On Saturday, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari shared messages on social media contradicting claims from Spears’ ex, Kevin Federline, that her sons, Preston, 16 and Jayden, 15, no longer want to be involved with their mother. Federline told The Daily Mail that the kids chose not to attend her recent wedding to Asghari, and that they are uncomfortable with her social media presence.
“The boys have decided they are not seeing her right now,” he said. “It’s been a few months since they’ve seen her. They made the decision not to go to her wedding.”
Federline also stated the boys don’t like her “nude photos” on Instagram.
“I try to explain to them, ‘Look, maybe that’s just another way she tries to express herself,’” he said. “But that doesn’t take away from the fact of what it does to them. It’s tough. I can’t imagine how it feels to be a teenager having to go to high school.”
In her Instagram Stories, Spears said it “saddens” her that Federline chose to speak about her so publicly.
“It saddens me to hear that my ex-husband has decided to discuss the relationship between me and my children …” Spears wrote. “As we all know, raising teenage boys is never easy for anyone .. It concerns me the fact that the reason is based on my Instagram … it was LONG before Instagram … I gave them everything. Only one word: HURTFUL … l’Il say it … My mother told me ‘You should GIVE them to their dad.’ I’m sharing this because I can. Have a good day folks!!!”
Her husband, Asghari, also weighed in with a post on Instagram Stories, suggesting that Federline is lashing out because he can no longer benefit from the conservatorship that was recently ended for Spears.
“There is not validity to his statement regarding the kids distancing themselves and it is irresponsible to make that statement publicly,” Asghari wrote. “The boys are very smart and will be 18 soon to make their own decisions and may eventually realize the ‘tough’ part was having a father who hasn’t worked much in over 15 years as a role model…Kevin’s gravy train will end soon which probably explains the timing of these hurtful statements…I do not know him personally and have nothing against him aside him choosing to vilify my wife. His character is revealed by approval of the cruel 13 year (conservatorship) and his loyalty to Jaimie indicates his approval at time of its conception as well.”
Spears later shared more of her thoughts in a post on her Instagram timeline.
She said that during her conservatorship, she needed permission just to take Tylenol and she should “embark on doing WAAAY more than going topless on the beach!”
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.