Jennifer Lopez has been feeling all the feels lately, especially about her "little coconuts" growing up. The superstar, who is 56, shared a touching moment on Instagram Stories this past Monday, August 25. It was her 17-year-old twin daughter, Emme, heading off to her first day of senior year in high school. Jennifer also shares her son Max with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony.
Watching her kids get older truly hit home for Jennifer. She posted an old photo of herself with Emme. "I just dropped off this little coco for her first day of senior year," she wrote. Looking at that throwback picture, she added, "It reminds me she will always be my beautiful baby." She even dotted the message with four black heart emojis. Later, she showed off a breakfast plate with "Senior Year!" written in chocolate, making the milestone extra sweet.
Jennifer also shared another picture of Emme on Instagram from a trip. They were riding in the back of vocal coach Stevie Mackey’s car in the Hamptons. Jennifer simply captioned that post "Le Sunshine ☀️," which also included pictures of her on a bike.
While Jennifer usually keeps her children out of the spotlight, the "Let’s Get Loud" singer often talks about how much motherhood has changed her. She opened up to Entertainment Weekly in 2024 while promoting her movie Unstoppable. "I’ve been a single mother at times," she said, "and I’ve wondered, ‘Am I enough for them?’" But she found comfort in a simple truth: "All you really need is a good parent who loves you."
Life hasn’t always been easy, and Jennifer has faced her share of tough times. She went through a divorce from Ben Affleck and had to cancel her 2024 tour. Yet, she always makes sure Emme and Max know that these experiences will ultimately make them, and her, stronger. In a May interview with El País, she reflected on the past year. "I had a really difficult year," Jennifer admitted. "Unexpected things happened." To get through it, she explained, "I read a lot of books. I did a lot of self-reflection. I meditated. I prayed a lot. I wanted to improve my relationship with God. I wanted to strengthen that family unit that is just my two twin children and me."
She made a promise to her children that she worked hard to keep. "I told them: ‘I promise you it’s a difficult time, but you’re going to see that I will come out the other side stronger and better,’" she recalled. "I promised them and I delivered. And now they feel it. That gives me great peace in my life."
Jennifer also touched on the common struggle of working moms. Balancing a career and raising children can be a tricky act. "They probably didn’t get as much from me as they would have liked, right?" she pondered. "Because when you’re a working mother — and many working mothers know this — you always feel that guilt. ‘I should have been more present. I shouldn’t have left. I should have stayed home.’" Still, she knows she always did her best. "They lived the experience they lived," she added. "And as a mom, you always give your best."
With Emme and Max getting ready for college next year, Jennifer is grateful for all the special moments they’ve shared. She’s happy they got to see the ups and downs of her career firsthand. "Looking back, it was an incredible experience," she remembered. "And I’m glad I was able to take them all over the world. They were on tour with me. They went to American Idol with me." She feels proud of how she guided them. "I’m proud to have guided my children through difficult times, so that now they are stronger and better because of it," she said about recent years.
Jennifer Lopez and Emme. Courtesy of Jennifer Lopez/Instagram