Kate Gosselin Says Dating Questions Remind Her She's Alone

— -- On her 40th birthday, Kate Gosselin had two simple birthday wishes: For her children to be happy and for the public to stop focusing on her personal life.

Over dinner with a girlfriend, the "Kate Plus 8" star lamented in an episode that airs tonight that she's often asked about whether she's dating.

"Don't they realize after five years it offends me?" she asked in a clip obtained by People magazine. "It's annoying and it's a reminder that, here I am! It's just me!"

Gosselin, 40, split from her ex-husband Jon Gosselin in 2009. They have eight children together, twins Cara and Mady, 14, and 11-year-old sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aeden, Collin, Leah and Joel.

"I've been divorced for five years," she told her pal. "It's been the greatest five years of my life."

Gosselin also explained that since splitting from Jon, her parenting style hasn't changed.

"My goals haven't changed in terms of raising my kids. My ideas haven't changed," she added. "I'm just doing it alone now."

One of those goals, she continued, was that her children stay close.

"I want my kids to grow up and be each other's best friends," she said.