Photo: Timothy Hiatt/Getty ImagesKristin Cavallariis moving on.Speaking with Kaitlyn Bristowe’sOff The Vinepodcast Tuesday, the 34-year-old reality star said hersplitwith her ex-husbandJay Cutlerwas perhaps “the brightest and saddest” time of her life.“There’s been times over the last 18 months where I’m like, ‘Is this the right decision?'“Cavallari told Bristowe. “Jay [and] I actually went on a couple of dates like months and months and months ago. But we did! But then I was like … It’s not there for me anymore.“Cavallari and the former NFL quarterback, 38, announced their split in April 2020 after seven years of marriage. The exes share three children: sonsCamden Jack, 9, andJaxon Wyatt, 7, and daughterSaylor James, 5.Jason LaVeris/Getty ImagesThe months since filing for divorce, Cavallari told Bristowe, have been “such a roller coaster” filled with some “really sad moments.” In hindsight, however, the entrepreneur knows she made the right choice.“The thing with Jay is, we aren’t getting our divorce because of love lost, which made it really challenging because we were crazy about each other,” she explained.Jake Giles Netter/E! Entertainment/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images"And so I just decided I didn’t want to be in a toxic relationship anymore and I had to break it off,” she added. “But that’s made it hard and made me sit here and question it for a few months. But then going back and dating him a little bit made me reaffirm it like, ‘No, I know that I’m doing the right decision.’ “Growing up with divorced parents influenced the way Cavallari has approached the breakup with her children. TheVery Cavallaristar told Bristowe that she simply wanted her kids to see her happy, and believes they’re “better off” with their parents going separate ways.Emma McIntyre /AMA2020/Getty Images"I don’t want my kids growing up thinking that this is a good relationship because I got to see my mom [get] remarried and in a good relationship, so I knew what one was,” she said, noting they’ve adjusted “really well” to the circumstances.If the two didn’t share children, however, Cavallari says she would “never talk to him again.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Back in June, the Uncommon James designer toldGrazia Magazinethat she has her kids every other week, which has given her a littlemore time for herself.Sara Jaye Weiss/Shutterstock"I have just decided that the week I have my kids, I’m mom,” she told the outlet. “I have a week off where I can go to dinner every night with my friends if I want to. I can work really hard if I need to. I can stay at the office later if I need to.“Earlier that month, Cutler toldE! Newsthat Camden, Jaxon and Saylor have beenadjusting well to the breakup, and that he and Cavallari will always put their children first.“I mean, kids are resilient,” he explained. “With school and all the activities, we’ve done a good job of putting them first.”

Photo: Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images

Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler

Kristin Cavallariis moving on.Speaking with Kaitlyn Bristowe’sOff The Vinepodcast Tuesday, the 34-year-old reality star said hersplitwith her ex-husbandJay Cutlerwas perhaps “the brightest and saddest” time of her life.“There’s been times over the last 18 months where I’m like, ‘Is this the right decision?'“Cavallari told Bristowe. “Jay [and] I actually went on a couple of dates like months and months and months ago. But we did! But then I was like … It’s not there for me anymore.“Cavallari and the former NFL quarterback, 38, announced their split in April 2020 after seven years of marriage. The exes share three children: sonsCamden Jack, 9, andJaxon Wyatt, 7, and daughterSaylor James, 5.Jason LaVeris/Getty ImagesThe months since filing for divorce, Cavallari told Bristowe, have been “such a roller coaster” filled with some “really sad moments.” In hindsight, however, the entrepreneur knows she made the right choice.“The thing with Jay is, we aren’t getting our divorce because of love lost, which made it really challenging because we were crazy about each other,” she explained.Jake Giles Netter/E! Entertainment/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images"And so I just decided I didn’t want to be in a toxic relationship anymore and I had to break it off,” she added. “But that’s made it hard and made me sit here and question it for a few months. But then going back and dating him a little bit made me reaffirm it like, ‘No, I know that I’m doing the right decision.’ “Growing up with divorced parents influenced the way Cavallari has approached the breakup with her children. TheVery Cavallaristar told Bristowe that she simply wanted her kids to see her happy, and believes they’re “better off” with their parents going separate ways.Emma McIntyre /AMA2020/Getty Images"I don’t want my kids growing up thinking that this is a good relationship because I got to see my mom [get] remarried and in a good relationship, so I knew what one was,” she said, noting they’ve adjusted “really well” to the circumstances.If the two didn’t share children, however, Cavallari says she would “never talk to him again.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Back in June, the Uncommon James designer toldGrazia Magazinethat she has her kids every other week, which has given her a littlemore time for herself.Sara Jaye Weiss/Shutterstock"I have just decided that the week I have my kids, I’m mom,” she told the outlet. “I have a week off where I can go to dinner every night with my friends if I want to. I can work really hard if I need to. I can stay at the office later if I need to.“Earlier that month, Cutler toldE! Newsthat Camden, Jaxon and Saylor have beenadjusting well to the breakup, and that he and Cavallari will always put their children first.“I mean, kids are resilient,” he explained. “With school and all the activities, we’ve done a good job of putting them first.”

Kristin Cavallariis moving on.

Speaking with Kaitlyn Bristowe’sOff The Vinepodcast Tuesday, the 34-year-old reality star said hersplitwith her ex-husbandJay Cutlerwas perhaps “the brightest and saddest” time of her life.

“There’s been times over the last 18 months where I’m like, ‘Is this the right decision?'“Cavallari told Bristowe. “Jay [and] I actually went on a couple of dates like months and months and months ago. But we did! But then I was like … It’s not there for me anymore.”

Cavallari and the former NFL quarterback, 38, announced their split in April 2020 after seven years of marriage. The exes share three children: sonsCamden Jack, 9, andJaxon Wyatt, 7, and daughterSaylor James, 5.

Jason LaVeris/Getty Images

Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari

The months since filing for divorce, Cavallari told Bristowe, have been “such a roller coaster” filled with some “really sad moments.” In hindsight, however, the entrepreneur knows she made the right choice.

“The thing with Jay is, we aren’t getting our divorce because of love lost, which made it really challenging because we were crazy about each other,” she explained.

Jake Giles Netter/E! Entertainment/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Kristin Cavallari, Jay Cutler

“And so I just decided I didn’t want to be in a toxic relationship anymore and I had to break it off,” she added. “But that’s made it hard and made me sit here and question it for a few months. But then going back and dating him a little bit made me reaffirm it like, ‘No, I know that I’m doing the right decision.’ "

Growing up with divorced parents influenced the way Cavallari has approached the breakup with her children. TheVery Cavallaristar told Bristowe that she simply wanted her kids to see her happy, and believes they’re “better off” with their parents going separate ways.

Emma McIntyre /AMA2020/Getty Images

Kristin Cavallari

“I don’t want my kids growing up thinking that this is a good relationship because I got to see my mom [get] remarried and in a good relationship, so I knew what one was,” she said, noting they’ve adjusted “really well” to the circumstances.

If the two didn’t share children, however, Cavallari says she would “never talk to him again.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Back in June, the Uncommon James designer toldGrazia Magazinethat she has her kids every other week, which has given her a littlemore time for herself.

Sara Jaye Weiss/Shutterstock

Kristin Cavallari

“I have just decided that the week I have my kids, I’m mom,” she told the outlet. “I have a week off where I can go to dinner every night with my friends if I want to. I can work really hard if I need to. I can stay at the office later if I need to.”

Earlier that month, Cutler toldE! Newsthat Camden, Jaxon and Saylor have beenadjusting well to the breakup, and that he and Cavallari will always put their children first.

“I mean, kids are resilient,” he explained. “With school and all the activities, we’ve done a good job of putting them first.”

source: people.com