Eva Mendes Slams a Common Misconception About Stay at Home Moms
Moms work harder than anyone, whether they are working moms or stay at home moms. (BTW, we never call men “working dads,” so why do we need this distinction for moms?). As a mom who both works and stays home with her daughters, Eva Mendes is clearing the air about one common misconception of stay at home moms — and it’s so true!
The Hitch star shares daughters Esmeralda Amada, 9, and Amada Lee, 7, with husband Ryan Gosling. In an interview with TODAY.com, Mendes opened up about pausing her acting career to stay home with her daughters — and how that doesn’t actually mean staying at home. “There’s not much staying at home, by the way,” she said with a laugh. “You do a lot of driving, every day. I’m going here to pickups, this, that.”
It’s so true! Even if your kids are school aged, you have to handle drop offs and pickups, carting them to sports or after-school activities, running errands, and taking care of everything else you need to do to keep the house running. Staying home and just chilling is not usually on the agenda — so “stay at home mom” is pretty much a misnomer!
Mendes also appeared on The TODAY Show, where she told host Hoda Kotb that her mom stayed home with her until she was “about 8 or 9,” which influenced her decision to stay home. “And those memories for me, that just formed who I was. Those years with her,” she said. “And I feel fortunate enough that I could have taken some time out from acting — I actually still worked, I just didn’t act. I just felt lucky enough, I’m like, ‘Damn, I really want this time with them.’”
It seems like the Barbie star wants to spend more time with his girls as well, as sources recently told Life & Style, “Ryan’s in demand — but he wants to make sure he has all the time in the world for his girls. He wants to take at least two years off and really focus on them.”
With summer coming up, maybe the couple can enjoy a more laidback routine. Although last year, it wasn’t easy for Mendes. She said in a video on her Instagram story in July, “So this summer was supposed to be like an easy — I was like, bring boredom back, but you know things happen and like, the kids want to do certain classes and things, so now I am just a chauffeur — like, a water girl.”
“It’s hot, so you know, I just bring them water,” she added. “I’m a water girl and a chauffeur and a wiper downer. I wipe them down because they’re all sweaty all over each other. I just wanted to say that this summer of boredom that I had planned, turned.”
Oh well! Maybe with four hands on deck this summer, things will go a little smoother. Or maybe the “I’m Just Ken” singer can handle water duty while Mendes takes a much-needed break!
Before you go, check out these celebrity dads who paused their careers to stay at home with their babies.