How Jennifer Lopez’s 2 Kids Changed Her Approach to Parenting

Jennifer Lopez‘s children recently prompted a significant reflection on her role as a parent.

The Kiss of a Spider Woman actress, aged 56, who has twins Max and Emme at 17 with her former spouse Marc Anthony, spoke about an honest dialogue she had with her teens during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“They had a conversation with me, saying, ‘You’re not a typical mom. You’re not around every day. You don’t do the drop-offs and pick-ups like the other parents,’” Lopez revealed during her appearance on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show on Wednesday, October 15. “That’s when I realized how important my presence was to them.”

Lopez and Anthony were married in June 2004 but separated in July 2011, finalizing their divorce three years later.

Lopez reflected on her journey as a single mother, stating that while she focused on providing materially for her children, she understood that “it wasn’t only about ensuring they had a good life.”

“It was also about my constant involvement in their lives. I began making more effort to find a better balance,” she explained.

She characterized the heart-to-heart with her kids as a “wake-up call,” and expressed, “It hit me, ‘If you didn’t realize how deeply I love you and how central you are to my life before, you will absolutely know now.’”

These days, Lopez places emphasis on her family over her professional obligations, noting, “If I tell them, ‘I can’t do this because of the kids,’ they immediately understand and respect that. They know arguing that point is pointless; when I say no, it’s a definitive no.”

In her extensive discussion with Howard Stern, Lopez also shared insights into her romantic life, revealing a feeling of never having experienced genuine love.

“What I’ve come to understand is that it’s not that I’m unlovable; it’s that the people I was with lacked the capacity to love me fully. They provided all they could—rings, homes, marriages, and everything material,” Lopez explained.

Reflecting on her recent split from Ben Affleck, she acknowledged that the realization of not loving herself had caused problems in her previous marriages.

“The best thing that happened to me after my last divorce was the opportunity to deeply evaluate my life,” Lopez expressed. “I engaged with a plethora of support—religious advisors, therapists, and experts on addiction—to truly understand myself. I was resolute: ‘I’m going to clarify this aspect of my life, no matter what it takes.’”

Additionally, Lopez discussed her decision to turn down a role in the acclaimed 2002 film Unfaithful, which later earned actress Diane Lane an Oscar nomination, admitting, “That choice continues to linger with me.”