Britney Spears reemerged Thursday on Instagram after a short-lived hiatus to address an ITV News documentary featuring her teenage son, putting further stress on their already strained relationship.
The "Toxic" and "Hold Me Closer" singer railed against her ex-husband Kevin Federline — the father of her two sons — for allowing the sitdown, and took aim at the media, her family and her 13-year-conservatorship in a missive dripping with sarcasm and low blows. She expressed her disappointment about her children's involvement in filmmaker Daphne Barak's doc, particularly her younger son, Jayden, talking about their fractured relationship.
"I 100% think this can be fixed. It's just going to take a lot of time and effort. I just want her to get better mentally. When she gets better I really want to see her again," the 15-year-old said, according to a transcript published Thursday by the Daily Mail. (The interview airs Friday on ITV News.)
Spears, 40, who has previously taken issue with Federline's public discussions of their family, was upset by Jayden saying that she's not living up to his expectations. She also said she "failed as a mother" because her son doesn't feel that Spears' parents — Jamie and Lynne Spears, who orchestrated the entertainer's conservatorship in 2008 after her public unraveling — are "not bad people." (Federline recently said the legal arrangement "saved her.")
"I've tried to my best at being the best person I can be … to be basically held hostage in homes under nurses and b—," Spears' post said in reference to her guardianship. "I hope my kids one day understand my reasoning... I say to my son Jayden that I send all the love in the world to you every day for the rest of my life!!!
"My love for my children has no boundaries and it deeply saddens me to know his outcry of saying I wasn't up to his expectations as a mother ... and maybe one day we can meet face to face and talk about this openly!!!" she continued. "Maybe dear child YOU can explain to me why our family would do that to anyone !!!!!"
Next, she set her sights on Federline, whom she accused of not having a job in 15 years and smoking weed every day.
"I completely understand your need to live with your father as I had to play the perfect role for 15 years for absolutely nothing. I'm so happy I had to carry 4 tours, judge X Factor and WAAAY more ... I did that for you," the pop star's statement said.
"It's horrible to see your dad be a hypocrite and say the media is horrible yet he has you talking about personal matters to them !!! If you could pause for a second remember where you came from !!! I hope you can look in the mirror and remember ... you are my child and always will be," she added.
Spears said that she would love nothing more than to see her kids face to face, called them "brilliant" and said she is "so proud to call you both mine." But the lengthy post took several turns in which she both lapped and withheld praise.
"As for my mental health ... my dear child understand you must learn to pick up a book and read one before you resort to even thinking about my intellect sweetheart," she quipped. "Tell your father to go try and at least mow the lawn ... Psss if you can honestly sit back and say with your sensible brilliant mind what memaw and paw paw did to me was fine and call them not bad people .., then yes I have failed as a mother and hopefully that's a chat for you and your father."
Spears' new husband, Sam Asghari, whose June wedding the boys say they did not attend because of the media circus surrounding their mom, also piled on on Federline in the comments, writing: "Mowing the lawn > professional baby daddy."
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
