I’m Struggling To Understand How Sister Wives Kody Brown Thinks He Can Fix His Relationships With His Kids Without Change

Sister Wivesstar Kody Brown has been dealing with difficult relationships with his kids for years, but I’m struggling to understand how he thinks he can fix his relationships with them without major change. Throughout the run of Sister Wives, Kody has been open about his relationships with his 18 children. While some of them are fulfilling and sweet, the majority of the relationships he shares with his kids are difficult for him to navigate. Early in his marriages to Christine Brown, Janelle Brown, and Meri Brown, Kody had a different level of devotion, but after Robyn Brown, things changed.

When Robyn joined the Brown family, spiritually marrying Kody in 2010 and legally marrying him in 2014, there was a status quo the family had upheld for years regarding Kody’s presence with his families. Throughout Sister Wives, viewers watched as the status quo changed to revolve around Robyn and the family she created with Kody. Now, as Sister Wives season 19 is showing the cracks in the family, seeing Kody have to contend with his decisions has been eye-opening. He claims he wants relationships with his kids, but I don’t see how he can have that without some major change.

Kody’s Marriage To Robyn Messed Up His Relationships With His Kids

He’s Been Prioritizing Robyn Over Anyone Else

Sister Wives' Robyn Brown opens her mouth in pain and Kody Brown is serious. — Sister Wives' Robyn Brown and Kody Brown

As Kody has moved through his adult life, he’s made some difficult decisions that have brought him closer to Robyn, but alienated him from his older children. After bringing Robyn into the pre-established Brown family, the patriarch has made it clear that his care has been less focused on the rest of his family, and more on Robyn. Kody consistently tried to make it seem like he was an equal opportunity parent, swearing he followed a schedule and made time for his other kids, but it quickly became clear when Robyn’s kids entered the picture that Kody wasn’t being fair.

With Robyn’s kids from her previous marriage coming into the picture and ultimately being adopted by Kody, it was clear that he was working hard to foster a relationship with them. While that was a noble effort, seeing Kody virtually abandon the other children he had at the time was tough on them as well as their mothers. Christine, Janelle, and Meri struggled with the way Kody treated their children, while the kids relied on their mothers and each other to move through the difficult times. Eventually Kody welcomed two younger kids with Robyn and drew lines in the sand.

Kody & Robyn’s Relationship Has Shown The Brown Kids That Kody Can Be Different

He’s Been Responsible And Present With Robyn’s Family

Although Kody’s time with Robyn has been tough for the kids to see, the Brown children have also had to face the harsh reality that their father’s behavior was something he was able to change in a different environment. Kody became a genuine parent to his kids with Robyn, sticking by them and actually parenting them throughout their lives rather than moving around from home to home like he did with his older kids. Seeing Kody prove that his parental relationship with his kids could be loving was incredibly tough on the Brown kids who knew him before his change.

Kody’s Choice To Be Supportive & Attentive With Robyn Has Hurt The Brown Kids

He’s Made His Decision

As Kody has moved through his relationship with Robyn, it’s become clear that when he wants to be supportive and attentive, he has no problem doing so. In previous seasons of Sister Wives, Kody’s kids have spoken out about the fact that it’s been tough to see their father operate like a father to others while demanding the respect a parent who’s present would get from them. Christine and Janelle’s children have been vocal about the way that Kody’s relationship with Robyn has impacted their view of him. Kody’s proven an inability to accept that he’s treated Robyn’s kids differently.

Knowing that Kody can be a good father to others, but refused to be present for the rest of the Brown children in most circumstances has been a tough pill for the original Brown kids to swallow. While the kids have reconciled with the fact that, while it’s been difficult for them to see, Kody has been able to parent effectively, Kody himself hasn’t embraced that he’s treated his kids any differently through the years. Despite knowing that there’s been some major dissonance between his perception of himself and his children’s perception of him, Kody hasn’t embraced his own reality.

Could Kody Ever Really Mend Fences With His Children?

He’s Looking For Them To Come To Him

Sister Wives Maddie & Kody Brown in side by side images with concerned expressions & money background — Sister Wives Maddie & Kody Brown

Although Kody has shared in recent Sister Wivesepisodes that he would be open to reconciling with his kids in the future, he’s created stipulations around that reconciliation that don’t feel based in reality. Kody has shared that the door is open for them to talk and reconcile, but he wants his kids to reach out to him first on principle. I’m sure that some of the Brown kids would be interested in rebuilding a new relationship with their father, but until Kody chooses to act like a parent and not a scorned friend, I don’t believe it can happen.

Sister Wives airs Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on TLC.

Source: TLC/Instagram