--- title: Emma Thompson Says Working Women Can't Be Great Moms description: The British star is just the latest actress to offer up unsolicited parenting advice canonical: https://time.com/118922/emma-thompson-working-moms/ author: Eliana Dockterman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-05-27T15:06:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:55:21.623Z og:title: Emma Thompson Thinks Moms Should Take a Year Off From Work og:description: The British star is just the latest actress to offer up unsolicited parenting advice og:url: https://time.com/118922/emma-thompson-working-moms/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt752962daa9725b84/698690ed361760b27390c2d1/481533567.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2070 og:image:height: 1164 og:image:alt: Jameson Empire Awards 2014 - Inside Arrivals og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Emma Thompson Thinks Moms Should Take a Year Off From Work twitter:description: The British star is just the latest actress to offer up unsolicited parenting advice twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt752962daa9725b84/698690ed361760b27390c2d1/481533567.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Emma Thompson Thinks Moms Should Take a Year Off From Work > Sponsored content. 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Worth Your Time is TIME's culture newsletter, published Tuesdays and Saturdays to 40,000 subscribers as of August 2026. #### Who writes TIME's culture recommendations? Culture editor Eliza Berman writes Worth Your Time, drawing on TIME's critics and culture desk. #### Is Worth Your Time free? Yes. It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters.  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent May 27, 2014 3:06 PM UTC  Emma Thompson arrives at the Jameson Empire Awards 2014 at The Grosvenor House Hotel on March 30, 2014 in London, England. Emma Thompson arrives at the Jameson Empire Awards 2014 at The Grosvenor House Hotel on March 30, 2014 in London, England. David M. Benett—Getty Images  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent May 27, 2014 3:06 PM UTC Emma Thompson, who recently starred as the _Mary Poppins_ author P.L. Travers in _Saving Mr. Banks_, took a year-long break from her acting career to spend time with her 14-year-old daughter and recommends other mothers do the same. “You can’t be a great mum and keep working all the time,” she said in an [interview with the _Daily Mail_](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2638443/Emma-Thompson-Take-year-work-children-says-actress-career-hold-12-months-worth-30million.html) published Saturday. “I wanted to spend more time with my family. A year off was my birthday present to myself. I didn’t actually act or write. I was just a mum.” Thompson said she spent time teaching drama at her daughter’s school and cooking. “I highly recommend others to do the same if they can afford it.” Luckily for the _Love Actually_ star, she can afford it: Thompson is reportedly worth roughly $50 million, [according to Page Six](http://pagesix.com/2014/05/25/working-women-cant-be-great-moms-emma-thompson/). Not all moms have that luxury, and some even argue that [balancing work and family life makes you a better mom](http://time.com/92866/mothers-day-working-moms/). Working moms are understandably upset by Thompson’s comments: “It doesn’t matter if you work, as long as you show your child that you’re engaged when you are home,” Laura Deutsch, a mom of two and co-founder of Mommybites, told [Page Six](http://pagesix.com/2014/05/25/working-women-cant-be-great-moms-emma-thompson/). Thompson’s comments may feel a little tone deaf — especially when taken out of context — but she’s just the latest actress to stir up controversy with her parenting advice. Gwyneth Paltrow [came under fire](http://time.com/93041/gwyneth-paltrow-mommy-wars/) recently for implying that mothers who work nine-to-five jobs have it easier than genetically-gifted actresses with lifestyle brands. In fact, Angelina Jolie seems to be the only celeb mom who can make a comment about the trials and tribulations of motherhood without causing an outrage. “I’m not a single mom with two jobs trying to get by every day,” [she told](http://time.com/109032/angelina-jolie-knows-how-lucky-she-is-and-isnt-embarrassed-to-talk-about-it/) the New York _Daily News_.”I have much more support than most people, most women in this world. And I have the financial means to have a home and health care and food.” “When I feel I’m doing too much, I do less, if I can,” she said. “And that’s why I’m in a rare position where I don’t have to do job after job. 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