AceShowbiz - Fans of "American Idol" have been eagerly suggesting potential judges to fill the void left by Katy Perry's departure. Among the names floated, many have expressed hopes for Kelly Clarkson's return. However, the beloved singer and talk show host recently shared with ET that a deeply heartwarming reason prevents her from stepping into the judging role - her kids.

During an interview at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards, where her talk show won Outstanding Daytime Talk Series, Clarkson elaborated on her decision. "No. No. I can't do that, only because I promised my kids. I was like, 'I wanna be there as much as I possibly can,' " she stated. The move would require her to be in Los Angeles, a city she intentionally left behind to spend more time with her family.

Last year, Clarkson stepped down from her coaching duties on "The Voice" citing similar reasons. At the time, she mentioned "struggling" and finding it hard to "smile anymore," which led her to relocate her family from Los Angeles to New York.

This move added immensely to their quality of life, as Clarkson explained, "I wanted a life for us. And we enjoy the park every day and we enjoy each other. As a parent - people get this - you only get so much time until they don't want to hang out with you."

Beyond her commitments as a mother to River Rose, 9, and Remington, 8, Clarkson praised NBC for supporting her in the transition. During her acceptance speech at the Daytime Emmys, she thanked the network for listening and accommodating her show's move.

She said, "The fact that NBC, a huge company, took time and listened when I said, 'Hey, my life is not going super great. I don't know if I can live here anymore. I don't know if I can do this.' They really wrapped their arms around us, and they helped us move."

While fans may miss seeing Clarkson back in the "American Idol" judging seat, her prioritization of family over career demands serves as an inspiring example. And as for "American Idol", who knows what exciting choices the producers might make as they continue their search? With names like Meghan Trainor being tossed around, the future looks promising and full of potential.