Rich Fury/Getty ImagesKelly Clarkson has spoken openly about the challenges of being a mom to her and husband Brandon Blackstock‘s four children, two of whom are from his previous marriage.  And now that she and Brandon are getting divorced, it’s the children the singer is most focused on.

A source tells People, “Her priority is making sure her children grow up in a stable, loving environment,” because she herself has had to “work through a lot of hurt from her childhood.” 

The source was referring to the emotional damage that Kelly has said she suffered as a result of her father’s abandonment when she was young; she even wrote about it in the title track of her 2015 album, Piece by Piece.

Kelly and Brandon together have two young children, River and Remy, while Brandon’s biological children, Seth and Savannah, are 13 and 18, respectively.

“She’s always thought of Seth and Savannah as her own too, and she has a special relationship with both of them,” says the source. “Kelly wants to remain close with her stepkids.”

As for the reasons behind their divorce, a source previously told People that Kelly and Brandon had “been like friends for a while,” and dished that “things had changed in their marriage and the split was a while coming.”

“They both work so hard. It’s nearly impossible to enjoy each other, especially with the children needing constant attention.”

By Andrea Dresdale
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