time mom. [My eldest daughter] didn’t have a shot. She couldn’t have a free thought — I was all over her. I was a nightmare for everyone around me.”