Reese Witherspoon recently shared her thoughts on motherhood, urging those considering children not to delay the decision.
In a video posted on her ‘Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine’ YouTube channel, the Legally Blonde actress spoke about becoming a mother at 22 when she had her eldest child, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, who is now 26.
Witherspoon is also a mother to Deacon Reese Phillippe and Tennessee James Toth, aged 22 and 13, respectively. She shares Ava and Deacon with her former husband, Ryan Phillippe, and Tennessee with her ex-husband, Jim Toth.
Reflecting on her experiences, Witherspoon noted that having Tennessee at 37 was ‘so much harder’ compared to her first at 23, as caring for a young child takes a physical toll.
In the video, Witherspoon—who has been open about leaving an abusive relationship earlier this year—said having children completely transforms your life. She emphasized her support for those who choose not to have children.
“You have to do [it] when it’s right for you, if that’s something you want,” she expressed. “Totally fine if you don’t want kids – I love it when people make that decision because they’re being so honest and so much of society doesn’t accept the idea that there’s just different ways to do things.
“If you don’t want to be a mom that’s totally fine, I have a lot of friends who aren’t moms and they are so happy because they’ve chosen the life that’s best for themselves.”
As a mother herself, Witherspoon encouraged those who desire children to pursue it when ready.
“If you want to be a mom and that’s important to you, you should have every right to do that and don’t put it off because of, you know, all the things that seem like a barrier,” she stated.
Witherspoon offered reassurance to prospective parents, saying they could manage it, even if it appears daunting.
“You’re gonna figure it out,” she assured. “I figured it out, you’re gonna figure it out, your mother figured it out, your grandma figured it out.
“There’s incredible resources that you can use to help figure it out, and whatever your motherhood journey is, I wish you luck and love and light and success and happiness, because being a mom is really great.”
Her advice has been well-received, with fans describing her as ‘one of the most inspiring women’ they’ve encountered.
“Thank you for your honesty about motherhood. Because it‘s really hard and life-changing. All people should know it!” one fan remarked.