"My kids ruined my career."

A look into Lily Allen's life and why context is always important.

Over the weekend, my feed was flooded with the headline from Lily Allen Says Having Kids 'Ruined My Career'. Those three words were quoted from Lily Allen's interview on The Radio Times Podcast and appear approximately three-and-a-half minutes from the end of the 50-minute episode. The British singer was asked if she changed her career path when she had children. She responded, "I never really had a strategy when it comes to a career," she laughs boldly, "but yes, my children ruined my career. I love them, and they complete me, but in terms of pop stardom? They totally ruined it." That headline stuck in my mind, but probably not for the reasons you would think. Though Allen's words may be brutal, there is truth to what she is saying, but the context of her upbringing, fame and privilege are equally significant. 

She is correct in that kids complicate our lives, and those complications usually affect the lives of mothers. They add another layer of priorities, organisation and passion to…