Kim Kardashian says 'it's hard' co-parenting with Ye, breaks down in tears

Going through a divorce and co-parenting has been a balancing act for Kim Kardashian.

During an appearance on Angie Martinez's "Angie Martinez IRL" podcast published Monday on YouTube, Kardashian candidly spoke about her separation from Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and the struggles of co-parenting their four children: North, 9, Saint, 7, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 3.

"That will always follow me," Kardashian said of the public discourse surrounding her split from Ye, which the two announced in February 2021.

Martinez asked the Skims founder whether it was a "conscious thing" to refrain from publicly discussing her divorce and relationship with the father of her children in order to "protect" them.

"I definitely protected him and I still will in the eyes of my kids and for my kids," Kardashian responded, alluding to shielding her children from what Ye has said about her on social media. "In my home, my kids don't know anything that goes on (in) the outside world."

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"I've managed to do that and I'm holding on by a thread," she added. "I will protect that to the end of the earth as long as I can."

Earlier this year, Ye lashed out on social media multiple times against Kardashian, her family, and her then-boyfriend Pete Davidson. He also aired complaints that he was not being allowed to make major parenting decisions.

Kardashian explained on the podcast Monday that her children "don't know anything," and since close friends of hers are teachers at their school, she knows "what goes on" and "what's being talked about."

She added: "If we're riding to school and they want to listen to their dad's music, no matter what we're going through, no matter what is happening in the world, I have to have that smile on my face and blast his music and sing along with my kids and act like nothing's wrong.

"As soon as I drop them off, I can have a good cry."

Previously: Kim Kardashian says Ye's social media posts caused 'emotional distress' in new divorce filing

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On the verge of tears, Kardashian, who was also the child of divorced parents Kris Jenner and the late Robert Kardashian, recalled having "the best dad" growing up.

"I don't mean to get emotional, it's just been a day for me," she said. "You know, it's hard. Co-parenting is hard. It's really (expletive) hard. But I had the best dad, and I had the best memories and the greatest experience. That's all I want for my kids. As long as they can have that, that's what I would want for them."

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In November, Kardashian and Ye reached a settlement in their divorce, averting a trial that had been set for this month. The former couple and their attorneys filed documents asking for a judge's approval of terms they have agreed on, including $200,000 per month in child support payments from Ye to Kardashian.

The two will also have joint custody and neither will pay the other spousal support, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The settlement proposal also states the two will equally split the expenses for the kids' private security and private school, including college.

They will also each pay their own debts, the settlement said. The two had a pre-nuptial agreement and kept their property largely separate.

The judge declared the two legally single at Kardashian’s request in March, ending their eight-year marriage, but issues of property and custody remained that were to be worked out in a trial starting Dec. 14.

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Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kim Kardashian gets emotional discussing co-parenting with Kanye West