Ellen Pompeo's Best Quotes as a Mom to Kids Stella, Sienna and Eli

Ellen Pompeo absolutely adores being a mom to her three kids, and her best quotes about Stella, Sienna and Eli prove it. Whether she’s gushing over her children’s accomplishments or offering advice for fellow moms and dads, the Grey’s Anatomy star always has something to say about her beloved brood.

Ellen became a mom alongside husband Chris Ivery when their eldest daughter, Stella, made her debut in September 2009. The couple — who got married in 2007 — welcomed baby No. 2 in August 2014 when daughter Sienna arrived via surrogate. A little over two years later, Ellen and Chris completed their family when she gave birth to son Eli in December 2016.

Although it’s normal to get overwhelmed as a parent, Ellen said she considers her family to be in a “very blessed situation.” Despite her hectic schedule as an actress, the Station 19 alum revealed she actually feels “lucky” compared to other moms.

“[Motherhood for me] isn’t a challenge with respect to the women in the rest of the world,” she once told Entertainment Tonight. While the TV producer acknowledged she has “days where [she feels] really guilty,” she gives more credit to parents who don’t have as much help.

“All working moms have their challenges and I’m incredibly lucky compared to most,” she continued. “I can afford help and I’m fortunate … [my kids] can spend time on set with me. So I think everything in my life is a blessing. I’ve got my little challenges, but they’re insignificant compared to what real working moms go through.”

Even though Ellen said she has it easier than most, the Catch Me If You Can actress isn’t one to beat herself up if she’s having a bad day. “Every mistake and every moment is a teaching moment. I make a lot of mistakes. You just learn,” she previously told InStyle. “Kids are just so open and honest, and you could get down on yourself a lot as a parent, like ‘Oh I’m not there enough.’ It’s easier to beat yourself up and feel guilty.”

Ellen is one inspiring mama!

Scroll through the gallery below to see the actress’ best quotes about being a mom!

On the Importance of Self-Care as a Mom

“I focus on self-care every day, because if I’m not OK, then who is going to take care of my children?” she told Working Mother. “I have an amazing husband, and I’m really lucky, but I need to take care of myself to be able to take care of my kids. I need to be the best version of myself that I can be for my children. Self-care is not something I find time for, it’s one of my priorities every day.”

On How Motherhood Changed Her

“Life can be quite painful for me sometimes because I feel things so deeply, and I feel things even more deeply now that I’m a parent,” she once shared with InStyle. “You worry so much about them … and it’s really hard. We’re living in a crazy, polluted, violent, angry world. There’s a lot to be fearful of for them.”

On Instilling Confidence

“That’s how you get confidence — when you’re good at things. Whether it’s making pancakes, whether it’s learning double dutch, whether it’s drawing—whatever it is, just try a lot of different things. When you’re good at things, you have confidence,” she told InStyle. “Whether it’s swimming, whatever it is, jungle gym, you know your math problems in school, if you’re good at things you’ll be confident, and the more things you’re good at, the more confidence you’ll have.”

On Making Her Kids Comfortable

“My daughter always says to me: ‘Mommy, I would know you anywhere! I know what you wear, I know how you smell, and I know what you’d say,'” the Old School alum told New York Family. “So, if we can give our kids a sense of connection and comfort that I always smell like geranium and they know that’s mommy, and if that’s comforting to them and it makes them feel nurtured and safe, then that’s how we know we’re doing our job as parents.”

On Raising Black Daughters

“My daughters are Black so it’s very important to me that they see a lot of images of beautiful, powerful, strong Black women,” she told People. “Every time there is a Black woman on a magazine cover, whether it is Kerry Washington or whoever it is, I make sure that magazine is in my house and on my table. For me, that’s super important.”