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Jessica Simpson Says Being Sober Has Made Her a Better Mom

The star opens up about her battle with alcohol in her new memoir.

Celebrities certainly have many luxuries, but at the end of the day, no one is perfect and being a mom is hard. In a recent interview on Live Talks Los Angeles, Jessica Simpson opened up about being a mother and how one thing has helped her to become the kind of parent she wants to be for her three beautiful kids — quitting alcohol.

During the interview with Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt on February 10, Simpson talked about how not drinking alcohol has helped her play a more active role in her kids’ — Maxwell, 7, Ace, 6, and Birdie, 10 months — lives. “The moments that I now get to experience are real moments and nothing that I have to hide from,” the singer said. “I am completely present in all of these victories with my children and putting them down every night.” She went on, saying, “Just showing up in my own life and showing up for myself and being the best, positive influence I can be for my children [has been so rewarding].”

Earlier this month, Simpson’s memoir Open Book ($18.66, Amazon) was released, and in it she describes her struggle with alcohol, as well as the exact moment that she knew she needed to make a change. She spoke openly with Hoda Kotb on the Today Show about the moment, saying that she began drinking at 7 a.m. on Halloween in 2017. “I honestly couldn’t even tell you who got them ready,” she revealed, referring to her children. “I was dazed and confused and I just wanted to go to sleep,” she went on. “I didn’t take them trick-or-treating. I didn’t show up for my family. I took the picture and I made the world think that I showed up.”

The disappointment she felt in herself prompted Simpson to finally get the help she needed and the next day she decided she would quit drinking and seek therapy for her alcohol abuse. “Therapy was the hardest part of sobriety for me, but it was also the most meaningful part,” she said on Live Talks. “Through therapy I just found so much clarity and so much acceptance of who I am and the woman I want to be and who the woman is inside of me that is actually very secure — and I really own my mistakes and I lead with them.” 

Being honest about her past was a major theme in Simpson’s book, and she’s expressed that she believes that telling her kids the truth will help encourage them to make good decisions. “I believe in being completely open and honest, and I hope they can learn from some of my mistakes — but more importantly, learn that no life is perfect. Challenges give us tools and it’s learning from our mistakes that makes us stronger,” she told US Weekly. 

We have to say that we agree with Simpson’s new approach to parenting — honesty is always the best policy, and our kids are better off seeing our imperfections and hearing the truth. As she said herself, “There is so much power in the truth, especially when it comes to our children.”

Kudos to Simpson for being so truthful and transparent with her fans in the recent interviews. We’re certainly proud of her.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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