Spending seven years playing acerbic wonder mom Lois on FOX's hit sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle, taught Jane Kaczmarek a lot about juggling her work and family. Now in her second year as Judge Trudy Kessler on TNT's Raising the Bar, the actress talks about her experiences being both a full-time mom and a Hollywood star.

There's a saying that your emotional growth stops at the year you become famous – that’s if you become a celebrity when you're 11, you never mature past the age of 11. My fame came when I was in my forties. I was grown up, so I think I was able to take the fame in stride. It was an odd coincidence that my career took off the same decade as having babies. I often wished it had been different, that I had my big career bump in my thirties and my babies in my forties or vice versa. I had been doing the acting thing for so long that when it took off with Malcolm, it was hard because my kids would want me home with them. Every time Brad and I went to the Emmy Awards, the kids would weep! As an actor, I was thrilled to be nominated for something and there were the kids, weeping! You're torn.

When I was on Malcolm, I'd often work 14 hours on the set. I would go days without seeing my children. I'd see the kids at night and they'd say,
 "Mommy, will we see you at breakfast?"
"No, honey, I've got to work at 5:30."
"Will we see you at bedtime?"
"No, it's going to be a late night tomorrow night."
We had a lot of good people helping us and the kids were okay, but you pay a price for that. I like to be with my children - not just quality time, but quantity time. I like to be there in the morning when they’re waking up. I like to practice piano with them. I like to be there at supper. I need them as much as they need me. Working is not as important to me as being a mother is.

Taking on the role of Judge Kessler on Raising the Bar was much more of a practical decision than anything else.


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