Kelly Clarkson may be a global superstar, but at the end of the day, she’s just like many moms—trying to juggle work, parenting, and the desire to show up for her kids in every way possible. During a recent appearance on Kylie Kelce’s Not Going to Lie podcast, Clarkson opened up about the challenges of attending her children’s school performances, and her frustrations struck a chord with parents everywhere.

"I'm not going to lie. I don’t know when the school systems thought it would be a good plan for families and their emotional stability to start having performances at 10 a.m. during the week," Clarkson said. “This just in: A lot of us work.”

The mom of two—daughter River and son Remy, whom she shares with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock—didn’t hold back when talking about how hard it can be to attend weekday events without proper notice. Like many working parents, she expressed that even if you have some control over your schedule, the lack of communication makes it hard to plan ahead.

“Our kids don’t understand,” Clarkson said, adding that it can feel heartbreaking to miss a performance and have to explain why. “We just look like a------s when we’re not there. And then they go, ‘Why was this mom there?’ And then you have to say, ‘Because that kid got a better mom,’ I don’t know.”

Despite the struggle, Clarkson clearly makes an effort to be there when she can. A recent highlight was watching Remy perform Frank Sinatra's "My Way"—a moment that went viral after she brought her children onto The Kelly Clarkson Show. She rushed up to hug him afterward, beaming with pride. Later, on the show, Remy made his mom—and the audience—laugh when he asked, “Yeah. How much views did I get again?” After learning it had over a million views, he cheekily asked, “Do you get that many views?”

Clarkson, amused and humbled, quipped, “Calm down… and not that often.”

The singer is also intentional about protecting her kids as they grow up in the spotlight. She has a firm rule: no social media until they’re 18. “That can be really hard on kids in general, but especially kids with parents in the public eye,” she told People last year.

As for co-parenting with Blackstock since their divorce was finalized in 2022, Clarkson says things are getting “easier,” though it hasn’t always been simple. “It’s hard enough when you’re married and come from two different backgrounds… doing that in different households can be tough.”

Still, it’s clear Clarkson is doing her best to raise grounded, happy kids while balancing the demands of a high-profile career. Her honesty is refreshing—and a reminder that even celebrity moms face the same daily challenges as the rest of us.