Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband and former manager were together for seven years before separating in 2020. They have two school-aged children.

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It’s been three years since Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock filed for divorce and entered a bitter divorce battle — but their kids, Remington “Remy” Alexander, 7, and daughter River Rose, 8, are still rooting for their parents to be together. “My kids just came back from my ex and any time there’s mention of maybe him being with somebody else … they are just really adamant about keeping that dream alive that we might still be together one day,” she revealed on the Tuesday, June 13 episode of author and activist Glennon Doyle‘s podcast, We Can Do Hard Things. The three-time Grammy winner, 41, also explained that she knows how hard it is for her kids to have divorced parents as a kid of divorce herself, but said that it ultimately was the best decision.

“It’s interesting because you think about your kids, right, and you’re like, ‘Oh man, I wonder how [divorce] going to affect them?’ I remember how it affected me, and [my husband] has also been through a divorce with his family, so I was like, nobody wants that,” she noted. “You try and you try and you try but then, you figure out, well I don’t want them growing up with this unhealthy [relationship]. But I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve had people come to me that are going through divorce or going through really hard relationships with kids, it doesn’t matter either way you go.”

Kelly confirmed that kids will likely have a “hard time” whether or not you get divorced or stay in a loveless marriage. “It doesn’t matter if you stay, it doesn’t matter if you go, I am still having conversations [with my kids] three years later,” she confirmed.

Kelly has been open about how she and her kids are dealing with the divorce over the last year or so, once things finally began settling down. In March, she admitted she’s had hard conversations about divorce with her kids, who are honest with her about how upset they are that she and Brandon are no longer together. “I literally ask my kids every night when we’re snuggling, ‘Are you happy? And if you’re not, what could make you happier?’” she candidly confessed on the Angie Martinez IRL podcast. “I want them to be honest, so I don’t ever say, ‘Oh God, don’t tell me that.’ But a lot of times it would be like, ‘You know, I’m just really sad. I wish Mommy and Daddy were in the same house.’ And they’re really honest about it. And I’m raising that kind of individual.”

“I just sit there and I’m like, ‘I get it. I’m from a divorced family as well. I get it. That sucks. But we’re going to work it out. And you are so loved by both of us,’” Kelly added. “I think communicating with them and not treating them — not treating them like an adult, because they’re not — but not treating them like a child. They’re not small feelings. Those are huge feelings, and those are huge emotions.”

Furthermore, the “Since U Been Gone” hitmaker said life after divorce is the “hardest thing to navigate” during a June 2022 appearance on The Chart Show with Brooke Reese. She added, “It’s one of those things where I’m a human and I’m going through something huge. Obviously, everybody knows a huge divorce went through and it’s been like, two years and not easy with kids.”

Kelly and her former husband-manager finalized their divorce in March 2022. Although Kelly has primary custody of their kids, she was ordered to pay Brandon $45,600 per month in child support and $115,000 per month in spousal support, according to TMZ.

The singer and talk show host’s upcoming album is believed to be inspired by her divorce. She released a single called “Mine” in April and seemingly dissed Brandon. “Someone’s gonna show you / How a heart can be used / Like you did mine,” she sang.