Jon Gosselin Enjoys Bachelorhood, Kate Gosselin Vacations with the Kids

They may have their kids' best interests at heart, but Kate Gosselin's not afraid to say what she really thinks of her soon-to-be ex-husband Jon Gosselin's behavior.

"It is hurtful. It's very hurtful," she told NBC about Jon dating 22-year-old Hailey Glassman, the daughter of the surgeon who performed Kate's 2006 tummy tuck. "To be very honest, the most hurtful part is when his decisions directly affect our children. That's the hardest part for me."

"Clearly, his goals are not my goals, so we just needed to work that out," Kate added. "I think it's very clear that we are two different people at this point, with two different sets of goals."

Still, Kate admitted that she keeps her wedding ring on for their eight children and will take it off "when the time is right." She also defended herself against critics who argue that she and Jon should ditch their reality TV show and focus on their family, saying, "I still feel like this is a good thing. It's healthy. And the kids would agree."

"I don't want to upset them," Kate said about the kids. "While I've been very real and as honest as I need to be, I don't want to shock them. I've walked slowly through this with them. As they've asked questions, I've answered them."

Yet so many questions remain. Gosselin was expected to react to Kate's comments and share his side of the story in an interview with E! News tonight, but earlier today, the network announced that the reality TV dad would not be appearing. Instead of him, E! will interview Kate Major, the Star magazine senior reporter who resigned after citing a "conflict of interest" between her job and relationship with Gosselin.

"Jon & Kate Plus 8" returned to TLC last Monday after weeks of Jon's flurry of romances while Kate stayed at home in Wernersville, Pa., with their eight children. But while the couple settles into their new, separate lives, the show that made them famous is apparently not fairing as well.

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The show's Monday, August 3rd return drew in 4.2 million viewers, a 61 percent drop from the show's last episode, in which the Gosselins announced their decision to divorce after eight years of marriage.

On Monday night's back-to-back episodes, Kate vacationed with their twins and sextuplets while Jon supervised kitchen renovations during the first half hour, drawing only 3.9 million viewers.

In the last half hour, 4.1 million viewers watched Kate camping with the kids, without Jon. The second episode lacked the tension of the first because it was filmed after the Gosselins announced their divorce. Kate had some difficulties starting the camp fire, and 34-year-old told cameras the kids constantly wished Jon could be there.

"It's not their fault what has transpired has transpired," she said. "My main goal is to make this transition as painless for these kids as possible."

Jon Becomes a Swinging Single

The new season, featuring a single armchair for question and answer sessions rather than the couple's famous couch, is clearly focusing on the split-parenting duties in the middle of their pending divorce. But in the media, the news is mostly on Jon's newfound bachelor life, with headlines about the Gosselins splashed on weekly entertainment magazines.

Ian Drew, senior editor at Us Weekly magazine, said the show is "irrelevant" to what is actually going on in Jon and Kate's personal lives.

"He was caught cheating to begin with," Drew told ABCNews.com, adding that the Jon and Kate saga sells. "He plays into the idea in the media of this cheating husband that every woman hears. It's interesting to see what the real story is."

Mindy Roberts, a 40-year-old mother of three who serves as a panelist for Momversation.com and runs Themommyblog.net, knows what it's like to split parenting duties.

Roberts, from San Jose, Calif., split with her husband in 2005, but made an effort to do everything together like a family, just living in two separate households.

"People criticized us, because everyone believes it's better not to send a mixed message," Roberts said. "Kate is going to come out looking better because she's hanging with the kids. I don't think Jon has a full concept of what he's doing."