Lopez welcomed twins with ex-husband Marc Anthony in February 2008. “Children are unconditional love. I know every parent feels this way about their children. To me, my children are very special, I can’t wait to see what they will do when they grow up,” the singer shared with PEOPLE. Since their birth, Jen’s twins have continued to develop their personalities, interests and talents.

As a dedicated mother, Jen homeschooled her children from a young age. When the twins got older, The Mother star told PEOPLE: “The kids are trying to integrate into normal life, they decide for themselves what they want and what they should do, as a mother like me I’m just trying to follow along.” catch up with the kids. That is the children’s journey, they have a different path than their parents. I’m not disappointed by that, on the contrary, I feel very happy.”

Max and Emme grew up in love. The twins also have a sister and three half-brothers after Jen and Ben Affleck got married in July 2022, namely Samuel, Seraphina and Violet. Before getting married, Jen told Vogue that they were handling the transition to blending their family with “a lot of care.” She added: “What I hope as I raise my family with Ben is that his children have a new ally in me and my children have a new ally in him.” To make that transition as easy and enjoyable as possible, the kids enjoyed many outings together, including a trip to the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

A person close to the Ben-Jen couple revealed to PEOPLE about the outing: “They’re not trying to rush anything, but they want all the kids to get to know each other. They’re making summer as fun as possible. After the trip, they will soon return to school and work.” It didn’t take long for the family to bond together. Ben is always smiling and gentle with his children, Lopez is extremely excited to share about the family’s Christmas celebration in 2022.

“We have brought family members together, doubled the number of people, doubled the fun, doubled the love, doubled the gifts and tripled the number of attendees,” Jen said.

“That proves that Ben is a great father,” Jen shared on Today. “He really rose to the challenge. The kids love him, appreciate him, and so do I,” Jen happily shared.

Parenting a child during puberty is a challenge

Jen is extremely proud of her children but also admits that being a mother to teenagers always comes with new challenges.

“Raising a child this age is difficult. It’s a challenge. They seem aloof and like their own space. Sometimes they even challenge everything you say and everything you do. It feels like you’re playing surfing.”

Reacting to fame

As they grew up, Jen’s twins fully understood how famous their mother was.

Jen thinks the kids have a certain amount of stress being famous kids: “I think it’s a bit overwhelming for them, but luckily for me, they’ve handled the inconvenience in a way that’s easy for them to handle.” graceful. Because of that loveliness, I promised my best friend that I would try to give my children the best life possible.”

Jen also added that the twins are very proud of their mother’s career, and the children do not hesitate to accept any criticism. In February 2024, Lopez revealed to Variety: “Max and Emme like my old music more than my new albums.”

Teach children at home

Jen’s top priority is being there for her children as they grow up. So that her children could join her on tours and filming trips, she turned to homeschooling and admits not everyone agreed with her decision.

“Everyone said I should send them to school, they need friends. Things like that can make me angry,” Jen told Fox 5 New York. But no matter who those opinions come from, Jen always insists that her children are thriving.

“They are extremely happy, well-behaved, loving, caring kids and that’s the most important thing,” Jen said.

Let your children know the importance of loving yourself

Jen loves her children more than anything, but she wants them to know that “loving yourself is important, too.”

“Your thoughts will create your life, so think positively, that all your feelings are okay and people should treat you well, you should not become a victim of anyone,” Jen told PEOPLE about the values ​​she is trying to instill in her children.

She wants her children to love themselves first in the hope that they will have healthy relationships as a result.