Christina Aguilera: 'I Never Leave The House'

Christina Aguilera is so determined to keep her family out of the spotlight -- she very rarely leaves the house.

The 'Dirrty' singer -- who gave birth to her first child, Max, in January this year -- says she'd rather spend time with her family in the garden of her new house than venture outside and be photographed by the paparazzi.

She explains, "A lot of people go out of their way [to be photographed]; I make a conscious effort to keep me and my family out of the limelight. The other day a paparazzo actually pulled up to my husband on the street and said, 'Geez, I know the new house is big, but I've been trying to get a picture of you for months--you never leave the house!'

"And it's true: I'll go out at night after spending time with my son, but [during the day] I just hang out on my grounds, taking him for walks in the stroller in the backyard where we won't be seen."

Aguilera, 27, also revealed that having a child changed her relationship with her own mother.

She added to America's Glamour magazine, "It's given me a deeper understanding of the things she went through.

"She had a difficult childhood, and I think she wanted to make sure [I didn't go through that]--[yet] she ended up marrying an abuser.

"My mom was so giving, almost too much, that she almost forgot about herself many times. So I'm careful to make time for myself. Rather than change who I am for Max, I bring the life lessons I've learned to the table."