Jennifer Garner Says She Can 'See the Stress' as Daughter Violet Tours Colleges: 'Handling It Like a Champ'

Garner shares her three kids with ex-husband Ben Affleck

Nathan Howard/Getty Jennifer Garner and daughter Violet at a White House state dinner.
Nathan Howard/Getty Jennifer Garner and daughter Violet at a White House state dinner.

Jennifer Garner's older daughter is preparing to leave the nest.

On Tuesday, the Family Switch actress, 51, appeared on Live with Kelly & Mark, chatting with co-hosts Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa about how things are going as her daughter Violet, 17, is in the middle of touring colleges.

"We hear you're about to have an adult in your household?" Consuelos says to Garner.

"I am. I'm about to have an adult," Garner responds. "Three days. I'm three days from my eldest turning 18. Can you guys believe that?"

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<p>Emma McIntyre/WireImage</p> Jennifer Garner at 'Party Down' Season 3 screening.

Emma McIntyre/WireImage

Jennifer Garner at 'Party Down' Season 3 screening.

Related: Jennifer Garner Says She Still Packs Violet's Lunchbox Every Day: 'They Don't Have Much Time to Eat!'

"Oh wow. And you're on college tours and all that?" Ripa asks.

"Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. She's in the middle of all of that," Garner says.

"It's exciting," Ripa says.

"It is exciting," the actress affirms. "I can see the stress — even though the excitement and stress go hand in hand. But she's handling it like a champ and she's totally in charge. I'm not having to say, 'Are you doing this, are you doing this?' She's a self-starter. And I'm just proud of her no matter what."

Along with Violet, Garner is mom to kids Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 11, with ex-husband Ben Affleck, 51.

Garner also discusses some of her kids' extracurricular activities as Consuelos asks her about being a "sports mom and a debate mom."

"Yeah, I'm a basketball mom but also a debate mom, which basically means batting down the hatches and saying, 'Please don't debate me right now. Like, just, please, please, please talk to someone else if you want to have a tussle,'" Garner says.

"Don't you think debate is an underrated art form?" Ripa asks.

"It is incredible for building confidence, for building, just the ability to articulate an argument. I grew up in the South — I didn't know how to have an argument until I was 40!" Garner jokes.

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