Hilary Swank is embracing motherhood with grace and a fresh perspective. The Oscar-winning actress, 50, recently opened up about parenting her 2-year-old twins, Aya and Ohm, whom she welcomed with husband Philip Schneider in April 2023.
Speaking at the 36th Annual Colleagues Spring Luncheon in Beverly Hills, where she was honored with the Colleagues Champion of Children Award, Swank shared insights into parenting during the toddler years. Rather than calling it the “terrible twos,” she prefers a more optimistic term: the “teachable twos.”
“There are moments of it, but I call it the teachable twos,” Swank explained. “They’re just in this place where they’re recognizing so many new things. And it’s gotta be really overwhelming to have everything you see be new.” 
Swank emphasized how toddler emotions can be intense due to underdeveloped logical thinking. “When you want something, you just want it. You don’t have logical thinking skills,” she said. “So to me, ‘teachable twos’ is more fitting.”
When it comes to dealing with tantrums, the actress says her focus is on staying calm and grounded. “My thing is, I think it’s really important to regulate yourself and just stay calm and hold space for them,” she shared.
Earlier in April, Swank spoke with Women’s Health about motherhood and body positivity. She explained how she’s embracing her post-pregnancy body and redefining what it means to bounce back.
“A lot of people talk about bouncing back, but I call it bouncing forward,” she said. “I don’t want my old body anymore. I love that this body housed and grew two incredible human beings.”
She added, “I want to honor my new body and not try to get something that was. I want to move forward from here.”
Swank’s refreshing take on parenting and self-love continues to inspire other mothers navigating early childhood and postpartum changes. With her mindful approach and compassionate outlook, she’s showing that parenting can be as much a learning journey for parents as it is for their children.
