Kelly Clarkson Breaks Her Silence About Her Children — And the ONE Quiet Truth That Changed Everything 5 Months After Brandon Blackstock’s Death

Kelly Clarkson is opening up about how her kids are doing, five months after the death of their father and her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.

During a YouTube question-and-answer session released on the official Kelly Clarkson Show channel, Clarkson, 43, responded to a fan who asked her to share one thing she does every day that brings her joy — and the answer involved her and Blackstock’s two children: daughter River and son Remington “Remy.”

“Snuggle,” she responded. “My kids, they’re 9 and 11. Kind of that special little fun stage where they can wipe their own behinds, but they’re still small enough to, like, love cuddling and love snuggles.”

“There’s been a lot for our family recently, and so I have allowed my kids to sleep with me quite a bit,” she continued.

“It’s my two dogs, my two kids and me. It’s a lot,” she quipped. “It’s been really special, though, because… the conversations you have during that time are pretty cute. So that’s probably my favorite time of day.”

Blackstock’s family announced his death at age 48 on Aug. 7, 2025. The talent manager, who was also the former stepson of Reba McEntire, was diagnosed with melanoma three years before his death.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep for the family told PEOPLE at the time. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

Blackstock also had two children from a previous marriage, Savannah and Seth, and became a grandfather in 2022 when Savannah, his eldest child, gave birth to a son, Lake.

An insider exclusively told PEOPLE earlier this week that Clarkson is “heartbroken” for her kids after the loss of their dad.

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“Kelly is obviously heartbroken for her kids. Losing their dad is incredibly painful and confusing,” the source said. “But she’s also very grounded. She’s not someone who falls apart. She looks at life realistically and does everything she can to make things as steady and loving as possible for her kids.”

Clarkson’s “focus is to be present for her kids,” the source noted, adding, “She’s a great mom.”

Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock in 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage, and their split was finalized two years later. Though their divorce was acrimonious, and the two were later involved in various legal proceedings, the source said that Clarkson knew the importance of her children’s relationship with their father.

“The divorce was incredibly difficult for her — messy, painful and something she felt terrible about,” another source told PEOPLE. “But she always wanted her kids to have the best relationship possible with their dad. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to the kids.”