Readers sound off on Britney Spears' custody battle

(CNN) -- Pop singer Britney Spears has been ordered to give up custody of her children effective Wednesday at noon. Her former husband, Kevin Federline, is to retain custody of their two sons "until further order of the court," according to a ruling by Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon.

Spears, 25, was ordered last month to submit to drug tests after a judge found she engaged in "habitual, frequent, and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol." From her days of teen superstardom to recent media attention over reports of erratic behavior, Spears has traveled a turbulent road.

We asked readers to respond to this story through CNN.com's Sound Off feature, and we received a remarkable amount of feedback. A selection of the comments are included below, some of which have been edited for length and clarity.

Karie of Columbus, Ohio
When it comes down to it, this isn't about Britney. It's about two little boys that she and Kevin brought into this world that she obviously can't take care of at this time because she has issues with herself that she needs to get right. I hope this is a wake-up call for her and she will give 110 percent to get right so that she can be a mom to those two little boys before they are old enough to realize what is going on. I wish her the best!

Brad of Birmingham
Britney lives in a fantasy land created by her celebrity status. She's not living in the real world like the rest of us. She needs to get away from Hollywood and all that spotlight, and come back down to Earth. I guarantee you that she could move back to Louisiana, buy a farm and lay low for a few years to mature into a woman and then relaunch her career at age 28 or 29. She'd be back on top of the world. It could be a great a success story.

Lis of Boston
Britney, you gave birth to two people. They need your love, your strength and a good example. Care more about them than the Hollywood party scene because if your looks and money were gone, the party would be gone too! Maybe Hollywood and the tabloids want you to fail for good business, but the rest of us want you to succeed as a mom and as a good person!

George of Washington
Man, what has life come to when kids are sent to K-Fed because he's the "good" parent?

Kevin of Fanwood, New Jersey
What about "postpartum depression"? In this day and age it surprises me that no one in the media has even suggested it. Everyone assumes that she is acting out for publicity and that she's too immature to have kids (which may be possible), but no one has given her the benefit of the doubt that she might have postpartum depression. She's a young mom, who gave birth to 2 kids pretty quickly. Yeah, she's made stupid choices in the past, but she's a mom! With regards to Kevin Federline, maybe he's a moocher, but he's the only one of the two of them who seems capable of taking care of those kids right now. As a dad, I have a little bit of experience in this!

Judy of New Mexico
Enough. Dysfunction, addiction and immaturity never equal lasting success. I hope she survives this insanity and gets it together, in privacy. She is no longer news -- she's just a train wreck. Forget being a performer. Just try for some semblance of sanity.

Bradley of Canada
This "girl" is a grown woman and needs to smarten up -- period!

Felicia of Ohio
I am sorry, but there are a lot of parents who are facing a life without any support from others and doing a great job of raising their children. There are thousands of cases each year of parents who are not properly taking care of their children and these children are removed from the home for their safety. I feel she got what she deserves. I feel too many people want to "cut her slack" because of the pop sensation that she once was. It is time to remind celebrities that they are citizens like the rest of us and need to live by the same rules. If we cut her slack, where do we draw the line? In the end, too much slack will end in the possible ... grave endangerment of one of her children.

Dana of Colorado
While it is true that Britney is likely a product of her environment, it isn't her poor behavior that is up for judgment. It is the safety and welfare of the children. Children have been removed from the home for less-serious offenses and hiring a nanny has not saved these children from their mother's self-destructive behavior. Hopefully she can get some real help and support so that she can grow up and be a mother to her children before not having her [around] does some real damage.

Mia of Oklahoma
Those poor children! Give them to me, I will take care of them. But I do hope Brit gets help, for her own good and those two precious boys.

Michelle of Vermont
This is such a sad story on all sides. I hope that after this she just goes off to some place in the middle of nowhere (FAR AWAY from the media) and gets her life back on track. The next time I want to see her is when she is a completely changed person. That is what it takes to gain respect back.

Kat of Atlanta, Georgia
Britney Spears is beyond selfish. If she cared at all for the well-being of her children she would have straightened up when she was first threatened with the loss of them, but it is clear she values celebrity and fame over the well-being of her kids. The judge made the right decision in taking them away from her. Britney is a danger to those kids and should not be allowed to see them without supervision. Clearly she is not mature enough to be allowed that privilege. E-mail to a friend