From being crowned the first American Idol victor to taking a rotating seat as a judge on The Voice, all the way to making her daytime talk show host debut on her very own (now award-winning) show, Kelly Clarkson has cemented a place in our hearts for over two decades. It seems like just yesterday we saw her belt out “A Moment Like This” during her star-making Idol performance, but what fun it’s been watching her take her career to new heights. Along the way, fans have gotten to witness Clarkson truly come into her own as she welcomed daughter River Rose in 2014 and son Remington “Remy” Alexander in 2016.

She might be known for her vocal talents, but she’s also been pretty vocal about her journey as a mom, sharing her thoughts and a look into her parenting style. Not surprisingly, Clarkson’s words prove she might just be the most relatable celebrity mom there is. And not for nothing, she’s probably a blast on moms’ night out!

Here are some of Clarkson’s best quotes on motherhood.

What Kelly Clarkson Has Said About Being a Mom

1. “The hardest thing for me is when they’re so freaking cute and you love them so much, but they’re doing something that’s naughty. And you’re like, ‘Nope! You will not twist me around your finger.'”

2. “I have a lot of mom guilt. If you’re a mom, you want to be with your kid every day. You don’t want to miss a moment; you want her to need you and want you and not want somebody else.”

3. “I’ve accomplished a lot, but I guess the biggest success I want is that whenever I die, people will say, ‘She was so successful as a mother.’ … That’s kind of a big goal.”

4. “Literally, having children has brought fear to my life. That sounds horrible, I know, but before kids, I was fearless. Now I go to bed and I have nightmares of someone just grabbing my little girl and running. It’s always about me not being able to protect my kids somehow. I’m a mama bear.”

5. “I try not to compliment our boys or our girls so much on aesthetics. If they look handsome or beautiful, obviously we’ll say that, but I’m really adamant about everyone around us always saying like, ‘God, you’re clever. You’re smart. You’re witty, you’re funny’ … all the other things that make character.”

6. “I’m going to teach my kids to do what they love, regardless if they’re the most famous person doing it. Love what you do. Love who you work with and don’t work with people you don’t, and don’t do things you don’t love.”

7. “I love what I do, but I feel like I relied on my career a lot for my self-worth. And now I’m more than that.”

8. “As a mom, you just don’t have time, so you get straight to the point.”

9. “You are going to be inspired to do all of these magical things with your kids. Do things you’ve never done before. Try things you’ve never done before. It is such an awesome experience being a parent. I know it can be overwhelming, but it is so amazing. You aren’t just molding their little lives; it’s changing you in the process, too.”

10. “I am just like my mother. She raised me to love and take care of animals […].”

11. “I actually really dig the mom thing.”

12. “[Kids] are challenging. Wine is necessary. They’re great, though. Out of the mouths of babes. They say stuff where you’re like, ‘Damn.’ They call you out. I know it sounds silly, but kids teach you to be a better human.”

13. “Just recently, our nanny told me that an older kid was mean to my daughter at the park and that she just crumbled. I’m glad I wasn’t there because I wouldn’t have handled that well. I totally went off on that 6-year-old in my head!”

14. “There is no greater gift than being a mama, and that comes with countless roles: friend, teacher — thank you, COVID — support system, shoulder to cry on, chef, and more.”

15. “I’ve always been a confident girl; I’ve always felt sexy and intelligent. But after becoming a mother, the amount of sh*t that you get done, you’re so impressed with yourself! It’s the most empowering feeling, because it makes you want to worry about the pettiness and trivial things a lot less.”