Anna Faris covers the March issue Redbook to promote her sitcom, Mom. Have you seen the show? I surfed onto it by accident, watched an episode, and experienced some serious secondhand embarrassment. Some people must like it. The ratings are decent, and the show’s in its second season. I feel like Anna’s never had a role quite like Lost in Translation again, and she probably never will. But a sitcom is probably ideal for a working mom in Hollywood.
Anna covers a few topics in this interview. She speaks to the mommy brigade about her premature birth to son Jack in 2012. Anna also reveals her grumpiness during Chris Pratt’s Guardians diet extravaganza:
Her premature labor: “My water broke in the middle of the night at seven months. We rushed to the hospital, and they were able to halt active labor with magnesium. I was at the hospital and the goal was to be in bed for four weeks … but on the seventh day, I went into labor again. I was in denial. For hours I was like, ‘I’m just having indigestion.’ Chris and I were so scared, but then Jack came out, even though he was so tiny, he looked so good to us.”
On parenthood: “It’s one of those things that drives you apart or makes you closer. I think that being a father is very meaningful and rewarding to Chris. He’s a great dad. He’s a little more serious than he was before. It forces your hand. You really have to become an adult.”
On the legendary Pratt body transformation: “I just remember being grumpy because there was no food in the house. I love to cook really fattening things like steak and pasta and potatoes. I bake banana bread. But it’s okay. I love Chris ripped and I love him a little rounder, too.”
The working mom thing: “Motherhood is like a big sleeping bag of guilt.”
[From Redbook]
Are you tired yet of reading discussions about working motherhood guilt? I’m a little worn down on the topic, but I think most mothers feel guilty no matter what. Working inside and outside the home both require sacrifices. Anna probably gets to take Jack to work, which helps. She had to pull out the guilt discussion for Redbook because parenting discussions speak to their target audience. Fathers never get these questions, do they?
Anna did a press conference a few weeks ago where she called her husband a “thoroughbred.” I like Pratt, but that quote made me vom a little. Get a room, kids.
Because we need to liven this post up a bit, here’s some photos of Pratt wearing a Patriots jersey after losing his Super Bowl bet with Chris Evans.
Photos courtesy of Redbook & Fame/Flynet
I like them and I think that it is nice to see a Hollywood couple that isn’t just there for show if you get my meaning. I have been a fan of his since P&R and I’m just getting to know her from Mom but she seems sweet and real. I get what she says about being a working mom and guilt. I used to feel that way from time to time myself, so I am not at all put off by that. I love that she loves to cook fattening food! Nothing bad to say about these two at least in my world.
She’s another one who jacked up her cute face.
Agree.
I would feel some sadness and guilt being away from my child. If I had the type of bankroll that she and her husband do, as a mother I would probably choose to stay home with my child. But that’s just me.
While she *could* choose to stay home, the decision comes with a lot of risk. She might not regain her career momentum, which is true for a lot of moms across a number of careers who decide to stay at home for a few years. The longer you are out of the workforce, the harder and harder it gets to re-enter.
There is no way she needs to keep working for the money, since they are both multi-millionaires already. Money should really have no value for her when weighed against time with her children. Other reasons to work–creative expression, ambition, etc– would be valid/compelling.
I’m a mom and I think the mom guilt topic has worn thin over the years. Admitting you feel guilty and that you make mistakes aren’t new angles, but at least they’re more refreshing than “Motherhood is wonderful and my life is complete now!!!!!!!”
I think she seems like a nice lady as well. I like Mom. It was better in the first season but it’s a fun 30 minutes.
Is this a generational thing? The motherhood guilt? I asked my mom about it and she thought it was the most ridiculous luxury problem ever. “Honey, we worked to put food on the table. We never thought to feel guilty about that.” I’m not a mother but there are a few babies in my wider circle of friends and it seems like no fun at all with all the “I HATE to leave her at daycare!”
I would venture to guess that married women who can afford daycare can actually afford to stay home if they cut their lifestyle expenses, hence the guilt. Working single mothers tend to rely on family members for childcare
@littlemissnaughty-very true! My Mother went back to work out of financial necessity when I was 7 and my sister was 4. She never felt guilty as she really didn’t have a choice.
I get tired of the whole “working mother guilt” thing. As Bedhead pointed out, men are never asked about this and they rarely report feeling guilty about working outside the home (I’ve never actually heard a man say he felt guilty about working). I think sometimes women who work say they feel guilty even if they don’t because it’s the expected thing to say.
I don’t understand mom guilt. People are going to hate me for saying this but I think if you feel guilty then maybe you are doing something wrong.
Thank you! I’m irritated to no end from this ever present sense of guilt! Staying with your child 100% of the time doesn’t prevent anyone from being a bad parent!
And seriously how many mothers can afford now to be SAHMs?
How many are forced to have 2 Jobs to make ends meet?
This “guilt” angle is as bad as “motherhood made me more (insert ….)
I can only try to be a good mother. One day at a time.
I think that’s an awful generalization. Some women CAN’T stay home because they literally cannot survive on one income these days. I don’t see how anyone can tell anyone how to feel. She’s allowed to feel guilty and allowed to not feel any guilt at all. I went back to work when my daughter was three months old and I felt guilty but I NEEDED to go back for the income and for myself.
Rich mom’s need a life outside the home too. I can’t knock anybody for wanting to maintain their career or some sense of identity separate from being a mom and/or wife. I needed it. A lot of women need it. I think kids need it too – for numerous reasons, but mostly because it forces parents to learn to trust otherh adults with their children and it shows the kids that their parents are more than just moms and dads. I’ve probably quoted this before, but on a an old episode of Judgy Amy, some ignoramous was putting Tyne Daily on about being a working mother (she was a CPS social worker). Her response was “I decided my children deserved some time away from me.” What an awesome perspective and definitely not one I’d ever thought of. I was too busy feeling guilty for going back to work, but not after that. It was healthy for everyone involved. I was only a part-timer though. I’m sure that makes a huge difference.
Most moms prefer part-time work (presumably to full time). You’re right, it is a HUGE difference. Especially because hardly any career person actually works only 9-5 even though they are theoretically paid for that. I agree all kids deserve sometime away from mom and dad, but that doesn’t mean they deserve 8, 10, 12 hours a day away.
I happen to watch her sitcom regularly, show delivers some serious issues in rather… obtimistic ways. Just love her vibe on the show
I have both been a working and stay at home mom, and feel guilt both ways. I think it is natural and honest, and my husband also feels working dad guilt for not seeing his kids as much as he would like.
I think the healthiest way to look at it is: what is best for our family today? This works for both men and women, especially if everyone accepts that that the answer may change over time.
“Are you tired yet of reading discussions about working motherhood guilt? I’m a little worn down on the topic” Thank you Bedhead, this was exactly my reaction to just your headline. Is every mother seriously consumed with raging guilt just b/c they have kids, but continue to be an actual person with other interests and needs?! Sure makes motherhood look fun!
I’m pretty sick of feeling guilty because I DON’T feel guilty. I like my job. I like having something to go to, and something to come home to. It’s politically correct to say you’re so hard done by that you have to leave your child, so everyone’s saying it whether they feel it or not. So sick of this conversation and the inference that I’m bad because I like to work and don’t feel bad about it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m setting a good example. A job is not a hardship. It is a wonderful thing to have. I don’t want my child to think that I’m so hard done by because I have to go to my job every day – that is not the message that I want to send to her.
Nicely said.
+ 1,000,000!!! I don’t feel guilty at all either.
Great comment. And I would think your kids get a lot out of seeing you enjoy your career and work hard at it.
I love both of them, cute couple. Apparently according to her husband on Ellen show, their little son is truly a Genius! Good work momma! Haha….
Maybe it’s a culturological thing, but here you are expected to work. Growing up it never occured to me that not working was an option. My mum worked, both of my grandmothers worked… Basically the only stay at home mothers I know are the ones who can’t find a job because of the current economical situation.
But then again, working hours are 7-15 8-16 here, and women get a full salary for a year on maternity leave, so it might be easier.
What country do you live in, SpookySpooks?
Croatia. We had communism for 50 years, so perhaps that kind of mindset is still present.
I think the thing that pisses me off about the working-mom-guilt discussion is how irrelevant it is to most of the world. I have to be the one to shriek “PRIVILEGE!!” as a debate tactic, but the vast majority of women throughout history have HAD to work. The idea that you would even have a choice to make just simply doesn’t apply.
Word. The idea of the full time mother is a 50s wet dream. It existed ever so briefly in the States and was quickly eclipsed by the reality of the riding costs of middle class living Even the wealthiest women in history took care of the home, and given how much technology has made that easier, that was a full time job in and of itself. Think about cooking dinner for a large family in the world before supermarkets and refrigerators and microwaves. That shit was an all day affair.
Croatia. We had communism for 50 years, so perhaps that kind of mindset is still present.
I grew up in Romania during communism and as much as there were lots of bad things about it, the social policies were fantastic. Even now in Romania moms get two or three years of paid mat leave and guaranteed job security, a decent allowance for kids so yes, it’s still different there… I gave up a wonderful job in the US to be able to stay home one year on mat leave in Canada with my kid and wouldn’t trade that for anything. My colleagues would go back after six weeks to keep their jobs – I couldn’t do that trade-off.
I think the people who have the guilt are the ones who do stuff opposed to what they really desire. If I could have afforded to, I would have stayed home rather than being out of the house for 10-12 hours (when you reach a certain career level you can’t be there just for 9-5, particularly in a mostly male field) and having a nanny be the primary caregiver 5 days a week. But that’s me. I don’t shade the women who are happy working, nor do I attach blame to the ones feeling guilt – trust me, no one chooses that option because she wants to. If she works and feels guilty, she’d rather be home but for whatever reason, can’t afford to.
I know it’s the thing we’re expected to say because is The Ultimate Expression of Womanhood (TM), but I will die happy the day a woman of means refuses to apologize for her success, who isn’t guilt for enjoying it, and doesn’t make apologies for what she had to do to get there.
I don’t really care for her as an actress, but she seems like a sweet person. I think she was really smart to take that role – I’ve always heard the hours on a multi-camera sitcom are pretty easy, her son can come with her, the pay is probably great.
Since I’m childfree I have no opinion on the issue of motherhood and guilt, I just came here to comment on Anna Faris. I loved Anna Faris in The House Bunny and in Smile, and thought she was not only hysterically funny but adorably pretty as well, and now I just *cannot* with her bangs. Some people look great with bangs and other people should never have bangs. I am voting against Anna Faris’s bangs!!!!!!!!! I think they make her look SO frumpy.
I know this is a really shallow comment. But I swear I would watch that Mom show, even if it’s not that good, b/c I like Anna Faris so much — but I can’t watch those bangs!!!!!
I watch her show, I was very disapointed they killed off her Dad.
I have two children and have experienced and understand both sides of the guilt issue. When I worked two jobs after the birth of my first child, I constantly felt guilt over spending time at work that I could have spent with my daughter. I wasn’t in a position to stay at home, yet I still harbored that guilty feeling. With my second child, I was able to stay home and did so, only to find that I felt guilty for not working to contribute to the income, now that our family was bigger. I finally was able to obtain the best of both worlds (or so I thought) when I started working from home, but that brings its own set of issues. No circumstance is perfect.
What I’ve learned is that each parent, child, family and situation is different. Guilt is not necessary if you’re doing what you feel you need to do for your own.
For the record, I am a working mom of one and feel zero guilt. I couldn’t wait to get back to work after six weeks and let my husband stay home for the first few years.
I am a college English Instructor. I took a year off after having my daughter, but then went back to work part time as an adjunct (I have a lot of professional issues with the adjunct culture at colleges and universities, but that’s a topic for another day, and I’m very fortunate that it works for me). I feel very fulfilled that I am back in the classroom AND that I get to spend a lot of time with my daughter. I am incredibly fortunate in that I don’t HAVE to work because we could comfortably live on my husband’s income, but I feel like I am a better mother because I can show my daughter that a woman can be a working person AND a good mother.
My husband travels for work and is gone most of the week. He feels guilty because he is not there to feed our baby or put her to bed. He is not shy about expressing that guilt, but he also feels responsible for providing for us. I appreciate both his sacrifice and his emotional response to that sacrifice.
Based on my experience, I can understand why Anna feels a little guilty, but I wish she didn’t.