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Kelly Clarkson reveals the 1 thing she wishes she never told her daughter

Clarkson tried to gently explain two tough subjects to her daughter. The result? Sheer embarrassment.
/ Source: TODAY

Navigating your way through parenthood is tricky business, and Kelly Clarkson recently shared how she's learning to handle some difficult questions from her children.

On her talk show Friday, the original “American Idol” champion talked about an exchange she had with daughter River, after the 6-year-old asked some questions about pregnancy and death.

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Her comments came after someone in the audience asked if she ever said something to her kids that she wished she hadn't.

“My daughter became obsessed when she was 4 years old about where she came from,” Clarkson said. “And then she started being nervous about death. I was like, ‘What is happening?’”

Clarkson, who was joined on her show by #IMOMSOHARD podcast hosts Jen Smedley and Kristin Hensley, dug her heels in and tried to make sense of a subject that can be very hard for a child to comprehend.

“She was talking about death and all these things and I wanted her to feel good about, like, not dying, or anything like that and then also, like, ‘Well, you were a part of Mommy, so you’ll always have me, so even if Mommy dies, you were a part of me,'" Clarson shared.

"'You were in Mommy’s tummy, actually. So, you were always a part of me, so that’ll never go away. You’re from my body, so you carry Mommy on, so, in a sense, Mommy will never die with you because I’m a part of you.'"

The Kelly Clarkson Show - Season 1
Clarkson and and her kids, Remington and River, on the set of her talk show, along with Jason Momoa.Adam Christopher/NBCU Photo Bank / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The “Miss Independent” singer, who shares River with ex Brandon Blackstock, is also mother to their son, Remington, 4. She said River took those words of wisdom she shared and universally applied it.

“And, then, she took that as in any woman in the world, regardless if you have a stomach or not, walks up to and goes, ‘So you have a baby in there?’” she said.

“It just doesn’t matter who it is, she is just very excited that ‘Don’t worry. If you die, she’s still gonna carry you on.’ It’s, like, you missed the ... we shouldn’t tell people that they’re pregnant. That’s another one. Yup, that happened.”

Clarkson enjoying a happy moment with River and Remington.
Clarkson enjoying a happy moment with River and Remington.Kelly Clarkson / Instagram