Sister Wives Season 19 is currently on a break, but the discussions about the family are alive and well.
Many viewers are taking the opportunity to rewatch the series and examine the family’s growth and change over time.
Many have realized the polygamist dynamic was never healthy for the children, no matter how the adults tried to paint the situation.
See what viewers are discussing online.
Sister Wives Viewers Note The Children’s Mental Health Issues
While Sister Wives fans generally love Christine and Janelle, they also acknowledge they were never perfect parents. In fact, most agree that all the adults played a role in the family’s destruction to some degree.
“Not sure what they wanted to accomplish w/the show, BUT,” a Sister Wives viewer started a post on Reddit. “One thing is for sure: They were terrible parents. I don’t think any of them were/are horrible on purpose. There [are] just too many people.
And even with 5 parents, they were spread too thin. The show turned out to be more of a warning sign against plural families than anything positive.”
The OP went on to discuss how many of the family’s children struggled with mental health issues. Many of the older girls struggled in the earlier season, while viewers saw several of the boys struggle during the middle seasons. The OP even acknowledged Aurora Brown’s panic attacks when Kody raised his voice.
“And every time they talk about the kids mental health, they blame it all on moving,” the OP continued. “That the kids were just having tempter tantrums because they were mad about moving. No way. I think it goes much deeper. They used moving as an excuse. Moving was just the last straw that overwhelmed the kids so much.”
The Redditor also mentioned Truely, the youngest of the original 13 children. They pointed out how Kody continuously neglected her in favor of Robyn’s children. At the end of the day, the OP felt that Truely was in the best possible place with David and Christine in Utah. They hoped she received the love and attention she deserved from her stepfather.
Other Reddit Users Chime In
In general, Reddit users agreed with the OP’s sentiments. In hindsight, it’s been very heartbreaking for Sister Wives fans to examine the emotional trauma the children sustained.
Other Redditors wrote:
- “It was heartbreaking to see Janelle and Christine agree to ripping their children out of Las Vegas. That’s when they should have stood up for their children and stuck to it.”
- “They constantly talk about not having enough time or ability to address everyone’s needs and it’s always said as an excuse for why the person with the needs should stop having them or expressing them. It’s an incredibly dysfunctional family system.”
- “I’m not worried about Truely. It looks like David and Christine pretty much include her in most everything they do, and David treats her very well from what we’ve seen.”
What do you think about the family’s dynamics over the years? Do you agree with the OP and other Redditors’ opinions? Leave your own thoughts in the comments.
