‘Sister Wives’ Recap: Janelle Questions Kody and Robyn’s ‘Poor Parenting,’ ‘Separateness’ With Kids

Janelle Brown claimed in the latest Sister Wives episode that there was “separateness” at Robyn Brown and Kody Brown ’s house — and all the kids felt it.

“My children, like, were scolded if they would open up Robyn’s fridge,” Janelle, 55, alleged during the Sunday, September 29, episode of the TLC series.

Janelle, who separated from Kody, 55, in 2022 after 30 years together, argued that Kody’s children with his first three wives were never given as much attention once Robyn, 45, entered the plural family. (Kody legally married Robyn in 2014 after divorcing first wife Meri Brown . Meri, 53, and Kody remained spiritually wed until their 2023 split. Kody's third wife, Christine Brown , left him in November 2021.)

According to Janelle, the tension wasn’t because her kids didn’t like Robyn, but because Robyn allowed Kody to not split his time equally among the other households .

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“My kids were always — like, from the very beginning — they knew that their dad was not going to always be there,” Janelle told the cameras. “I always felt, like, that Kody and Robyn mismanaged the situation with her children.” (Kody and Janelle had six children together before their son Garrison died in March 2024. He was 25.)

Janelle claimed that Kody “couldn't be away for more than three or four days because Ari just gets so sad or whatever,” referring to Kody and Robyn’s 8-year-old daughter. The pair also share son Solomon, 12, and Kody adopted Robyn’s three older kids from a prior marriage.

“I feel like that was poor parenting,” Janelle quipped. “Through all [the] history of the family, the other kids did it. They’re fine.”

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Robyn denied that her kids got special treatment when the plural family was still together. She acknowledged that Ari “loved her dad” and “wants to be around her dad” but argued that didn’t affect Kody’s time with his other kids.

“Did it ever stop Kody from going to another mom's home? No, it didn't ,” Robyn asserted. “I wouldn't have allowed it.”

Robyn added that Meri, who shares Leon with Kody, was “very accepting” of her three older kids “across the board.” However, she claimed that “the rest of the family really struggled to accept my kids and I” and noted that all they wanted was “to be a part of this family.”

Christine, who shares six kids with Kody, explained that her children stopped wanting to visit Kody at Robyn’s house because of how the adults interacted .

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“My kids didn't like going over there because they saw that Robyn and their dad were a couple and he wasn't in our home,” Christine, 52, claimed. “They were frustrated at different things.”

Kody had a different version of events , saying, “Christine and I were always romantic at her house, and I think we've forgotten that.”

As the tension boiled over with her sister wives and their kids, Robyn told the cameras that she is “mourning” and “grieving” all of the lost relationships. “[I’m] dealing with some of my own just situational depression from it,” she shared.

Robyn added, “It's just so sad and I miss family members.”

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