Sister Wives: Kody Brown Has Finally Reached Out To Make Amends With Some Of His Older Children (Is It Too Late?)

Sister Wives season 19 star Kody Brown had a tumultuous relationship with many of his children, but there are signs the family could be healing. It’s sad to think about how far the Brown family has fallen over the years. When the beloved unscripted series premiered in 2010, they seemed like such a happy bunch. They presented an image of a functional polygamous family instead of what is often depicted on film and television. Back then, the Browns all lived under the same roof, in a multiplex in Utah, and they seemed happy.

By the time Sister Wives season 19 aired, everything had changed for Kody and his family. At his peak, Kody had four wives and 18 children. Starting in 2021, three of Kody’s four wives have walked away from the marriage and the plural family. Not only did Kody find himself in a monogamous marriage with his fourth wife, Robyn Brown, but many of his older children were barely speaking to him. Though Kody has stubbornly refused to make amends with his children over the last few years, he recently took a big step in starting the healing process.

Kody Was Close To His Children Growing Up

Things Started To Change After He Married Robyn

When audiences met the Brown family in 2010, they were living different lives. They lived in a large complex in Utah that was built by a polygamist, with polygamists in mind. The large home had multiple apartments where each wife could run her household with her children. Kody would travel from family to family, but he got to see all of his children every day. Everything changed after the Browns left Utah and moved into multiple homes. They’d never live under the same roof again.

Once they lived in multiple homes, Kody stopped seeing all of his children every day. Over time, the homes got farther apart, so the family got together less often. At one point, the Browns took over multiple homes on a cul-de-sac, which seemed like the perfect set-up, but the arrangement didn’t last. The Browns moved around a lot, and every season of Sister Wives seemed to find them in multiple new homes. At different points, Sister Wives was filmed in Utah, Arizona, and even Las Vegas.

The Sister Wives stars eventually bought a large plot of land in Arizona that they intended to develop. The idea that each wife would build a home, and, eventually, their children could someday build their own homes. It was a beautiful idea, but it never became a reality. The Browns fell apart long before they could ever build on the land at Coyote Pass. After many years of sitting there undeveloped, the Browns’ Arizona land recently sold at a large profit.

How COVID Divided The Brown Family Apart

It Exposed All The Existing Rifts

In 2010, Kody married Robyn and added her and her three children from her first marriage to the mix. The couple would go on to have two of their children. The new wing of the family changed the overall dynamic of the group. With so many more children needing Kody’s attention, the Sister Wives season 19 patriarch had less and less time for his older children. This led to an enormous amount of resentment. It all came to a head when the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe in 2020.

The Brown family was already in trouble when COVID-19 came along. The pandemic exposed existing rifts. Different households had varying opinions on risk tolerance, and Kody was the most risk-averse, so he would go for long periods without seeing his older children. The issue came between Kody and several of his sons, whom he accused of not being cautious enough. He even skipped Ysabel Brown’s scoliosis surgery because he was too afraid to travel.

When the holidays came around, Kody and Robyn refused to see family members unless they followed strict COVID rules, which included wiping down groceries, changing clothes when entering the house, and leaving mail outside for 24 hours. When several of his older children couldn’t follow his viral mitigation rules, Kody refused to see them on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The pandemic led to the family splitting up during the holidays for the first time. It was the beginning of the end for the Browns.

Three Divorces Tore The Browns Apart

Kody Went Through Three Divorces In 14 Months

COVID triggered Kody’s third wife, Christine Brown, to walk away. She’d been unhappy, but once Kody and Robyn refused to see his other wives, Christine realized she’d be better off leaving. They’d been married for 27 years and had six children together. Kody’s second wife, Janelle Brown, left him a year later after 29 years of marriage and six children. Kody’s first wife, Meri Brown, was the last to walk away. She left in 2022 after 32 years of marriage and one child.

Kody Recently Spent Time With His Older Children

They’ve Started The Healing Process

During a recent episode of Sister Wives season 19, Kody revealed that he recently got together with Christine’s children in Utah. Other than Mykelti Brown, Kody hasn’t stayed in touch with all his other children. Kody said two of his sons “from another mother” were there. This could mean Janelle’s sons, Logan Brown, Hunter Brown, or Gabriel Brown. After losing contact with many of his children, it’s great that Kody is finally starting to make amends.