Sandra Bullock has always been afraid of becoming a mother – especially the mother of a girl.
When her mom was dying, she gave her life-changing advice
At some point, Sandra thought she would never become a mother, but then she realized the perfect child would find her.
Now she is giving up her career to be with them – and it is unknown when she will return.
Sandra Bullock is now the mother of two children, who she welcomed into her family through adoption. However, she was not always so sure that she would be able to handle motherhood and her career.
Her mother, Helga, was an excellent example of what a mother should be when Bullock was growing up, but she could not calm her daughter’s fears about motherhood until later in life when she gave her a sound piece of advice.
Before Helga gave Bullock the advice, though, she made her afraid of having a daughter. Bullock revealed that her mother used to tell her to wait until she had a daughter, and Bullock confessed:
“And the thought that a daughter of mine would be anything like I was scared me senseless.”
However, later on, when Helga was on her deathbed, she gave her daughter life-changing advice by telling her that she needs to open up more. Bullock revealed that her mother had not been an emotional woman.
Bullock revealed that when her mother was dying, she was next to her mother’s bed, trying to hold back her tears and her mother warned Bullock not to be like her. Bullock shared that at that moment, she understood everything.
Her mother had permanently been closed off and shut down when she was growing up, and Bullock realized that her mother didn’t want her to go through life the same way. The actress says that she now feels every emotion unashamedly.
Bullock Assumed Motherhood Wasn’t for Her
Talking to Hoda Kotb on “TODAY,” Bullock shared the story of how she became a mother for the first time. Kotb asked if, as Bullock entered her 40s, she thought she might not become a mother, and Bullock confirmed the notion.
The “The Proposal” star said that she thought motherhood wasn’t for her until Hurricane Katrina happened. She revealed that after the hurricane, something deep inside her told her that her child was in New Orleans.
She then traveled to New Orleans, found her child, and began the process of adoption, which Bullock said involved filling out multiple forms, being judged by people for who she was and whether or not she could have kids, and getting ready to be a mother.
The process took Bullock four years, but after that, her son was finally legally hers. She revealed:
“I looked at him and said, ‘Oh, there you are.’ It’s like he’d always been there. He fit in the crook of my arm, he looked me in the eyes, and he was just wise.”
Although Bullock did not think she would find a child, she happily welcomed her son into her world and said she was always told: “The perfect child will find you. You will find your child.” She believed this was what happened to her.
She then welcomed a daughter through adoption a few years later. On an episode of “Red Table Talk,” Bullock said that she found out about both her children in the same place where her mother is buried.
Talking to Jada Pinkett Smith and her mother and daughter, Bullock shared the meaning of this. She said:
“It makes me emotional, but I feel beyond a shadow of a doubt that my mother brought me these children.”
Bullock Finally Had a Daughter
After welcoming her son, Louis, into her life, Bullock fostered and then adopted a little girl named Laila. However, Laila’s story was not good, and many challenges came with welcoming her into the family.
Also, on “Red Table Talk,” Bullock spoke about what it was like to bring Laila into her life. Because Bullock fostered Laila first, she had to go through the Foster Care System, which she said is difficult because you have to prove that you’re a capable parent.
She admitted that halfway through, she didn’t know if she could continue because she didn’t know if she could answer all the questions. She mentioned that she was aware that if she didn’t answer correctly, she would not be allowed to expand her family.
She also had to take classes that taught her how to raise a child that had been traumatized. When talking about her daughter’s trauma, Bullock said she was always dressed and ready to escape at the first sign of trouble.
Although it was difficult for Bullock, she found humor in the hard times because her daughter was so strong-willed and told her she was leaving, but Bullock warned her that if the little girl left, she would be right behind her.
Bullock said that Laila was triggered daily, and at first, Bullock wasn’t able to identify the triggers, but she returned to her training and found solutions. Her partner also said:
“When she’s been with us longer than she hasn’t been, I have a feeling we’re going to see a change.”
Bullock said that she knew her daughter would still face many challenges because the first two and a half years of her life were so tumultuous and traumatic, but they are figuring it out as a family
Bullock Left Her Career for Her Children
Now, Bullock has become so committed to her family and raising her children that she has put a hold on her career and has no plans on when she will return. She said:
“Being a mom, it’s like I finally realized, ‘Oh, this is what I’m supposed to do when I grow up, not be an actress.’”
She said she knew her purpose in life was to be a mother from a very young age as she felt a calling to do so. She has even asked her children to go to the same college and live in the same city so they can always be near her.
She talked about helping her daughter through her trauma, saying that she knows her daughter will always have fears because of her trauma at a young age, but she reassured Laila that she would always be there for her.
While promoting “The Lost City,” Bullock revealed that she would take a break from acting. She mentioned that her children would accompany her to the LA premiere of the movie before she stepped away from the screen for a while.
When asked if she was joking about stepping away from acting, Bullock confirmed that she was not kidding and did not know how long she would be away. She admitted she needed to be in a place that made her happy, which was with her family.
Bullock made her film acting debut in 1987’s “Hangmen,” after coming from an Off-Broadway play, “No Time Flat.” Now, 35 years later, Bullock is hanging up her acting hat to spend time with her babies.