Even Kim Kardashian says being a single mom feels overwhelming

“My heart goes out to her. I know that ‘wanting to lock myself in the bathroom’ feeling very well myself,” Annie Wright, a licensed marriage and family therapist (and mother), told Business Insider. She also acknowledged that hearing Kardashian’s complaints could anger some single moms, who don’t have the money to afford bigger housing or medical emergencies, let alone extra help.

Kardashian, who previously spoke about her motherhood struggles on Jay Shetty’s podcast, said that her staff is “beyond helpful.” However, she added, “At the end of the day, your kids only want you.”

“Even with a team of babysitters or support staff, the emotional and psychological weight of parenting often falls squarely on the single parent’s shoulders,” Wright said. She shared why Kardashian’s struggles touch upon a difficulty many single moms face, no matter how much money they have.

You can’t outsource everything

Kardashian previously said that her children’s struggles “really have nothing to do with the amount of help that I have.”

While daily tasks like cooking and cleaning can be outsourced, Wright said there’s more to parenting.

“It is about being there emotionally for your kids all the time, depending on custody issues and the presence of the other parent,” she said. Single parents can feel even more acutely spread thin because they’re doing it alone.

According to Wright, Kardashian’s desire to lock herself in a room to get a break from her children speaks to a common issue all parents, especially single ones, face.

“We are so stressed and so burned out sometimes that all we want to do is just isolate in the bedroom with Netflix for 10 minutes and dissociate,” Wright said. “But that’s the time when the kids actually need connection with us.”

“Kids, all they want is time,” Kardashian told Shetty in 2023. “They just want your time. You can give ’em all these amazing big experiences and they’ll remember them and they’re great, but they’ll always remember you being present.”

Wright agreed with that sentiment. When it comes to income, “incremental gains don’t necessarily make up for the fact that at the end of the day, our children need to attach to us,” she said. “There is an emotional labor component of that, no matter how much money you have.”

Navigating divorce adds more strain

Another factor in Kardashian’s motherhood struggles may be her relationship with Ye (formerly Kanye West). Kardashian, who filed for divorce in 2021, previously said on the “IRL” podcast that she tries not to bash her children’s father.

Wright said that no one should feel shame for divorcing. However, she added, unless it’s managed with intention and self-awareness, divorce can be damaging experiences for kids.

“If the divorce process is not skillfully managed, it’s normal and natural to see children of all ages demonstrating big, strong feelings,” Wright said. That makes the single parent’s job that much more challenging.

Wanting to parent well makes it harder

Anyone trying to be sensitive to their child’s emotional needs will find parenting more difficult.

“If you’re attempting to do it well and you’re mindful of what contributes to good development for your child, you’re going to live with a heightened level of awareness,” Wright said.

Wright also noted that Kardashian has the means to be more removed from her children and have more time to herself.

“People do outsource every single part of parenting, and that has consequences for children,” Wright said. “The fact that she is trying not to do that says actually a lot about her, and it is going to be harder for her, in some ways.”