The actress leaned on fellow mom, Beverley Mitchell, throughout the show.
Jamie Lynn Spears put her mom guilt aside to try something new. ET spoke to the 31-year-old actress, and she revealed why she decided to conquer both her guilt and her fears by appearing on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, Fox's reality series in which an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives put celebs through demanding training exercises.
"At first I was really intimidated by it... I'm a control freak. I [didn't] know how I'd feel in an environment where I don't know what's gonna happen," Spears told ET. "Also leaving my children was something that was really hard for me, [but] I just decided I was gonna do something I've never done before. When else would I have this once and a lifetime opportunity to go jump out a planes and travel across the world? I just think it's something that, if you get asked, you can't say no to."
Spears' decision to participate was also one she made with her children -- Ivey, 4, and Maddie, 14 -- in mind.
"I think that being able to do something like this... [helps in] showing your children [that] you are a person and that, as they grow up, they should always remember to keep doing things that challenge them, never back down from a challenge, never get stuck in a rut of any sort, and don't be a afraid to say yes. Just go do it and see what you're capable of," she said. "I think for me that was a big part of [deciding to do it]. My [older] daughter, when I told her about it, she was like, 'Yes, go do it.' I did think that was important for me just to do something that scared me a little bit."
Making the decision to participate was "a win" for Spears, but she still felt "guilt and all these things" after doing so. When those feelings bubbled up, she turned to a fellow mom in the group, Beverley Mitchell. The 41-year-old actress is a mom of three, Mayzel, 2, Hutton, 7, and Kenzie, 9.
"It was good to have another mom next to me being like, 'You got this,'" Spears said. "It was refreshing too 'cause I was like, 'OK. I'm not alone in this.'"
Mitchell agreed, telling ET, "I think absolutely there [were] plenty of car rides and bonding moments where we were talking about our kids. Having those moments being able to lean on each other... [knowing] how difficult it was to leave our families, but being able to share the stories and laugh... the lighthearted moments were necessary, 100 percent."
The pair's quick bond was something they also felt with the rest of the cast, which also includes stars such as Hannah Brown, Kenya Moore and Gus Kenworthy.
"You have no choice but to instantly bond. I think that's why the show is so special, because people are immediately just people and I just love that," Spears said. "I'm so glad that I was able to do this and I would have truly regretted it if I didn't, 'cause I have a whole new group of friends that I feel like is family. Just having them in this industry it feels really nice."
Special Forces: World's Toughest Test premieres Jan. 4 on Fox.
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