The Gist
Kelly Clarkson shares two kids, 11-year-old daughter River and 9-year-old son Remington, with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
Clarkson and Blackstock divorced in 2022, and Blackstock died of cancer at just 48 years old this past August.
On November 30, Clarkson, her kids, and an unidentified friend looked happy as they enjoyed ice skating at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Nearly four months after the death ofKelly Clarkson's ex-husbandBrandon Blackstock—with whom she shares daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9—Clarkson took her kids on a quintessential holiday outing.
On November 30, Clarkson shared a photo of herself with her kids "Ice skating at 30 Rock with the family✅," she captioned the poston Instagramwhile at The Rink at Rockefeller Center in New York City. They were joined in the photo by an unidentified friend as the foursome bundled up against the chill.
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Clarkson and Blackstock were married from 2013 to 2022, and Blackstock died of cancer at just 48 years old in August. Clarkson, naturally, was "absolutely heartbroken" for their kids after his death, a source toldPeople. "Kelly and Brandon had their ups and downs, but at the end of the day, he was the father of her children," the insider said, adding, "Her kids are her entire world, and she's staying strong for their sake."
A different sourcesaid of Clarkson, "When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake." An insider shared that "Kelly has always tried to keep things classy. It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She's been devastated for the kids."
"The divorce was incredibly difficult for her—messy, painful, and something she felt terrible about," an insider toldPeople. "But she always wanted her kids to have the best relationship possible with their dad. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to the kids."
In 2022, the same year Clarkson and Blackstock divorced, the singer toldVarietythat she's often vulnerable with her kids, particularly surrounding their split.
"I think the most important thing I've learned in therapy, especially through this divorce, is 'Don't hide everything from your kids,'" she said. "Obviously, don't talk about stuff that you shouldn't talk about, but it's okay if they see you cry, or it's okay if they see you've had a bad day."
"You start to feel that kind of shame, like, 'I've got to put my best foot forward as a mom because I don't want them to be affected,'" Clarkson added. "But then you allow your kids to express empathy, and they learn how to say, 'Oh, man, I'm sorry you had a hard day.'"
Read the original article onInStyle
