Hilary Duff’s honest comments about dealing with mum guilt are so relatable

"I felt that I had to do everything. If I wasn’t the one doing everything, then I was not being the best mom I could be."

Whether its missing school pick-ups and activities or having to leave the little ones with someone else for long periods of time, working parents are no strangers to feeling guilty. Regardless of how much time or effort you put in, being away from your kids is tough no matter what your line of work is. Hilary Duff got refreshingly candid as opened about about she dealt with mum-guilt - and working away from her young son. The actress, who currently stars in the TV series Younger, spends a lot of time filming on the east coast - which is on the opposite side of the United States from her family. This has led to her facing some tough questions from her 6-year-old son Luca who she shares with her ex-husband, Mike Comrie.

Earlier this year, she told The Huffington Post:

“[He’s asked,] ‘Why do you have to work so far away? Why do you have a job? Why does my other friend’s mom not have a job?’ “It’s tough. One, I want to be like ‘Hey, you know all that stuff you have? This house that we get to live in? This is why I have a job.’ But that doesn’t mean anything to them. “Also, I want to feel human and I don’t want to mom all day every day. “And I think it’s OK to explain that to them. I learned that with Luca."

The 31-year-old recalled how she explained to her son that she had had a job since she was a teenager and "that's a really big part of my life." Reflecting on the conversation, she continued:

"[I told him,] I try to be there for you as much as you need, but working is part of being an adult. "And when you go to school, you’re going to figure out what your passion is and you’re going to have a job too and you’re going to have a family. "I try to make the story as simple but as big as it really is.”

Duff is currently expecting her second child, a baby girl, with boyfriend Matthew Koma. She explained that during this pregnancy, she has learned to deal with things as they come instead of getting caught up in the expectations - and the guilt - that she experienced after giving birth to her son. She said:

“[After Luca was born,] I felt that I had to do everything. If I wasn’t the one doing everything, then I was not being the best mom I could be. “I think throughout the journey of being his mom, I’ve learned how to prioritize a little bit better and not spread myself so thin, so I’m excited to do it again actually. "Round two is a lot more casual.”