After four years of separation, Kate Gosselin “would be open” to reconciling with her estranged son, Collin Gosselin, a source tells In Touch exclusively.

“She is still bitter over things he has said about her,” the insider explains of Collin’s past comments about Kate, 47. “He is her child, and she loves him regardless, but she can be very spiteful. Once you cross her it is difficult to recover.”

After Kate and Jon Gosselin divorced in 2009, the mother of eight revealed that Collin, 18, was admitted to an institution to address his behavioral issues. After leaving the institution in 2018, Collin – who is one of the former couple’s sextuplets – moved in with Jon, 45, who was granted full custody.

 “Her side of the story is totally different from what Collin explains,” the source continues. “Kate claims Collin needed behavioral help and that sending him away to school was for his own good. But he and Jon have never seen it that way.”

 The insider adds that Collin and Jon “think she sent him away as punishment, as if she didn’t want to deal with the issues he was having, noting that his behavioral issues were “caused by the show and their fame.”

On November 28, Collin – who has remained relatively private since his days on television ended – opened up about his relationship with Kate during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, admitting “it would be ideal” to get back in touch. He also addressed the previous dynamic he had with his mother, claiming that it was complicated long before he was sent away.

“I didn’t have a relationship with her,” the former TLC personality shared. “Even before [being] there, I don’t think we had much of a relationship, and I think that just kept tearing it even more down.”

The Jon and Kate Plus 8 alum added that being raised on a reality TV show led to his strained relationship with his mother. “I want to believe it was because of TV and what being in the public eye does to a family. I think it tore us apart,” Collin told the outlet. “It gave us less time to actually be together as a family, [and] more time to be in the public eye.”

Collin also reflected on his December 2018 custody hearing, in which Jon earned sole custody after the I Just Want You To Know author didn’t show up to court. Before the meeting took place, Kate’s request for the court date to be postponed was declined.

Kate Gosselin ‘Would Be Open’ to Reconciling With Estranged Son Collin But Is ‘Still Bitter’
Tlc-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

“It didn’t really bother me,” he said of Kate’s absence. “It’s like I said, it’s on her own terms and if she doesn’t want to show up, she doesn’t have to show up.”

As for the Kate Plus 8 alum, the source tells In Touch that she “thinks about her children every day,” but her pride has gotten in the way of mending her relationship with Collin. 

“She is saddened by the state of their relationship, but she is so proud that she gets in her own way. Maybe seeing how willing Collin is to reconciliation will make her realize that things don’t need to be this way.”

Have a tip? Send it to us! Email In Touch at contact@intouchweekly.com.