Maria Shriver Reveals Her Most Embarrassing Mom Moment

Bobby Bank/WireImage

As a woman in today’s society, it is often too simple to be separated into two categories when it comes to having a family: the choice to continue on the career path or the option to become a stay-at-home mom. Taking the stage as the key speaker for this year’s Women’s Conference, Maria Shriver sympathizes with women who try to balance both and hopes to send a message to "empower women to be who they are." Whether a family is made up of both parents who work or with one parent who holds down the homefront, Maria’s goal is for women to not want to "be somebody else [and] not to be competing with somebody, but to be yourself and then feel that and pass it on." For women who once had a career or have "dropped out" of their employment situation to raise a family and find themselves amidst their children contemplating, "what am I supposed to be doing," Maria is quick to reassure her fellow moms that they are fulfilling one of the greatest responsibilities in life.

"Raising children is an extraordinary achievement. That is certainly my most important job. Fist and foremost, the work we do as mothers with our own children and to others, I think, is the most invaluable contribution we can make."

A mom herself to four children — Katherine Eunice, 18, Christina Maria Aurelia, 17, Patrick Arnold Shriver, 15, and Christopher Sargent Shriver, 11 — Maria opened up in an interview with Mom Logic and for the first time ever, recalled her most embarrassing mom moment! What started off as a rushed morning with Maria driving her daughters to their championship softball game, ended with the 52-year-old feeling "harassed." After parking, Maria "jumped out [of the car] and ran across the street" to watch her girls play ball. Finally able to sit back and enjoy the game, Maria remembers the strange feeling that overcame her to be "instant," as she pondered the sudden sense of relaxation — a feeling she calls "weird" as she realized "there is something missing here." Says Maria,

"I’m never alone. I should not be alone. I have a baby and the baby is in the car! I ran back across the street so fast. I thought somebody would find the baby, even though I was gone a minute or two. I was sobbing and crying. He was like sleeping soundly, no problem, and I was so horrified that I had done that!"

Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher are Maria’s children with her husband, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Source: Mom Logic

Comments

I think it’s cute that her son’s middle name is Sargent as a nod to her dad but is “Shriver” part of the middle name or are the last names of the kids Shriver Schwarzenegger?

- Sheron on October 23rd, 2008

I wouldn’t really call that am embarrassing mum moment, but we’ve all been there in similar situations when we’ve been stressed. An embarrassing moment is one such as when your daughter decides to announce (very loudly) to an entire supermarket what her mummy and daddy’s private parts are called. And yes, this did happen to me and I wanted to curl up and die!

I do think Maria should be applauded for sharing that story though, I hope there’s no one that will tut at her for it. No parent is perfect and it seems that it bothered her more than her little one!

- phoebe on October 23rd, 2008

I bet you anything this quote was taken out of context, meaning that the magazine, not Maria Shriver, is labeling it as “embarrassing”. The life of her baby was potentially in danger, which she clearly knew based upon how horrified she says she was. I highly doubt she would brush that off as her most embarrassing mommy moment.

- Sasha on October 23rd, 2008

It is refreshing to read this story, it shows that she is a regular mum just like the rest of us, and she would not be alone with what she did and it is easily done.
I got out of the car once forgot my keys in the ignition, got out locked the doors and closed it, then looked in the back seat and my daughter was still strapped into her car seat, I nearly passed out.
Thank god my husband drove down and used his keys to get in, I was ready to smash a window to get her out.

- shan on October 23rd, 2008

Does anyone else think that she looks just like Arnold in that picture? I don’t mean this as an offense, just an observation.
They often say people tend to fall for someone who looks alike.

- Tracy on October 23rd, 2008

Ah, I can’t imagine that happening! Poor woman! I’m pregnant and terrified of me forgetting the baby in the car at some point. I’m going to try to put my purse next to the baby so I always remember to check the backseat before getting out of the car.

- MB on October 23rd, 2008

MB, I think yours was the funniest comment ever.
Believe me, once you have your baby, you will put the baby next to the purse, so you won’t forget the purse.
Normally you don’t forget your kid anywhere. Like in Maria’ case, you have to be under a lot of stress for something like that to happen. I clearly don’t blame her for that, we are all just humans.

- Dani on October 24th, 2008

i had to laugh hard by reading her “embarrassing” moment. and i don´t think that letting your sleeping baby alone for 2 minutes is so bad. calling her feelings “weird” before she realized that her baby is missing is just so funny and lovely. i never forgot one of my babies but it could be someday because it´s just so hectic sometimes.

- trullesand on October 24th, 2008