How Growing Up Changed Sean Preston Federline's Strained Relationship With His Mother, Britney Spear
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Britney Spears is a world-famous superstar, but she is also a mother. Her journey into motherhood began early, and it has not been without its well-documented ups and downs. There is no denying she loves her two boys.
Still, their relationship has not always been the easiest, from losing custody to her social media posts aiming at her ex-husband and youngest son. This is what we know about Spears' relationship with Jayden James and Sean Preston, and how it has changed since they started growing up…
When Did Britney Spears Lose Custody Of Her Children Sean Preston And Jayden James?
Britney Spears is a mother to two children: Jayden James and Sean Preston Federline. She lost custody of them in 2008 when a judge gave their father and Spears ex-husband, Kevin Federline, sole custody (the former couple divorced in 2007).
According to The Guardian, the decision was made after Spears failed to hand the children over to Federline, resulting in her arrest (at the time, the boys were one and two years old, respectively). Following her arrest, she was taken to the Cedars-Sinai medical center.
Britney Spears was 24 when she became a mother, and she has acknowledged on social media that she had her "babies very young." There is no denying that she adores her children, telling People Magazine in 2017, "My kids come first, always. There is nothing more rewarding than being a mom and watching my sons grow into young men."
In the same interview, Spears discussed how "the balance between work and my personal life can be a challenge" but added, "I always do my best to plan my schedule around my family whenever possible." But her life has not always been simple. Her personal struggles have been well-documented by the media. Spears is not perfect, but the public pressure and scrutiny she has faced have undoubtedly deeply impacted her life.
It was documented that she and Kevin Federline had co-parented their boys over the years. Their custody arrangements changed when needed, but People Magazine reports that Federline had "majority custody for many years." Page Six also noted that in 2019 the custody arrangement changed to "70/30 in favor of Federline." It was unclear what the reasoning for this decision was.
Why Don't You See Photos Of Britney Spears' Sons On Her Social Media?
Britney Spears' boys are now teenagers, but they have mostly grown up out of the limelight, with a source telling People Magazine in 2019 that they were "well-adjusted." They added that they were both "very smart and very polite," and were doing well at school. The world has been given a glimpse into her life as a mother because she used social media to share. Or at least, she once did.
Spears shared photos of her boys on her social media when they were younger, updating fans about their outings. You are less likely to see them now because they want their privacy, which Spears addressed in a 2021 post (via People Magazine). "I haven't posted pictures of them for some time cause they're at the age where they want to express their own identities and I totally get it. I'm extremely lucky because my two babies are such gentlemen and so kind that I must have done something right (sic)."
Britney Spears was placed under a conservatorship for thirteen years (from February 2008 until November 2021), and her decision-making was restricted. It was controlled by her father, Jamie Spears. It was believed that when it ended, she would be able to see more of her sons. "[She is] making an effort to see her kids more, and Sam is also bonding with them," a source told People Magazine, adding that the end of the conservatorship had "made it easier" to see her boys.
Why Did Sean Preston And Jayden James Not Attend Britney Spears' Wedding?
Despite this new freedom, Britney Spears's sons were noticeably absent from her wedding to Sam Asghari, which took place in June 2022, and saw the couple surrounded by family and friends. If fans wanted an answer as to why the boys skipped the celebrations, they did not have to wait long because something unexpected happened. In 2022, Kevin Federline gave an interview about their sons and their relationship with their mother to Daily Mail.
"The boys have decided they are not seeing her right now," Kevin told the publication. "It's been a few months since they've seen her. They made the decision not to go to her wedding."
Jayden is reported to have told the publication, "I think Mom has struggled giving us both attention and showing us equal love, I don't think she showed enough to Preston, and I feel really bad for that." He added, "We've both been through so much pressure in the past that this is our safe place to process all the emotional trauma we've been through to heal and heal our mental state."
What followed was Spears taking to social media to address the claims. She was clearly hurt by the comments and wanted to defend herself, including taking aim at her son, Jayden James (Sean Preston's younger brother).
Taking to social media, Spears wrote a lengthy and heartfelt post, saying, "I say to my son Jayden that I send all the love in the world to you every day for the rest of my life!" She continued, "it deeply saddens me to know [Jayden's] outcry of saying I wasn't up to his expectations of a mother.... and maybe one day we can meet face to face and talk about this openly!" There was no specific mention of Sean Preston by name in Spears' post, but her youngest had specifically mentioned him in his comments.
While Britney Spears's actions and comments about her children over the years prove she has no shortage of love for them, it is unclear how much time she is currently spending with her teenage sons.
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