Maria Owens Shriver is many things – a journalist, an author, the former first lady of California, and also a mother of four children. Shriver, along with her ex-husband Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a parent to Katherine, Patrick, Christina, and Christopher Schwarzenegger. Having raised her kids alongside her multiple other roles, Shriver felt very emotional talking about her journey.  In a recent media appearance, Shriver poured her heart out about her children’s lives and how it feels as a mother.

Maria Shriver recently appeared on a podcast with Hoda Kotb of the NBC morning show Today. Their discussion touched upon various aspects of her life before eventually turning to her kids. Here’s how Shriver opened up about her children’s lives and why it is heartbreaking for her.

Maria Shriver lays bare her role as a mother to Hoda Kotb

“Watching your kids fall and make mistakes and everything is painful….. joyful and painful. The greatest thing ever ‘and’ it’s the most heartbreaking thing ever. You do your job really well, they leave you”, said Maria Shriver on the podcast “Making Space With Hoda Kotb”. Kotb asked Shriver about her children and how her role as a mother affects her.

Shriver admits to being a doting mother when it comes to her kids’ relationships. She gives her advice to them out of concern but is also aware of the boundaries her grown-up kids require. Shriver makes sure that the advice is only for her children’s benefit and leaves them with it. Also keen to give them space, Shriver said, “I have to step out. It’s not my life”.

Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, learned the importance of the word ‘And’ later on in her motherhood. By using ‘and’, she was talking about the juxtaposition of her polar opposite feelings on watching her kids grow i.e. “joyful and painful”, “it’s the greatest thing ever and it’s the most heartbreaking thing ever” etc.

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Her closeness with her eldest daughter Katherine Schwarzenegger was further strengthened after they discussed a very important chapter of Shriver and her ex-husband’s life.

Shriver and Schwarzenegger acted as a team in raising their kids

In 2016, Shriver spoke to Katherine for the first time about how she started a relationship with her father Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger was riding high on his Hollywood success following his success in bodybuilding. He met Shriver after Tom Brokaw introduced her at a charity tennis tournament in 1977. They tied the knot in 1986 and were dedicated to raising a family while keeping their thriving careers alive.

Shriver and Schwarzenegger, despite their differences, were in sync with each other when raising their kids. Neither one interfered with the other when it came to disciplining and admonishing their children.

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However, things took an ugly turn in their family and Shriver filed for divorce from her husband in 2011 which was finalized a decade later. But both Schwarzenegger and Shriver continue to be proud parents to their four children.