9 Nuggets of Parenting Wisdom from Kerry Washington

Goddess of the small screen Kerry Washington recently turned 40. She had a lot of fun celebrating in style on the set of “Scandal”, but we expect that she had even more fun when she got home and celebrated with her kids.

Kerry Washington has two children with her husband Nnamdi Asomugha: her two-year-old daughter Isabelle and three-month-old son Caleb. Since Washing became a mom, she has always been open about motherhood. She’s shared everything from the very good, to the very bad.

We present the following 9 nuggets of parenting wisdom from Kerry Washington in honor of her 40th birthday and her two beautiful children.

1. “The thing that has changed the most about me since I became a mom is that my heart keeps getting bigger and bigger.”

2. “Part of juggling work and family is asking for help. Literally, it’s asking, ‘What did you do about sleep training? Is that hotel kid-friendly?’ And pick up really tangible tips, like literally, what time do you fly?”

3. “It’s the best acting of my life right here, the well-rested woman. It’s my finest role.”

4. “Even though Olivia Pope has obviously made the decision that she is not a mom, playing her made me feel like I could be a mom. Because she knows there’s always another way—there’s always a way to fix it, there’s always a way to solve it, to win. And I feel like playing her made me feel like, All right, I can do it. I will figure out how to juggle it all.”

5. “Motherhood has just made my life better in every way.”

6. “I do think of myself as more of an ambassador, you know, for my daughter to the world.”

7. “You know, the adrenaline gets you through.”

8. “You need a lot of support. No just logistically but emotionally and spiritually.”

9. “My daughter is my teacher.”

It’s not easy to raise kids. Anyone who has kids can tell you that. You don’t need to peruse the social media profiles of Kerry Washington to understand this. Something else that every parent can tell you though, is that in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s nothing quite like the love between a parent and child. The days are stressful. It feels like you never stop moving. Then you finally get them put to bed and you take a few minutes to yourself. You have a breather, a cup of tea, and you let it all out. That’s when you realise that everything will be okay in the end. You enjoy those moments of peace, knowing that they won’t last long. The whole routine starts up again early tomorrow morning.

Parenting is a real thrill. There’s something special about raising a child, bringing someone into the world and making sure they are a good person. It’s a challenging experience, for sure, but with a little help, advice, and confidence, you can do an amazing job. Learn from your children as they learn from you. There’s no way to learn how to be a parent like actually being a parent. Don’t freak out; just keep going and learn from your kids. These are the secrets to being a successful parent. Kerry Washington is a wonderful actress and a fantastic mother. We know that you can be an excellent parent in your own right. Just keep these nuggets of wisdom in mind. Have you learned any of your own pieces of parenting wisdom? We’d love to hear about them! Share them with us and your fellow parents below!

Written by Emily Green for Working Mother and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.