JENNIFER LOPEZ's young twins with ex-husband MARC ANTHONY have begun asking the pop star about the couple's divorce, wondering if their dad will ever be coming home.

The On the Floor hitmaker gave birth to little Emme and Max in February, 2008, three years before her marriage fell apart, and the tots, who turn five next month (Feb13), have started catching on and questioning why their father is no longer around.

Lopez admits it has been "brutal" explaining the split to them.

She tells People magazine, "They ask hard things. They'll say, 'Didn't Daddy used to live here? When is he coming back to sleep here?' And I say, 'Yes he did, but he has his own home now.' I just try to make it OK for them because that's all I care about. I don't want to damage them in any way."

And Lopez reveals she has even written a song inspired by her tough conversations with her kids, called We Loved, and sobbed as she recorded it recently.