Gwyneth Paltrow wants to end the "mommy wars".
The 'Iron Man' actress caused outrage when she appeared to suggest being a Hollywood mother was a far tougher job than being a regular 9-5 desk job mum during a recent interview, and has now taken to her website Goop to defend her comments and encourage women to "cut each other some slack".
Gwyneth wrote: "A few weeks ago during an interview, I was asked why I have only worked on one film a year since having children. My answer was this: Film work takes one away from home and requires 12-14 hours a day, making it difficult to be the one to make the kids their lunch, drive them to school, and put them to bed. So I have found it easier on my family life to make a film the exception, and my 9-5 job the rule. This somehow was taken to mean I had said a 9-5 job is easier, and a lot of heat was thrown my way, especially by other working mothers who somehow used my out-of-context quote as an opportunity to express feelings (perhaps projected) on the subject. As the mommy wars rage on, I am constantly perplexed and amazed by how little slack we cut each other as women."
The 41 year old star wants mothers to stop criticising each other for their parenting styles and voicing negative opinions because they're all doing the same difficult job.
She concluded: "We see disapproval in the eyes of other mothers when we say how long we breastfed (Too long? Not long enough?), or whether we have decided to go back to work versus stay home. Is it not hard enough to attempt to raise children thoughtfully, while contributing something, or bringing home some (or more) of the bacon? Why do we feel so entitled to opine, often so negatively, on the choices of other women? Perhaps because there is so much pressure to do it all, and do it all well all at the same time (impossible)."
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