Kelly Clarkson is not sure about kids. Having them, that is. She’s okay with kids in general. The singer claims that she “would not be a good mother” and that her job is “too selfish”. I applaud Kelly’s honesty. She also says that she recently went to see He’s Just Not That Into You, and walked out of the theatre happy she was single. US Magazine (via Gossip Rocks) has more:
Don’t expect to see Kelly Clarkson with a baby bump any time soon.
“Oh, my God, I have no desire,” the American Idol winner, 26, tells USA Today. “I would not be a good mother.”
“I mean, I love being an aunt to my niece and nephew,” she continues. “And I used to want to, like, adopt 10 kids — because I had friends who were adopted, and I thought that was the coolest thing, to be chosen. But…my job is too selfish.”
Clarkson (whose next album, All I Ever Wanted) is currently single — and happy about it.
“I went to see He’s Just Not That Into You the other night, and honestly, you walk away from that movie feeling so glad that you’re single,” she says.
“I went with friends who are my backup singers on the road, and have their own group, and we were like, where do we even meet people when you’re working so much?” she goes on. “I mean, we travel with a bunch of married men! And I love working; I can’t see myself not doing this.”
Although if she met the right person, she would consider saying “I Do.” (A change of heart since a 2007 Elle interview in which she proclaimed she’s “not keen on marriage.”)
“I’m not against it. If I found a guy who could handle my job, that would be cool,” she says. “But I’ve dated a couple of guys who were awesome, and the celebrity part of my life and the traveling part are hard to get around.”
“You never get to see each other, especially if you’re both musicians,” adds Clarkson, who once dated singer/songwriter — and touring partner– Graham Colton. Clarkson also tells the newspaper she hasn’t let fame change her.
“It would be easy for me to go, ‘Whatever, I’ll be a fembot.’ But I have a big fear of change, or negative change, anyway,” she says. “I’m basically the same person I was when I won Idol, or when I was 10.”
“Maybe it sounds cheesy, but in a world that is not normal, my goal is to continue doing what I love and feeling good about it. That’s it.”
From US Magazine (via Gossip Rocks)
I think it’s perfectly normal for a young woman who is still in the first flush of a career to be ambivalent about settling down. It seems that too often young women in the spotlight feel they have to pay lip-service to this idea that all they really want to do is settle down and have babies. I’m not mocking the whole settling down thing, it just seems like some celebrities are just saying it to appease what they think their fanbase wants to hear.
Kelly Clarkson seems really happy with her career, and she’s worked hard for it. She should enjoy it. In a few years, she’ll most likely feel differently about the babies.
Kelly Clarkson is shown at the Woman’s World Awards on 3/5/09. Credit: WENN.com
Kudos to her for admitting that. Most have kids because they feel they are “supposed” to then end up having the nanny raise them. Not everyone is cut out to be a mommy.
I love her… though not always her music.
But as a woman, she’s comfortable in her own skin and isn’t thinking about babies to “feel loved” or to boost her career.
Good for her. I’m in my late 30s, married and we don’t have kids. Don’t want them. If I go somewhere where there are kids I think ugh. The shrieking noises are irritating. Good for others who have kids and love them. The kids I feel bad for are the ones where the parents felt obligated to have them and complain about them all the time. If you don’t want them, don’t have them.
There is mad pressure out there on us ladies to pop out a child or three. And in some relationships to keep popping until you get the one with the dangly bits. Bit of advice, get a dog first. I know, sounds horrid and it’s so not a baby but it is fantastic responsibility experience.
Ugh! I’m so annoyed that a woman feels the need to say that she’s “too selfish” to have children in order to be left alone about it. Not wanting to have kids does not make you defective. You can perfectly loving and giving and still not want kids. Second, I hate it when people say “she’ll probably change her mind” when a woman says she doesn’t want kids. I would love to see someone tell a woman who wants kids that “she’ll change her mind.” Grr.
44. Married 20 years. Childfree by choice. I agree with the previous posters…not wanting kids doesn’t make you defective. And it doesn’t mean you hate kids, either. I LOVE my nieces and nephews. I just don’t want my own kids.
And, excellent point Jesse. I’ve never heard anyone tell a woman that wants kids that she’ll change her mind with time…!
Just popping in to agree with everyone else–some people just don’t have any interest in raising children of their own, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I agree that it’s sad that she has to ‘acknowledge’ that it’s ‘selfish’ in order to keep people from angrily jumping on her. It’s not selfish; it’s just recognizing that she has every right not to want to be a mother.
I give Kelly Clarkson kudos for being honest and true to herself. She’s at a stage in her career, where it’s the most important aspect of her life, and it’s wise of her to preserve that. I do think that if she potentially meets the right man then she might possibly change her mind; although she’s perfectly entitled to not want kids ever. Unexpected things happen in your life, and I just think we should have an open mind; otherwise we might shortchange ourselves of amazing opportunities.
It was a sigh of relief when my mom said to me “if you decide to have kids” as opposed to “when” I will. I was always worried about telling my mom it is highly unlikely I’ll be having any. Her understanding made me really happy.
My dad on the other hand has already planned my wedding, the reception, and when I should start having kids…I got a big black lab instead.
Kaiser- She said she doesn’t want kids. Why do you think she will change her mind in a few years?
Wow, I am impressed by the comments here! I am also CFBC and expected to see the usual rants from those who seem to think a woman cannot have a fulfilling life if she isn’t married with a dozen sprogs running around. Dare I hope that things are finally changing?
Jane – I think she’ll change her mind because many women feel differently about marriage and babies within the span of a decade.
And she’s already changed her mind about marriage (in just two short years).
I wasn’t judging her – I’m happily childfree, I just think a 20-something girl saying she doesn’t want babies is different than a 40-something woman saying the same thing.
I’ve never understood the defensiveness that people feel over this topic. I never wanted to have children. When I was 25, I was determined I would never want them. I still don’t “like” children or enjoy being covered with kids in social settings. I don’t gush over babies, and I don’t yearn to have more than the one I’ve got.
That said, I feel very differently about motherhood in my 30s than I did in my 20s. That’s why people say that women will probably change their minds…because they probably will.
Women who never desire motherhood shouldn’t find threat in the plain fact that MOST women do at some point in their lives. It’s biology…not a social commentary on your chosen lifestyle.
I applaud ANY woman responsible enough to remain childless if she doesn’t want to raise any. The world “selfish” is not an epithet in this case. Call it self-oriented or having no desire to form your life around raising another person. Selfish is easier to say and conveys the same point.
There will always be women who look down on those who don’t have kids…and there will always be women who diminish the accomplishments of women who DO have children.
Just live your choice loud and proud…and if someone accuses a childless woman of selfishness with the INTENT of hurting her feelings…like saying, “I think it’s sad when women are so selfish that they miss out on motherhood,” then that woman should respond by saying, “Well, I think it’s sad when people are so selfish they can find no value in lives that are different from their own.”
And that’s that. The angst over it is unnecessary.
Well at least she honest. Plus the world is so over populated as it is, this is actually refreshing.
having said that, in my 20’s i too had absolutly no desire, couldn’t stand the little bratz, then came my late 30’s and my body was thinking well i’m i missing out on something, that’s never something a pet could replace, and i had my daughter and everything and i mean everything changed, she got be a bit lonely so before i got to be 40 we decided on another one and they are best friends, looking back on it now I could see why many women wouldn’t want them, but as with everything as one gets older it does make a difference, they make me so happy and they are my friends, you can talk to them and shop with them, i absolutly love it.
An honest voice! A lot of celebrities are too self absorbed to have kids, but have them anyway–I guess it’s a way to get their names in the press.
I appreciate her honesty on not wanting children. I like it far better than those who gush about wanting a village of children or adopting because they think it’s the proper and popular thing to say.
I’m 25, still studying and barely employed. If I had a child, I’d want to be able to provide them with what I never had and I don’t see that happening within the next 10-15 years. Children are a responsibility, not collector’s items.
” Children are a responsibility, not collector’s items.”
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I’m giving you a standing ovation for that comment. Very, very well said.