Britney Spears Prefers Sons Steer Clear of Industry

After a trying year filled with many ups and downs, Britney Spears is back and feeling better than ever! In an exclusive sit-down with OK! Magazine this week, Britney posed for new photos with her sons, sharing thoughts on parenthood and her hopes for her boys.

After going through a divorce and custody difficulties with ex-husband Kevin Federline, Britney now sees her boys Sean Preston, 3 next month, and Jayden James, 23 months, on a visitation basis. While Kevin has full legal and physical custody, Britney receives two daytime visits and one overnight with her sons per week. What’s a normal visit like? Britney shares:

I’ll get up and make them pancakes.Plain pancakes, with sausages. Then we’ll go outside and take a walk. Then I like to do something physical with them, like swimming. Nap time is 1-3 p.m., and then I’ll read to them. The Berenstain Bears books, and anything with cars in it, too.

The 26-year-old reveals a hope that her experiences as a popstar influence her and Kevin’s parenting, saying that while she loves Preston and Jayden "unconditionally," she would prefer that they didn’t choose a career in the entertainment industry. "If they want to do it, and if they are talented enough, I would support them. But they’d have to express an interest on their own," she explains. "I’d just as soon they have a more normal childhood."

Despite challenges, Britney continues to improve, guided by father Jamie Spears, who currently acts as conservator of her affairs. Although both admit the situation has been strained, they also agree that aspects of the arrangement have been positive. Says Jamie, "God has a way of taking something bad and turning it into something good." The father-daughter pair were previously somewhat estranged, and without the events occuring as they did, Jamie reveals,

I would never have been able to get back with my daughter and have this relationship I have with these two little boys.

Source: OK! Magazine; Cover courtesy OK!

Click ‘Continue Reading’ for a large image of the cover!

Comments

She looks GREAT! I hope that she continues to improve, and gets to bond more with her sons.

- Paula on August 13th, 2008

Wow! What a difference 6 months make! She looks great and so happy to be with her 2 sons. They look like they have gotten so big! Jayden is turning 2 and Preston turning 3! I’m just happy she is looking healthy which is the most important aspect of this article in my opinion. I think that with her dads guidence she may be seeing more and more time with her kids.

- Lisa on August 13th, 2008

im glad she better.She looks happy and those boys look happy.Thats all that matters.Everyone makes mistakes,just not everyones is out in the opening like her and she is famous.God bless her.

- kim on August 13th, 2008

I like this picture of britney and the boys

- Kiara on August 13th, 2008

I can’t believe how big the boys are now!
And kudos to Britney for starting over, and I’ve always believed she was a good mom. You can really tell how much she loves Sean and Jayden and how she just wants to protect them. I could never imagine being away from my kids 5 days a week. Good job to her. she really is a good mom.

- annie on August 13th, 2008

She gets her sons for a few hours a week and the first thing she does with them is a photo shoot? Everything’s about headlines with her, even after all these years. I can’t ever root for this girl, and she has proven time and time again she doesn’t derseve it.

- Ally on August 13th, 2008

“Annie” I couldn’t agree more!

She looks great and this is a big positive step forward for her I feel.

*** Random, I LOVE that dress she is wearing! Any ideas who it is by? ***

- Tracy on August 13th, 2008

I have never been a fan of Brittany as an artist, but I am rooting for her to get her life together. I hope she can overcome her demons and concentrate on making a good life for herself and those beautiful boys. She is a human being and she deserves an opportunity to get the space she needs to live as private a life as possible for someone that famous.

- Shay on August 13th, 2008

If she wants the boys to have a normal childhood, then they really shouldn’t be the focus of photoshoots for tabloids.

- Astrid24 on August 13th, 2008

Astrid i see where ur coming from but i think the main reason she did this interview and photoshoot is for people to stop making her life seem like its still a circus and to show that shes getting well and improving her life. I feel that by this interview it may make it seem her “crazy” days are over. I guess time will tell, im not a fan of her personal life and i feel bad for her, but i guess time will tell if shes getting better, which it seems like it is!

- Lisa on August 13th, 2008

So, Britney, you are getting your life back together and at the first sign that you are doing well, you then decided to go and give an interview to one of the magazines that helped to grind you down during your worst moments. And while you are professing that you would not want your kids in showbusiness, you are not averse to shoving them in front of cameras for a photoshoot. Yep, you really are coming along well.

- sleekraven on August 13th, 2008

– If she wants the boys to have a normal childhood, then they really shouldn’t be the focus of photoshoots for tabloids. –

No matter what, they WILL be photographed. Why not try and make the best of it by doing an interview and a staged photoshoot? Maybe they won’t be hounded as much, but I doubt it. Just look at Jamielynn and the “normal” life AWAY from L.A. she wanted for Maddie… she is being stalked in LOUISIANA!!!

- Allie on August 13th, 2008

Really happy for Brit and her boys, they all seem really happy. I love her dress, it’s nice not to see as much skin as we used to, it’s chic and we still see little skin through the holes. I love those little outfits on Preston and Jayden, it’s so cute.

Good job Britney and papa Spears!

- Stéph on August 13th, 2008

I agree Astrid. Kevin manages to give them a normal life – picture free – and hasn’t resorted to tabloid PR. I’m glad that Britney’s dad has taken over and helped her to get back on track, but I’ll reserve giving her total credit til she can do it on her own. Amazing to me how so many people are willing to suddenly say she is a good mom because of a photo shoot? She’s not even in charge of herself, let alone her sons yet. I really do hope she continues to stay clean but for now, I wish she would leave the kids out of the public eye.

- brannon on August 13th, 2008

She wants them to have as normal as possible childhood, being her sons it’s impossible for them never to be photographed. They are photographed weekly with their nanny going to the kid’s gym.

It’s going to take a long time to improve her image and in her career she has to do it. All she is showing is look I’m better and the kids are happy. Good for her.

- sara on August 13th, 2008

Huh. Just a few days ago I had a discussion with other Britney fans and even though we have different opinions we all agree Kevin is not such a bad guy because he keeps the kids under wraps and didn’t just sell some sob story to magazines.

Ironic.

- stephanie on August 13th, 2008

I am not a fan of hers but do wish her the best and am happy she’s on the right track now. But I’m in agreement with a few commments that Kevin doesn’t put the children out there yet Britney still does. Despite being photographed by the paparazzi you make a CHOICE to put them on a cover of a magazine. I think if you want them to have somewhat of a normal life….which we know won’t fully happen knowing who their parents are…..I would think keeping them away from the hollywood lifestyle as much as they possibly can would be the better option to fullfilling your wish.

The boys are getting so big! Hard to believe they’re going to be 2,3 years of age already!

- JM on August 13th, 2008

Britney looks good! Kudos for Jamie (and ofcourse Britney herself). But where would she be without her dad? Great to see that Jayden and Preston are doing well too!

She should move out the limelight for a while again and give ‘us’ a new update in six months or even a year… Keeping a low profile seems to do Britney and the rest of the family good.

- Sanne on August 13th, 2008

Tracy – I don’t know who made that dress, but I can tell you that it’s an older one. I saw Felicity Huffman wearing it at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2006 =) So I don’t know if it’s still available in stores.

- Tamara on August 13th, 2008

Yeah for Britney!! I’m glad that her father was able to step in and help turn her around. I pray that Britney keeps making strides in her mental health and gains more of an active role in her boys lives. I read “normal childhood” as being little boys and enjoying their lives. Britney has been in the public eye since she was a pre-teen on the MM club. Yes it’s what she wanted to do as a child, but the reality of what being a “celebrity” is isn’t all glamorous. I’m glad she did the interview and let us see her cutie pies. The paps don’t follow Ke-Fed because he really isn’t news worthy or a big seller. I am always mindful of the fact, if our fav or not so fav celebs his their kiddies in the house I would have no need to visit my favorite website.

GOOD LUCK TO BRITNEY, SEAN P. AND JAYDEN J.!!

- Onyx Jones on August 13th, 2008

keep up the good work britney im very proud of you,you came a long way

- tanya on August 13th, 2008

Britney’s life has taken some strange turns. It will always make me sad that people were so opposed to her relationship w/Kevin. She seems very impressionable and naive, and I think the backlash really hurt her, and that it ultimately led to their breakup. She has feelings, too!

Glad to see her trying to get things back in order. Her babies are adorable, and I really do hope they have healthy upbringings.

- Xan on August 13th, 2008

Just a question to the people who say “Britney exposes the children in magazines and Keven doesn’t…” Wouldn’t Kevin have a say in weather or not he wants his kids on the cover of a magazine? He’s got more legal custody of them….seems he would have had to approve or agree with it…?

Just a thought…

- SH on August 13th, 2008

britney children will always be in the spotlight so if she chooses to have their picture on a magazine thats a postive story why shouldn’t she. if you look at all the covers her boys have had you can count on one hand how many have said any thing nice about the boys or britney herself. i can not image how hard it must have been for her every day she was banned from seeing them and it takes a strong person to give up custody untill they are well enough to look after themselves when all you want is your children, this is a postive thing, we should back this mother in her quest to better herself and regain her children.

- hayleywilliams on August 13th, 2008

Okay. Maybe I didn’t read the same thing as some of you. Here is what I read…’she would prefer that they didn’t choose a career in the entertainment industry. She explains, “I’d just as soon they have a MORE normal childhood.”…I think Britney is well aware that her kids are not going to have the same type of childhood that most kids have. Because of who SHE is, they will always be in the spotlight to some degree as long as there is a degree of interest by the public as to how they are doing. But I don’t think that’s what she’s talking about here. I think she was referring to being a child entertainer versus not, which of course it’s MORE normal not to be. I’m sure that there were added pressures, among other things, for her and her sister because they were both child entertainers. And countless other child entertainers have talked about their bad experiences. I think she means that she doesn’t want her boys to go through that, but would rather them have as normal a childhood as they can. Being a child of a celebrity isn’t exactly normal either I’m sure, but I think that being a child entertainer is another ball game.

- Destiny on August 13th, 2008

What a huge difference from a few years ago.Keep up the good work Brit!

- anonymous on August 13th, 2008

I think the main reason we see more photo’s of Britney versus Kevin is because Britney, even with all her foibles and faults, is still a MUCH MUCH MUCH bigger star than Kevin. Be reasonable – which would sell more magazines: photos/interview with Britney and the boys or photos/interview with Kevin and the boys? Obviously, they are going to be photographed more often when they’re with Britney.

I was such a fan of Britney’s before her life spiraled out of control and I just feel so badly for those two little boys. I do think she’s trying to regain control over her life and I really hope she succeeds. I want her to overcome all this adversity – I think we all want that. I want those boys to have a mother they could be proud of, not embarrassed of.

- Stephany on August 13th, 2008

I’m disappointed with the cover. I have no problem with Britney doing an interview but I wish she could have left the children off of the cover but on the other hand, I should not be surprised. When Britney first met Kevin’s daughter Kori, they sold the pictures to People. In addition, she also sold her wedding, baby shower pictures and first photo of Sean.

I just do not understand how celebrities can complain about a lack of privacy but sell pictures of children to the highest bidder. A few months back, Kevin did an interview with one of the weekly mags that did not include photos of boys so yes it can be done. Assuming Kevin did not give his consent, if I were him I would be very upset.

It does not matter if the paps take pictures of the boys on a regular basis, the celebrity parent has no control over that. However, as a parent, I can choose not to participate in the exploitation of my children and it appears that Britney has decided to do so and it is really unfortunate.

Kevin keeps the kids out of the spotlight as far as possible and Britney clearly can learn from him.

- Di on August 13th, 2008

Di: it is actually a clever thing to sell those photos because by satisfying the need of the paperazzi, it stops them hounding her kids for them which could lead to danger.

to me, she’s not exploiting them. just trying to make it a little safer for them when they’re out.

- jayday on August 13th, 2008

Xan, it seems that the people opposed to Britney’s relationship with Kevin were proven right! Not necessarily because Kevin is a bad guy (he’s obviously proven to the courts that he is the more capable parent at the moment), but because these people knew that Britney was not mentally and/or emotionally ready for marriage and motherhood. It seems like she’s had to grow up so fast and the majority of her teens/childhood was trying to make as much money as possible–it’s kind of no wonder that she finally burnt out. I think it’s great that Britney’s father has really committed to helping his child, and hopefully she will continue to be able to see her kids as often as possible.

- Erica on August 13th, 2008

Britney has made some comments about Jamie Lynn’s new baby too saying something like, It was strange because she’s always been the baby and now the baby is having a baby!

Anyways, Di. Thanks that’s basically what I was trying to get across in my comment. It’s one thing to have their picture taken but another to make a choice to exploit them and sell them on a cover. The children don’t ask for it so why can’t they just wait until they’re old enough to make the decision on their own if they want to publicized for money like that.

Anyways, I believe it was Meryl Streep who once said that she doesn’t agree with celebs exploiting their children on magazines before they’re old enough to have a say in the matter and thinks it’s wrong for all these celebs to “sell” the photos of their kids for their own personal pleasures.

Personally I kind of agree even though I don’t mind seeing them if I was in the position of being famous and having a child I would not sell my child’s first photos to anyone. I really don’t think it lessons the paparazzi. It just allows you to have control on where the money to your childs first photos go. Anyways, that’s just my opinion.

- JM on August 13th, 2008

I for one don’t think she is a good mom because of a photo shoot. I don’t know if she is a good mom or not.. sure she’s had her share of problems and has been in the spotlight for many of them… But who is to say she is a bad mom or not?? From what we have seen she looked to be a bad mom but behind cameras, and behind closed doors who really knows. Obviously she’d been having issues, which we clearly saw (kids on lap riding in car, car seat facing the wrong way, taking son hostage or whatever) but at least shes making an effort and not like some people who give up completely, and don’t care about their children. Obviously Britney does, and she clearly needed help getting better and shes now on the right track hopefully!

I think she is a good person who had some issues, and is now getting back on track!

She looks wonderful, and her boys are adorable!

- Jen on August 13th, 2008

Can I just point someone out?

While Kevin has legal and physical custody, we never see him with his children. They’re always with a nanny or a bodyguard. I’ve never seen him with his kids. It’s one thing to slate Brit, who had a breakdown, but let’s not forget who contributed in his own way to that breakdown. She pays for all his legal bills because he has no regular income. Who do you think is providing for those boys financially? Britney.

I think Jamie Spears deserves a medal. While Lynne Spears is peddling a tell-all book, Jamie is taking a back seat and he’s taken care of his daughter. It’s through HIS doing, we have our Brit back

- SJ on August 13th, 2008

Kevin did an interview with Ok Magazine too where he showed the kids. I don’t have the magazine but they used these photos http://gallery.untouchablebritney.net/thumbnails.php?album=4334

*click my name for the link

- Roxi on August 13th, 2008

And another thing – I dont see the big issue sharing photos. Afterall, how many of us were online the minute the Jolie-Pitt twins pictures were to be revealed???? Its ok for some celebs but not others??? I dont think so.

I find people like to pick at Britney for just about everything, and her having photoshoots with her son shouldnt be one of the reasons.

Shes doing better, wants everyone to know and wants everyone to see her… as A LOT of people sit and call her a bad mother. Let her show off her beautiful healthy boys and the new healthier her. Theres always more to the story that we know….

People need to be a little more kind..

- Jen on August 13th, 2008

What a beautiful woman and her two gorgeous sons. I hope they all recieve the support they need to keep going down this obviously wonderful new path. I’ve always thought of Britney as a victim of circumstance more than someone who had chosen to do the things she’s done over the past couple of years and the boys are the ones who have suffered for it. I hope all the people who knocked Britney are now able to look at her and realise she’s a fighter, and more than that, she’s a mother who clearly adores her little boys. I hope she is able to get back some custody in the future, it would be fantastic for Sean and Jayden.

- phoebe on August 13th, 2008

Phoebe, I agree with you and brought up the same idea with the Lynn Spears/Jamie Lynn Spears story…Lynn spears was quoted as saying something along the lines of …”I loved being a soccer mom”…

I felt that the way she brought up Britney and Jamie Lynn was NOTHING like what a “soccer mom” would do. Both Britney and Jamie Lynn are products of their parents putting their young girls into the media during their formative years in exchange for the almighty dollar and now they’re paying for it. Britney was dancing in a music video wearing a short school girl uniform when she was 14. Jamie Lynn was acting at an even younger age. And we’re wondering why Britney has spiraled out of control and lost her boys? We’re wondering why Jamie Lynn has a teenage pregnancy under her belt?

Look at the way they were RAISED.

Good for Britney. She’s growing up and trying to make things work. She apparantly wants the world to know…BUT, I guess that’s her way of doing things because that’s what she was taught to do. Advertise and sell pictures of yourself and your kids for money…

Sad, but true.

- SH on August 13th, 2008

I love this photo and can not wait for the magazine to come out. She seems to be getting better mentally and she looks great. Those boys are adorable and so cute! Keep the good work Britney

I don’t understand why people complain so much if a celebrity and in this case Britney does a photo shoot with their children, I for one love photoshoots better than paparazzi shots. I respect and love celebrities that do not do photoshoots with their children (Ben,Jen and Violet) as much as I respect and love celebrities that DO photoshoots with their kids (Brangelina, Britney, etc) We need to learn how to respect other people decisions.

- Bren on August 13th, 2008

the interview http://www.breatheheavy.com/exhale/viewthread.php?tid=56245

- Roxi on August 13th, 2008

I hope this link is working
http://www.breatheheavy.com/exhale/viewthread.php?tid=56254

- Roxi on August 13th, 2008

“It’s one thing to slate Brit, who had a breakdown, but let’s not forget who contributed in his own way to that breakdown”

SJ: Bipolar disorder is not caused by another person. And Britney was the one who chose to bring him into her life.

- Rose on August 13th, 2008

I would like to add something. Whenever there is a post about Britney someone always brings up the fact that they never see photos of Kevin with the children. Well, I would like to say that I have seen pictures of Kevin with the kids at Griffith Park in LA, Long Beach Aquarium and Disneyland. Furthermore, since the kids live with Kevin, assuming he is not out of town, the kids see Kevin and are interacting with him on daily basis. Moreover, let’s not forget the fact that for 7 weeks Britney’s visitation rights were suspended therefore, the kids were with Kevin 100 percent of the time. The fact that we do not see pictures of Kevin with the kids means nothing so long as the children live with him. Does the nanny take the children out places, Yes but that may be because his presence would attack more media attention. I think that is why the bodyguard is the one who picks and drops of the children.

In addition, people have stated that Britney gave up custody by agreeing to let have Kevin have full custody. However, what people fail to realize is that Britney lost phyiscal custody of the boys in Oct 2007 and she lost legal custody in Jan 2008 so she could not have given up something she did not have. Brit could have let the trial occur and in the hopes of regaining custody but that would be a waste of time since she is under conservatorship.

I’m not a fan of Kevin but sometimes when it comes to Britney, people have a selective memory. It almost as if it does not matter how many mistakes Britney has made, people still think she deserves custody.

- Di on August 13th, 2008

I have a question for the people who are against celebs releasing photos of their children and should keep them hidden and away from the paps – why do you frequent and post on a site that makes it’s money showing those photos? If you’re so against it, why support it by supporting this site?

I would much rather see photos released by the family than pictures of scared kids being stalked by a pack of photogs or pictures of kids that are followed to art class or the playground.

- Jessica on August 13th, 2008

Is she wearing an engagement ring??

- Court on August 13th, 2008

It seems there are always double standerds between Britney and other celebs. It is alright for any other celeb to put their children on covers of magazines but not Britney. I am glad she put something out there that is from HER, not from the tabloids. Britney has made lots of mistakes as a mother in the past two years, but the main thing now is that she is getting better and kind of letting the world know that her boys and herself are OK. Imagine if there were degrading reports about YOU and your children, you would want to set the record straight which I believe she is doing. She obviously loves them little boys, it is written all over her face. Instead of trying to find all the negatives about this, why not focus on the positives?

- J on August 13th, 2008

I think Britney is handling herself very well and hopes she can stay on track. She looks gorgeous by the way, and the photograph is beautiful. I agree with the person who says well, maybe she was taught to exploit herself that way. We cannot see what Britney has been through, so why should we be the ones to judge? Anyway, I wish her all the best because she is truly talented.

- Silvermouse on August 13th, 2008

ITA with Di.
Not fan of Kevin, but he looks like a good father to his kids. He can use them to get publicity, but instead he prefers not to be photog. with them, that’s why (imo) he sends the bodyguard to pick them up, or nannies.
No doubt Britney loves her kids, but imo she is not able to have them 24/7. She’s always going to the gym, taking coffees in starbucks, buying clothes…I don’t see her as the kind of mom that takes their sons to a park, or stays at home playing with them. It seams that she has always put her in first place, second place career and third place the babies.
Just my opinion.

- sil on August 14th, 2008

Omg look how big Sean P and Jayden have gotten! I can’t believe Sean P is about to be 3 and Jayden 2 next month. Doesn’t seem like that long ago. All 3 look great, happy and healthy.

- Bancie1031 on August 14th, 2008

Congrats to Britney on getting her life in order. She deserves it.

I just am a little trown off by her comment about her sons interest in the business someday…

“”If they want to do it, and if they are talented enough, I would support them.”

I dont understand why she would say “talented enough”. you should support your children with anything positive in their life. If my child was horrible at singing, I would never say i wont support them!

- CBBFAN on August 14th, 2008

to whoever said bipolar is not caused by someone else, thats right. but another person can aggrevate it to the point it does flair up. i know, ive been there.

brit looks great! i am so happy that she has been able to get past this and start to pull her life back together

- micelle on August 14th, 2008

Britney looks and acts better, hopefully she keeps it up, because her kids need her. Kevin seems like a good dad IMO, he has kept a low key during this whole thing. Those boys are beautiful, they look so much alike and so much like britney.

- brooke on August 17th, 2008

I’m not star struck but was curious as to what exactly is changed in her life to make her so much more happier then ever. I don’t sense any change from the article posted here. Just another proganda by her assistant or publicist.

I’ve always found this fascinating parents in hollywood can get away with so much. Sure, they are caught by photos and other stuff. But, if I were to do those same things as say Britney, I would be arrested, in jail, & my children would be taken away lickety split. There wouldn’t be 100 chances. Yes, I would be in the local paper, but it would be portrayed “low-class”.

Sure she and her children look fabulous. That’s the magazine’s doing. The mag wouldn’t sell if they didn’t look Christmas card perfect. Those probably aren’t even their clothes. Nice touch having all three wear all white.

- Tracy on August 19th, 2008

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