Co-parenting after divorce isn’t always easy, but Jennifer Garner says the experience has taught her powerful lessons about sacrifice, flexibility, and putting children first.
The Alias actress recently spoke candidly about raising her three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck during an appearance on Bustle’s “One Nightstand” podcast. Garner and Affleck divorced in 2015 after 10 years of marriage, but they have continued to work together as parents to Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
Garner explained that parenting from two separate households naturally changes the dynamic.
“When your kids grow up in two separate households, I become mom and dad, and he becomes dad and mom,” Garner said. “You kind of can’t help it, right? Because you don’t have the benefit of both sides, the yin and yang being in the same house, so you have to have a bit of both in the way you parent.”
While that shift can bring challenges, Garner said the experience has also helped her grow in unexpected ways.
“There’s a little bit of loss in that, but there’s also something gained in that,” she shared. “You also just learn, it’s made me let go and not focus so much on the bringing up.”
Garner and Affleck’s relationship goes back more than two decades. The pair first met while filming the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor, though their romance didn’t begin until 2004 after they starred together in the 2003 film Daredevil. They married in 2005 and spent a decade building a family together before announcing their divorce in 2015.
At the time, the former couple emphasized their commitment to remaining united as parents. In a joint statement, they said, “After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time.”
Despite the end of their marriage, Garner has spoken warmly about Affleck over the years. In a 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, she reflected on the depth of their connection.
“I didn’t marry the big fat movie star; I married him,” Garner said. “And I would go back and remake that decision. I ran down the beach to him, and I would again. You can’t have these three babies and so much of what we had. He’s the love of my life.”
She also acknowledged that their shared history means they will always remain connected. “We still have to help each other get through this,” she added. “He’s still the only person who really knows the truth about things. And I’m still the only person that knows some of his truths.”
Affleck has echoed similar sentiments about their relationship as parents. In a 2020 appearance on Good Morning America, he admitted the divorce was difficult for him personally but emphasized the importance of mutual respect.
“When you have children with somebody, you’re connected to them forever,” Affleck said. “And I’m very lucky she is the mother of my children. I’m very grateful and respectful of her.”
He added that both of them share a common goal: giving their children a healthy example of respect and cooperation. “Both of us really believe that it’s important for kids to see their parents respect one another and get along, whether they’re together or not.”
Years after their split, Garner and Affleck’s approach to co-parenting continues to show that while family life may change after divorce, love, respect, and teamwork can still remain at the center.