Gwyneth Paltrow Reveals How ‘Conscious Uncoupling’ Has Affected Children

Since Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin chose to “consciously uncouple,” there has been a great deal of public scrutiny, and the difficulty in finding a way to make that break-up work for Paltrow and Martin has been made that much more difficult by one another’s new love interests. Gwyneth says that the public scrutiny has made an already complicated situation that much more troubling for Martin and herself, as well as for their children, 11-year-old Apple and 9-year-old Moses.

“You know Daddy and I are famous and there’s going to be a lot of stuff out there,” Ms. Paltrow says she has told her children. “I can’t control what you’ll see. But you know what’s real and how much we love you.”

As for dealing with the break-up, Gwyneth says that it has been just as confusing for Martin and herself as it has been for the children with each of them trying to figure out just how to move forward.

“I think, unfortunately, though we couldn’t stay in a romantic relationship, we’re very, our values are very much around the importance of family and the importance of those relationships and I’m lucky that we’re aligned in that way,” Ms. Paltrow said. “And it’s been hard, and you know, like, we’ve gone through really difficult times with it but we’ve always said these children are our priority.”

Like all couples, particularly those separating, and, at the same time, trying to provide stability for any children involved, Gwyneth acknowledges that the situation hasn’t always been ideal and that emotions have to be kept in check for the sake of the children. Paltrow admits it isn’t always as simple as it may sound.

“What that really means is, ‘Even though today, you hate me and you never want to see me again, like, we’re going to brunch, ’cause it’s Sunday and that’s what we’ll do!’ You know, like, ‘That’s what’s happening!'” Gwyneth said. “Like, the children are our commitment.”

In spite of the difficulties, Gwyneth is thankful that she and Martin have been able to maintain a friendly acquaintance throughout the separation and even as they have each pursued other romantic interests. While Chris Martin has been involved with Jennifer Lawrence, Paltrow has recently been romantically linked to Glee co-creator Brad Falchuk.

“It’s definitely imperfect but it gets easier with time and you know, we’re really good friends,” Paltrow said. “I like him. He’s great. He’s a great dad and so, I feel lucky that we both, along the way, have been able to really put down our own stuff while we’re together with the family and that we make it a priority to be together so that the transition for the children wasn’t, you know, as brutal as it could be.”

[Featured image: Gwyneth Paltrow courtesy of Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images]