Courtesy of Janelle Brown/Instagram; TLC
Sister Wives’ Janelle Brown Praises Son Gabe For ‘Always Checking on His Mama’ Amid Kody Feud
Sister Wives star Janelle Brown praised her son Gabe Brown on his birthday amid his estrangement from his father, Kody Brown.
“Happy birthday @gabebrown,” the TLC personality, 54, shared via Instagram alongside a compilation of adorable clips on Wednesday, October 11. “I hope your next year is better than ever.”
The mom of six concluded the sweet statement by thanking her son, “who feels deeply and has the tenderest of hearts,” for being the one “always checking on his mama.”
Janelle’s tribute for her son follows concerns she voiced about Gabe, 22, and her son Garrison Brown’s mental health amid major drama with their father.
“Me and Garrison are at odds with my dad, because when we expressed our discontent at how things were going with COVID, I was met with just a wall,” Gabe explained during the Sunday, October 8, episode of the long-running series. “And there was no line of dialogue. I think that that is what really drove the wedge between us.”
In her own confessional, Janelle admitted Garrison, 24, “seems angry or sadder, like, he’s not as happy-go-lucky as he used to be.”
“I have worried about my boys’ mental health,” the TLC personality continued. “Gabriel feels everything very, very deeply. But he’s also the kid who doesn’t say anything.”
Meanwhile, Kody, 54, admitted to feeling “powerless” when it comes to the relationships with his older children. The father of 18 admitted things began to “unravel” when they were unable to work through their past issues, mentioning his strict rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Your relationship with your 10-year-old or your five-year-old or your babies is very different than the relationship you have with a 15-year-old, a 20-year-old, and a 25 and a 30-year-old. It’s very different,” the Brown patriarch told People in an interview published on October 4. “I didn’t have any power in my household to say, ‘These are the rules.’”
He added that the family was dealing with “very difficult” issues at the time and hoped they “move forward” and “hopefully heal these relationships.”
Kody’s conflict with his sons was a major source of tension in his and Janelle’s marriage, ultimately leading to their split in December 2022. Sister Wives viewers even watched the duo have an explosive fight about their older sons during the latest season, which premiered on August 20.
At the time, Kody slammed the Plexus Ambassador for her “lack of loyalty” and criticized her for not helping him communicate with their sons and following family rules.
“It still surprises me that Kody feels like it’s my responsibility to facilitate this relationship between he and my children,” Janelle said during the September 3 episode. “He’s a parent as much as I am.”
In addition to Gabe and Garrison, Janelle and Kody also share kids Logan, Maddie, Hunter and Savanah.
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