Why Britney Spears Skipped Niece’s Graduation: ‘No Chance’ of Her ‘Sitting in the Same Room’ as Dad Jamie

Britney Spears hasn’t totally turned her back on her family despite missing 17-year-old niece Maddie Watson‘s high school graduation in Amite, Louisiana on Friday, May 8 and is open to a reunion once she’s feeling stronger, a source tells Star.

“Britney’s priority right now is to continue to heal post-rehab,” the source explains. “She’s taking everything one day at a time and doing extremely well for the most part.”

The “Toxic” singer, 44, voluntarily checked herself into treatment after she was arrested in March on suspicion of driving under the influence in Ventura, California, her rep told People. She’s since pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, per Page Six, and was sentenced to one year of informal probation and 30 hours of alcohol school.

“The reality is she’s still quite fragile,” admits the source, “and there was no chance of her hopping on a plane to Louisiana, let alone sitting in the same room as her dad [Jamie Spears], whom she’s totally written out of her life for good after everything he put her through.”

Another reason Britney skipped the ceremony? “She doesn’t do well in crowds,” says Star‘s source. “It gives her major anxiety when people are scrutinizing her, and her presence would have turned the event into a circus, which is not something she wanted to put Maddie through on her big day.”

The pop star sent her well-wishes though, the source reveals.

“She’s planning to catch up with certain members of her family when the time is right,” the source shares. “But first she’s recharging those batteries, both physically and mentally, and not putting herself into any situation that’ll inflict her with undue stress.”