In Good Company: Reese Witherspoon

I guess I forget sometimes that young moms can be found everywhere. Colleges, Fortune 500 companies, even Hollywood.

Which brings me to this week’s YoungMommy Spotlight: Reese Witherspoon.

I loved Cruel Intentions and would watch it every time it came on TV. Reese was so sweet and innocent in her role as the headmaster’s virgin daughter and that damned Ryan Phillippe had to go and have sex with her. *tsk, tsk* I guess filming went very well, because she gave birth to their daughter Ava a year after filming wrapped.

At 23, Reese admits she struggled as a mom, even in Hollywood, the land of nannies. Here are some of Reese’s best quotes:

On being a mom at 23:

“Obviously, this isn’t the time in my life that I would have chosen to do this, but I feel like life gives you these challenges for a reason. I feel so happy and glad to be in the place that I am. I really feel blessed. This is something I need to face and take control of.”

On her own self-esteem:

“I have cellulite. I have stretch marks. I feel intimidated by Victoria’s Secret. Hollywood is one of those endless competitions, but it’s like running a race toward nothing. There’s no winning. You’re never going to win the pretty race. I just want to be the best version of myself that I can be.”

On being totally unprepared for motherhood:

“Before I had kids, I’d never even held a baby. I’d never babysat. I didn’t have any cousins. So the first time I held Ava was the first time I’d ever held a baby in my life! I had that fear of not being a good mom. It took me a long time to feel really comfortable in the role of being a mother.”

 

I think it’s refreshing to hear that everyone struggles with motherhood, even those with oodles of money and fame and access to the kind of support that many of us don’t have. Just goes to show that this mommy gig is harder than we all thought.