Have Britney Spears and her sons reunited after a recent, painful family rift?
Even setting aside her fallen conservatorship, her former marriage, and her mental health, Britney Spears has lost so much.
Despite reported distance from her teenage sons, Britney made headway during the spring, talking with Sean Preston and Jayden James Federline on the phone.
Oddly, a contrary report has surfaced to suggest that things have not “gotten better.” What is the truth?
Britney Spears attends the announcement of her new residency, “Britney: Domination” at Park MGM on October 18, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Spears will perform 32 shows at Park Theater at Park MGM starting in February 2019. (Photo Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Britney Spears and her sons have been talking
The Entertainment Tonight report about Britney Spears talking with 18-year-old Sean Preston Federline and 17-year-old Jayden James Federline does not stem from unnamed insiders.
“Reconciliations and the reunification of relationships are difficult and take time,” attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, who represents Kevin Federline, explained.
“They are sometimes complicated and always a lengthy process,” he reasoned. “The process has not really commenced, let alone [been] completed.”
Britney Spears arrives for the premiere of Sony Pictures’ “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 22, 2019. (Photo Credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
“The good thing is that the boys saw their mom was doing well,” Kaplan affirmed, “and have a desire to speak with her.”
He pointed out: “There has been some telephonic communication between Britney and her sons, and we think that is a step in the right direction.”
That does sound like a positive thing. Obviously, there are some parents with whom reconciliation is impossible or ill-advised. But sometimes, there’s something to be salvaged (after things are awkward for a while).
There are two layers of distance between Britney Spears and her sons
Sean Preston and Jayden James Federline live primarily with their father, Kevin Federline. Early in their teens, after an alleged attack by their widely despised grandfather, Jamie Spears, Britney and Kevin moved to have the boys spend more time with their dad.
Additionally, Kevin secured a restraining order to prevent their grandfather from coming near them.
In 2023, Kevin Federline and his wife, Victoria Prince, moved to Hawaii. Britney signed off on permission for both boys (who were minors at the time that the family decided to move) to move between states.
Kevin Federline stirred the pot during a 2022 interview while discussing his sons’ feelings regarding their mother. (Image Credit: CBS)
Additionally, in 2022, Kevin Federline opened up about how “the boys have decided they’re not seeing her right now.”
It seems that her sons felt that she played favorites. Some parents do this, usually unconsciously, but it’s certainly very unfair when it happens. (Even so, Jayden emphasized a desire to reconcile with Britney one day)
Additionally, they reportedly felt embarrassed by her behavior on social media. Honestly that’s extremely normal. Any teenager who doesn’t find their parent’s social media behavior embarrassing probably doesn’t have a parent who uses social media.
Britney Spears attends the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 12, 2018. (Photo Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
But have Britney Spears and her sons actually reunited at all?
A very odd report from TMZ insisted that Britney Spears had one conversation with her teenage sons on Mother’s Day. They also quashed rumors that Britney saw her sons in person, even when visiting Hawaii following their move.
TMZ did emphasize that Sean Preston and Jayden James had not ruled out reconciliation.
“Years of aberrant behavior and troubling conduct can’t be easily erased,” their insider said. “There’s no evidence things have gotten better.”
Britney Spears speaks during the grand opening of the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation Britney Spears Campus on November 4, 2017. (Photo Credit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)
Obviously, we have no reason to doubt that TMZ‘s sources are legit. Obviously, every inside source is a human being — which means that they have their own biases. And some insiders make absurdly negative claims about Britney on a regular basis.
That said, the TMZ report seems to be refuting misinterpretations from Kaplan’s statement. It doesn’t seem to be so much contradicting his words as just … putting a harsh, negative spin on the same information.
Family is complex. We’d all love to hear that everyone (well, Britney and her kids) is happy and getting along. But that will take time, if it’s to happen at all.
Britney Spears, Her Sons, & The Truth About A Reunion For The Family was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.