'Kate Plus Date' star Kate Gosselin says dating in front of the camera is 'safer'

Kate Gosselin isn't afraid to share her dating life with the public.

Gosselin, who raised her large family in front of the world starting with "Jon & Kate Plus 8," broadcast her contentious split from husband Jon Gosselin, and doesn't have any reservations about staying in the spotlight. In fact, the mother of eight welcomes it because it's less risky.

"Honestly I feel safer. … I felt more scared about going into public and meeting a stranger," she said on the "Today" show Tuesday while discussing her new TLC series "Kate Plus Date."

Gosselin, 44, continued: "I mean, there are so many news stories out there it scares me to death and, honestly, as a parent, the responsibility is greater for me to be safe, because I have people counting on me."

Related: Kate Gosselin raised her kids on TV; now she'll try to find a new man on camera

Gosselin revealed that her children – twins Mady and Cara, 18, and sextuplets Hannah, Collin, Leah, Joel, Alexis and Aaden, 15 – encouraged her to look for love following her divorce from Jon in 2009.

"Mady and Cara headed off to college, my 'little kids' are headed into high school, and it suddenly occurred to me that pretty soon it’s just going to be, like, me and the dogs rattling around the house," she said. "I had to look myself in the mirror and say, ‘OK, if I don’t want to be single forever, I at least have to try.'"

Related: Kate Gosselin is every proud mom as she shares a back-to-school photo of her kids

Gosselin and Jon were married for a decade before their messy split that involved disputes over the children's custody. However, that appears to be water under the bridge now.

"I am a huge supporter of, you know, the kids have to have a voice," she said. "They will all say I never made them choose, I don’t think it’s healthy. Whatever works for each of them works for me, and their happiness is the most important thing to me."

Gosselin confirmed Hannah and Collin are living with their father, while the rest of the siblings live with her. "We're as happy as eight teenagers can be," she added.

More: Jon, Kate Gosselin butt heads over child custody at orthodontist's office; police called

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Kate Plus Date' star Kate Gosselin says dating in front of the camera is 'safer'