Demi Lovato is making her directorial debut with Child Star, an upcoming Hulu documentary on how fame and fortune affects young people. It features interviews with fellow child stars Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, Kenan Thompson, Raven-Symoné and JoJo Siwa, and Demi says it’s helped her to come to terms with her past.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Demi says, “I didn’t realize that child stardom could be traumatic — and it isn’t traumatic for everyone, but for me, it was.” She says of her past struggles, “It’s easy to excuse that behavior because I was so young and in so much pain, but I’m really remorseful, and that’s a guilt that stays with you forever.”   

Demi says she’s encouraged to see that these days child stars and their families get help and support. Still, she says if one of her future children ever told her they wanted to follow in her footsteps, she’d tell them, “Let’s study music theory and prepare you for the day you turn 18, because it’s not happening before that … because I want you to have a childhood, the childhood that I didn’t have. ”

She also says she’d tell them to “come up with a backup plan,” which she says she wishes she had.

“Sometimes I think it’s time for me to move on, but I’m in this weird position in my career because I still rely on music for my income,” she says. While she’s in the studio recording new music, she says she’s not sure she’ll ever tour again.

“It takes a toll on your body,” says Demi, 31. “I’m not 15 anymore.”

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