Gwyneth Paltrow Grapples With Her Identity Being Tied Up in Motherhood As Son Moses Prepares to Head to College
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For 20 years, Gwyneth Paltrow has prioritized motherhood above all else. But with her youngest getting ready to flee the coop for college this fall, the actress-turned-entrepreneur is working through the many emotions of beginner-stage empty nesting — and what the next chapter of her life might look like as a mom to adult children.
During an interview with The Sunday Times, Paltrow opened up about the spectrum of emotions she’s feeling regarding her son Moses, 17, moving out to pursue a college education in a few short months. “On the one hand [I feel] incredible sadness. A deep sense of impending grief,” the Marvel alum confessed.
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She continued, “On the other hand, this is exactly what should be happening. Your kids are supposed to be, you know, young adults who can achieve and cope and make connections and be resilient. That’s exactly what you want. And that means they leave the house.”
Like many parents with children graduating high school and moving out of the family home to begin their independent lives, Paltrow is trying to figure out how her relationship with her kids will evolve and how empty-nesting will impact her identity. “I’ve been so defined and so fulfilled by motherhood,” she explained. “It’s been kind of the central… it’s been like the central kind of… I don’t know even how to articulate it! It’s like the guiding force. It’s what I return to.”
The Country Strong star continued, “I observe a lot of my friends who’ve had kids who’ve gone off to college. Your kid… it changes. And, you know, they come home a lot and all that stuff, but it’s not quite the same as living under the same roof all the days of the year. So I’m just trying to be open to what that means,” Paltrow shared.
While she admitted uncertainty and anxiety are her leading emotions ahead of the major life change, Paltrow also said she’s trying to keep an open mind as she heads into the unknown. The Hollywood icon mused, “As a woman, I think we have these very distinct chapters, and you have no idea what these life changes are going to feel like until they happen, right?” She continued, “I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I’m going to try to stay really open, try to find, I don’t know, the silver linings. Spontaneity!”
Gwyneth Paltrow's new rare photo of her son, Moses, shows how fast he's growing up. https://t.co/0uX412YLpI
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The mom of two reflected further on the idea of spontaneity, sharing, “I never really go anywhere or do anything because I want to be around my kids while they live at home.” Paltrow continued, “You know, it’s like, ‘Oh, we’re doing a girls’ weekend here and there,’ and I’m like, ‘F*** no, I have 88 days left of Moses living [with me],’ you know? It’s been basically 20 years of me being beholden to a school calendar — so what will that feel like, to not have that?” she mused. “I don’t know. It’s sort of exciting, in a way, if you let it be. Maybe?”
Maybe indeed. Time will tell as Moses follows his big sister Apple, 19, into adulthood and an exciting new chapter for everyone in the Paltrow-Martin family.
These celeb parents have gotten very real about their kids growing up.
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