Kim Kardashian has revealed that she has a special “lockdown” plan to protect her four children from negative news about their father, Kanye West, now known as Ye, and about the family.
The reality star and SKIMS founder, 46, opened up in Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future, a new book by journalist Jonathan Van Meter, as first reported by People and picked up by Billboard, Complex and others.
“We’re on Lockdown”
Kardashian explained that everyone in her home knows what to do when she sends a single message. “My whole household knows what a ‘lockdown’ means if I text it. Like, ‘We’re on lockdown,'” she said.
Once the alert goes out, live news is cut off around the children. “No TVs, just movies. No radio, just plug in a phone for music in the car,” she explained. She also avoids satellite radio services such as Sirius XM, which cover current events in real time, according to Complex.
The plan is designed to stop the children from hearing upsetting headlines before she has had a chance to speak to them herself.
“I’ll Never Not Worry About Him”
Kardashian and Ye share four children: North, 13, Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 7. She filed for divorce in 2021, and the rapper has since made headlines repeatedly for controversial comments and online outbursts.
Despite their differences, she said she still cares about him deeply. “Oh, I worry about [Kanye] all day. All the time. That’s the father of my kids, I’ll never not worry about him,” she said, according to IBTimes UK.
She said co-parenting had been “pretty smooth for a while” and that they now raise their children “without too much conflict.” According to Complex, her therapist has encouraged her to keep strong boundaries, and the former couple rarely talk but hug when they see each other.
Close to Ye’s Family
Kardashian added that she has stayed close to Ye’s relatives. “I’m really close with his family. I welcome anyone. I tell them all, open-door policy,” she said.
She also said she and Ye communicate well when it comes to their eldest daughter North’s growing interest in music. “With her, since it’s more music-related, that is something that her dad and I have better communication about,” she said.
A Lesson for Parents
While few families face the media spotlight the Kardashians do, many parents can relate to the challenge of protecting children from upsetting news and social media. Child-development experts often recommend limiting young children’s exposure to distressing news and talking to them calmly and honestly at a level they can understand.
Sources: People via Billboard, Complex, IBTimes UK, Yahoo Entertainment. Image: Wikimedia Commons (file photo).