Ben Affleck Reflects on Co-Parenting with Jennifer Garner, Feeling 'Short' Compared to Her

Ben Affleck has shared insights into his co-parenting relationship with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, stating he often feels he falls "a little short" compared to her.

Affleck, 54, and Garner, also 54, share three children: Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Sam, 14. In an interview for Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist, Affleck described Garner as "spectacular" and admitted that his children perceive his parenting efforts as less effective than their mother's.

"Their mom is spectacular, and always makes me feel like I'm coming up a little short," Affleck said. He humorously recounted telling his children he believes he's doing "about 75% as good as your mom," only for them to respond, "Maybe 40%."

He added that he strives to give his best, rating his own performance as "B+," and emphasized the importance of mutual respect and getting along with a co-parent.

Affleck and Garner were married from 2005 until their separation in 2015, with their divorce finalized in 2018. They maintain a joint custody arrangement, alternating weeks with their children. Affleck told Variety that he works and then picks up the children from school, sharing dinner with them when they agree to spend time with him.

In a separate discussion on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Affleck revealed that his children often dismiss his relationship advice, citing his own marital history. He shared instances where his teenage son has responded to his attempts at offering wisdom with skepticism, like, "Oh, like you’re the expert on relationships?"

Affleck recounted launching into advice at the dinner table, only to catch his children exchanging knowing glances, realizing he has become a "caricature."

Previously, Affleck considered casting Garner in his Netflix crime thriller "Animals." He told Entertainment Weekly that he initially thought she would be "amazing for this role" and that it would facilitate more time with their children due to their shared custody schedule.

However, Affleck decided against it after discussing it with Garner. "I talked to Jen, and she was like, 'We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage,'" he said. Although he expressed a strong desire to work with Garner in the future, acknowledging she is "fabulous" and they have a "great thing," he wanted to avoid the audience's pre-existing perceptions of their past relationship hindering the film.

Despite their divorce, Affleck and Garner have demonstrated an amicable co-parenting dynamic, occasionally seen running errands with their children and spending holidays together.