Kim Kardashian, the Skims founder and reality TV star, has always been open about her life in the spotlight. Yet, one aspect she’s kept relatively private is her experience as a single parent raising her four children without the involvement of her ex-husband, Kanye West. In a candid interview on Zoe Winkler’s What the Winkler? podcast, Kim shared her honest thoughts on motherhood, judgment, and her struggles with raising kids on her own.
Kim and Kanye West, who divorced in 2021 after six years of marriage, share four children: North, 11, Saint, 8, Chicago, 6, and Psalm, 5. Despite her immense wealth and access to resources, Kim admitted that raising her kids by herself can be incredibly challenging. She pointed out that, while she does have help in the form of nannies and other support systems, the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting still fall heavily on her shoulders.
“I think you and I’ve mostly connected on parenting. And judgment, and feeling like sometimes you’re in this alone, even though we have great support systems and we have people around us,” Kim shared with Winkler. This sentiment reflected the often-unseen emotional toll that many parents face, even when they have external help.
Kim elaborated on how, despite the support she receives, she still feels like she is essentially raising her children alone. “But sometimes in the middle of the night, when they’re all sleeping in your bed, kicking you and crying and waking up — it’s not something that I talk about a lot because I feel like there is always a lot of judgment or people always will jump to the, ‘Oh, but you have the resources to have nannies and to have help.’ And I just think that no matter what kind of help I have, I’m basically raising four kids by myself,” she said.
In this moment, Kim made it clear that, like any other mother, she experiences the fatigue, stress, and emotional weight that come with being the primary caretaker for her children. The notion that her wealth should shield her from these difficulties is a source of frustration for her.
One of the more relatable parts of her parenting routine, according to Kim, is the chaotic school run. She shared an amusing but all-too-familiar anecdote about the struggles of getting her kids ready for school. “I mean even carpool this morning, I had five kids that I had to take,” she revealed. “And everyone wants to leave at, like, different times or wants different stuff. And I feel like I’m at, like, a pit stop of a race car driver.” The humor in her description highlights the unpredictable and often overwhelming nature of motherhood, regardless of fame or fortune.
Kim’s relationship with Kanye West has been a source of public scrutiny, especially when it comes to how they parent their children. The couple has had differing views on significant issues like social media usage and their children’s education. In fact, earlier this year, Kanye publicly criticized Kim’s decision to enroll their children in a “fake school for celebrities,” a comment that drew widespread attention. Kanye, now married to 29-year-old Bianca Censori, continues to voice his opinions on his children’s upbringing, often clashing with Kim’s approach.
Despite their differences, Kim has remained focused on providing her children with a stable and loving environment. The reality star’s willingness to speak openly about her struggles as a single parent shows her vulnerability and humanity, reminding her fans that even those with fame and fortune face challenges in balancing their personal and professional lives.
As Kim continues to navigate life as a single mother, she remains committed to giving her children the best possible upbringing, even if that means enduring the chaos of school runs, midnight wake-up calls, and the constant balancing act of being both a mother and a businesswoman. Her openness about her experiences helps normalize the struggles that many parents face and reinforces the idea that, no matter the circumstances, raising kids is never an easy task.
