These Stars Spoke Out About How Mom-Guilt Affected Their Careers And The Advice They Have For Working Mothers

By Jasmine Browley· Updated October 13, 2022

Despite the archaic notion that women can’t have it all, working mothers are making things happen every day.From providing key emotional support to being household breadwinners, moms really are superwomen. It’s a tough but necessary job.

But often, when the public thinks of celebrity moms, pristine images of perfection come to mind since it’s assumed they have the extra help of a team of nannies behind them. That’s not always the case though.

More and more, mothers in the spotlight have spoken out about the challenges of trying to achieve work-life, and they’re not alone.

Data shows that working while mothering iseven more difficult than we could’ve imagined.

19th News and SurveyMonkey recently released results from a survey they conducted exploring Americans’ work/life balance. It was revealed that 64% of US workers say they have an “easy time” prioritizing work in tandem with their home lives, across race, gender and income groups.

This goes to show that no matter who you are, mom guilt is real and wide-reaching. Fortunately, these stars are open and honest about the challenges and share how they pushed through. Check out what they’ve shared.

01Cardi BCardi B is the proud mother of two children and while she may make it look seamless, she’s shared that being one of the world’s biggest entertainers can be tough to juggle with momhood. Shortly after birthing her first child, she shared in an interview: “I do experience that mom guilt, you know? She’s here, but it makes me sad sometimes because it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, all that traveling.’ I know her sleeping schedule is getting a little messed up … every single time that she gets on an airplane, it’s all good until the landing. She starts crying, and I just be feeling so sad because I know the pain, you know, when your ears pop.” She added: “And sometimes I wake up in the morning and she’s in my bed and I just want to cuddle and [I can’t]. It is getting harder because she knows me. She recognizes more now and that’s, like, you can just tell she wants me to be there. Sometimes, when she sees me leaving, she looks up and goes, ‘B***h, where you going?'” 02Lauren LondonLauren London shared in a 2020 interview with ESSENCE that maintaining a career in Hollywood while taking care of her young children can be a struggle, but she’s capable: “It’s not easy but I’m not the first to do it,” she told ESSENCE at our sixth annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon. “I know I can do it; there’s a lot of mothers that work. I got the blueprint from my mother who was a working mom, so I just get it done.” 03Serena WilliamsThe legend recently announced her exit from tennis due to plans to expand her family, and shared her frustrations with having to make that choice. “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family,” she said. “Maybe I’d be more of a Tom Brady if I had that opportunity.” 04BeyonceIn an interview with Vogue, Queen Bey said, “I think the most stressful thing for me is balancing work and life,” she explained. “Making sure I am present for my kids — dropping Blue off at school, taking Rumi and Sir to their activities, making time for date nights with my husband, and being home in time to have dinner with my family — all while running a company can be challenging. Juggling all of those roles can be stressful, but I think that’s life for any working mom.”

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