Over the course of their busy lives in the spotlight, we’ve come to learn a lot about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner.
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However, we certainly know a lot less about the former couple’s three kids — Violet, 17, Seraphina, 14, and Samuel, 11.
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Ben and Jennifer — who were married for 10 years between 2005 and 2015 — are regularly photographed with their children, and they’ll often speak about the trio in interviews. But, aside from that, they’ve made a clear effort to protect their kids’ privacy and wellbeing — namely, by keeping them away from social media.
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Back in April, Jennifer got real about the highs and lows of raising teenagers, revealing how she manages to distance them from social media platforms without them “hating” her.
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“I just said to my kids, ‘Show me the articles that prove that social media is good for teenagers, and then we’ll have the conversation,’” she said during an appearance on the Today show. “Find scientific evidence that matches what I have that says that it’s not good for teenagers, then we’ll chat.”
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And now, in a new interview, Jennifer has doubled down on her strategy.
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Speaking on this week’s instalment of the Smartless podcast, Jen spoke to hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett all about the challenges that come with being a parent.
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She began by saying that one of the most difficult aspects of her life as a mom comes down to the “selfish” nature of her work, particularly the demand it puts on her schedule.
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“Even in the best of circumstances, we’re like, ‘Well, it’s all about me right now. I’m in production, and I’ve got to go to bed, or I can’t be there because my production’— you know?” she said. “And that’s not the way kids’ lives work. If something is happening for them, it’s happening for them and you’re missing it!”
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After this, Will prompted Jennifer to talk more about how she tackles the pressures of social media when it comes to her teens.
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“It feels like there’s judgment inherent in what I’m saying, and there isn’t, it’s just, so far, I don’t have kids on social media — like Instagram, TikTok, all that stuff,” she began, adding the disclaimer that she doesn’t have a full scope on what other apps they may be using without her knowledge.
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“I could be totally wrong…there are plenty of workarounds,” she joked, before saying that it’s simply important to her that they aren’t using any platform to seek validation or “likes.”
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“They’re not checking for ‘likes’ and they’re not posting themselves,” she said.
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Jennifer went on to quip that while this policy has been a success with her two older daughters, things might change once her youngest reaches the same age.
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“Your rules are very different for your first than they are for your third, so don’t hold me to it, but that is my goal,” she said. “I just say to them, ‘Guys, show me the evidence that it’s good for a teenage brain.’”
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Jen explained that there are other parents in her circle who try to offer up reasons that the kids should be allowed on social media, like for communicating with friends. However, she made it clear that she’s sticking to her rules — thankfully, with the support of her ex.
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“Ben and I are on the same page about it, we’ll just keep down that road as long as we can,” she said.
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Jennifer and Ben appear to have maintained a close relationship as coparents since their divorce was finalized in 2018, and their friendly rapport was more evident than ever last week when Jen took the time to give her ex a Father’s Day shoutout on Instagram.
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On Sunday, the 13 Going on 30 actor shared a sweet photograph of her and her parents to celebrate her own dad on the special day, as well as paying tribute to Ben.
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“Shout out to BGA,” she wrote in the caption, making reference to the director’s full name: Benjamin Géza Affleck. “No one loves their kids like you love ours, happy Father’s Day, Ben!” she added.
