Britney Spears shares a rare glimpse into the lives of sons Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden James, 15

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Britney Spears is sharing rare insight into the lives of her teen sons.

Sean Preston and Jayden James — the boys she shares with ex-husband Kevin Federline — turned 16 and 15 respectively earlier this month. Now back on Instagram, the pop star revealed how she celebrated their birthdays as well as some tidbits about their lives, making a point not to overshare.

(Screenshot: Britney Spears via Instagram)
Britney Spears with Preston and Jayden at Disney Land in 2019. (Screenshot: Britney Spears via Instagram)

Alongside a quote about the bond between mother and son, the 39-year-old wrote, "My boys' birthdays were last week … and unfortunately they are growing up and want to do their own things .... I have to ask their permission to post them because they are extremely independent little men!!! Anyway we had a small party and the coolest ice cream cakes!!!"

She said her "babies" are now "so tall" and "still growing." Last week, they attended a dance, wearing suits, "and I cried for two days... Girls get ready cause my boys are so handsome!!!"

Spears said that "there's a lot I can’t share" about her sons because they're "very private, which I love." However, "I will tell you they are both extremely talented and I’m so incredibly blessed to have these two little men in my life."

She ended by writing that if Preston and Jayden are reading her post, "which I’m pretty sure they're not," she wants them to know: "I love you two little devils so much!!!"

Spears and Federline, a former backup dancer, married in 2004, welcomed Preston in September 2005, Jayden in September 2006, then filed for divorce in November 2006. Spears reportedly suffered postpartum depression following her back-to-back babies, contributing to personal woes that ballooned. The singer — who had said it was her dream from childhood to become a mom — lost custody of her sons in November 2007. That factored into two involuntary hospitalizations and then Spears being placed in the conservatorship, under dad Jamie, in 2008.

While Spears and Federline eventually worked out a 50-50 custody arrangement, that was scaled back in 2019 when Spears's time was reduced to 30 percent. The boys spend 70 percent of their time with Federline, who has six children with three women. In 2018, Federline asked Spears for a raise in child support from $20,000 a month to $60,000 and a confidential agreement was reached with her paying "thousands" more a month.

In court fighting her conservatorship in June, Spears heartbreakingly detailed being apart from her sons one holiday, thought to be in 2018, while being medicated against her will. Months later, she said she was involuntarily put in a mental health treatment facility and said she was told if she didn't comply she wouldn't be able to see her children.

While addressing the court, she also said she wants to have a baby with her now-fiancé Sam Asghari but has been forced to use a birth control device, an IUD, against her will.

When Spears got her first iPad in August amid her conservatorship battle, she noted that her sons had the devices — presumably purchased with her money — but she didn't. Under the conservatorship, she wasn't allowed unmonitored usage of the internet. She also wasn't allowed to have an iPhone, only a cellphone that restricted callers.

While Spears said in her birthday post that the boys probably wouldn't see her message, they do go online. In 2020, Jayden made headlines for doing an Instagram Live in which he was flooded with questions amid the #FreeBritney movement — and told one fan that his mom might "quit" music, as she's been on an indefinite work hiatus until her father is removed as conservator. Jayden's Instagram account was shut down immediately after.

Also providing insight into the family dynamic, in 2019, Federline filed a restraining order against Spears's dad after he allegedly had a physical altercation with Preston at Spears's home. No charges were filed.

The most recent new photo Spears posted of her "independent little men" was in March when they were all on a hike. The boys have also been photographed out with their mom and Asghari.

Spears's next conservatorship hearing — which will center around removing her father as conservator — is set for Sept. 29.