Jennie Garth Says Co-Parenting Forced a “Reckoning” With Herself
Jennie Garth had to learn what she liked about herself.
Over a decade after she split from Peter Facinelli following their nearly 20-year relationship, the What I Like About You actress detailed how she rose above her breakup to focus on co-parenting her and Peter’s daughters Luca, 28, Lola, 23, and Fiona, 19.
“In order to be the best co-parent I wanted to be, I had to really come to a reckoning inside myself of forgiveness, of acceptance,” Jennie told E! News in an exclusive interview. “And it wasn't even forgiving or accepting of someone else—it was really forgiving and accepting myself through it all.”
And the I Choose Me author—whose new memoir is out now—emphasized that the grace she showed herself allowed her to prioritize her kids.
“That made me a better mom,” she continued. “Definitely more present, more connected to what they are going through, instead of so much about what I'm going through.”
In fact, Jennie—whose I Choose Me Summit starts in Los Angeles April 25—said that giving birth to her first daughter at 25 years old taught her how to shift her focus to her kids and, as she put it, that “saved me from myself.”
“At a wild time in my life where it was a lot of unknown feelings,” the now-54-year-old explained, “I was able to take care of a baby and put all of my focus and energy on keeping her alive and happy and healthy. And I think that was a big part of saving myself from myself.”
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
And though the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum has certainly had doubts here and there about her parenting, the fact that her daughters still enjoy spending time with her is evidence that she’s “a good mom.”
“My doors are always open to my girls, and having them around me is just a constant proof of purchase,” she shared. “Proof is in the pudding with these guys that I've done something right.”
Plus, Jennie noted she isn’t the only one making an impact.
“My daughters are my greatest teachers,” she said. “[I’m] just really accepting that and reminding myself that I don't have it all figured out. I'm still learning and growing, just like they are.”
Read on for more stars who have special connections with their kids.
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The soccer star has the cutest plus-one ever at the London premiere of Ronaldo.
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Christie Brinkley & Sailor Brinkley-Cook
Sailor is taking after her mom in the modeling industry.
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Kate Moss & Lila Moss
And Kate's daughter is also following in her mom's famous footsteps.
Reese Witherspoon & Ava Phillippe
Here posing for an Instagram snap before the Hot Pursuit premiere in Los Angeles, mom and her daughter have never looked more alike!
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Lisa Bonet & Zoë Kravitz
Like mother, like daughter. The two attend the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2015.
Rumer Willis & Demi Moore
With their matching jumpsuits, sleek hair and glasses, the two look more like twins than mother and daughter! "That moment when you realize you actually are becoming your mother #twinning #imnotmad," Willis joked on Instagram.
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Madonna & Lourdes Leon
Pictured here in 2010, the pop icon's daughter is a fashionista just like her mama!
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David Beckham & Brooklyn Beckham
You'll get a kick out of how much the soccer star and his son look alike.
Kelly Ripa & Lola Consuelos
The spunky morning show host celebrated her daughter's 14th birthday with this adorable pic. Look at that resemblance!
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Uma Thurman & Maya Hawke
Once upon a time in Hollywood...the Kill Bill actress twinned with her daughter on the red carpet.
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Jay Z & Blue Ivy Carter
Little Blue stole the show at the 2017 Grammys, and she's totally #twinning with her pops!
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Alison Sweeney & Megan Sanov
The Days of Our Lives star and her daughter get in the holiday spirit at Disney On Ice Presents Frozen at the Staples Center.
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Lily-Rose Depp & Vanessa Paradis
The mother-daughter pair looked like virtual twinsies (especially with those matching bobs) at the Chanel fall-winter Haute Couture show in Paris.
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The Oscar-winner and her daughter both rock the red hair.
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The nearly identical stunning stars even dress the same!
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Lori Loughlin & Olivia Giannulli
The Fuller House star and her daughter are practically twins at the Summer TCA Press Tour.
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Daniel Day-Lewis & Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis
The Last of the Mohicans and Lincoln star's young adult son, whose mother is French actress Isabelle Adjani, made his big runway debut at 2015 Paris Fashion Week, walking into the Chanel show with Julianne Moore.
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Gillian Anderson & Piper Maru Klotz
The two stunned on the red carpet at the Olivier Awards in London.
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Kaia Gerber & Cindy Crawford
If you didn't know better, you might've guessed they were sisters!
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Tom Hanks & Colin Hanks
This apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree!
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Mamie, Grace and Louisa Gummer & Meryl Streep
Mammia Mia! You can certainly see the family resemblance.
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