S05.E13: One More Woman in Kody's Life

[Kohola3]

Gee, I think I need a break too. I have worked full time for over 40 years, had 4 kids that I raised so I deserve a breatk. I want somebody to come and do my housework and cooking for me.

 

For God's sake the women HAS NO JOB.  What the hell does she do all day that she needs a break from?

[gunderda]

I wouldn't be surprised if Meri was working at the one store they always seem to shop at for gifts. Those types of places always seem to need some sort of really really really part time help.  I just don't really see her sitting at home doing nothing, especially with no kids around. 

I also thought it was very interesting how Mykelti wants to have sister wives but her sister absolutely does not. And I felt a little bad for the way they responded about Mariah being their sister wife.... I hope she has a fairly decent relationship with her siblings...

[Oldernowiser]

I think they have all decided that filming the show constitutes working.

I'm trying to be fair, so...having been on location for days just to film thirty-second commercials, it can take ridiculous amounts of time to set up and film a scene, although I suspect TLC isn't exactly bothering with multiple takes for this show.

They would have to stay available, stay in wardrobe and makeup for the few instances that they bother with continuity, dub voiceovers, learn "lines," etc.

I guess that counts. It doesn't make them actors, although they probably think they are.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Oldernowiser

[gunderda]

You're probably right.  I'm sure filming isn't that relaxing and is probably tiring to some extent. So when they are in the "off-season" and not filming they might just look at it as a long vacation.  To us it seems lazy but they're used to that lifestyle. 

 

I was just thinking about how I would love to not HAVE to have a job but I think I'd go a little stir crazy after maybe a month.

[Intuition]

For God's sake the women HAS NO JOB.  What the hell does she do all day that she needs a break from?

 

Not to defend her, but this used to be the rationale men used to devalue "women's work".  I've worked full time all my life and never had kids and yet I would not say this about Christine.  When I'm home (like I was yesterday because of snow) I find I've got plenty to do, and my house is half the size of hers plus I don't have a zillion other family members taking up my time.  Hubbie is out hustling his butt to make $$ round the clock so all the housework, food shopping, cooking, etc. falls on me.  I feel kinda sorry for Christine and the rest of the wives because as far as I can see they don't get any support from Kodouche with these things.

[DakotaJustice]

It was Meri who claims to have lost her job.

Kody was working for an electric sign company YESCO and its not clear what really happened there - he claimed that after the show aired some of his big customers asked to be reassigned to a different sales rep. So whose fault is it? There was at least one episode where kody left work early for a parent teacher conference in S1 or 2, and when he found out he wasn't needed, he played hooky from work for the rest of the day.

I bet that he wasn't available or didn't return calls promptly. His clients probably saw him on the show and said well..,there's why he never gets back to us.

Kody is lazy, IMO.

As for Meri she allowed rhe film crew to film her at work on one of the first eps while she was "helping" "at risk kids". First off, we don't know if she was even getting paid for that, and second, I would imagine there are privacy issues that didn't sit well with the parents. I doubt it was the polygamy since Lehi seems to have a good size population of them, and also the Browns had been "out" for YEARS prior to the show.

[Kohola3]

I feel kinda sorry for Christine and the rest of the wives because as far as I can see they don't get any support from Kodouche with these things.

 

Except that she has verbalized that the work was actually done by the older kids.  Now she's bemoaning the fact that they are off to school so needs live-in help in the form of her mother.  So she can do what?  Her house is a pigsty.  She needs to rest up from resting up?

[gunderda]

Except that she has verbalized that the work was actually done by the older kids.  Now she's bemoaning the fact that they are off to school so needs live-in help in the form of her mother.  So she can do what?  Her house is a pigsty.  She needs to rest up from resting up?

I have a pretty easy job... some days where I have nothing to do.. or do nothing since there's always stuff to do. BUT I can tell you that sometimes doing nothing is very exhausting ;) haha

[MMLEsq]

When Christine's daughters were moving out the first thing we hear her say is how she will miss them helping. Not, missing them.

Well, to be fair, that could be editing.  She might have gone on and on about how much she'll miss them.  Then whoever was filming her personal interview might have said, "What exactly will you miss?"  And she might have gone on and on again about "I'll miss their smiles....  I'll miss seeing them in the morning....  I'll miss sitting around the dinner table talking about their day....blah blah blah, etc. etc."  She might have said 17 other things she'll miss about them before she got around to that she'll miss their help, but that's what they decided to show.  Or, they might have asked her directly, "Are you going to miss the help they give you?"  And she replied, "Yes, I'm going to miss the help they give me."  

 

I'm not saying that's what happened (maybe she did say first that she'd miss their help), but I don't trust 100% that we're not seeing an edited version of what she might have said.  

[Intuition]

Yeah, I'm not going to bash Christine for taking advantage of a little help.  She's paid her dues as far as I'm concerned.   I pay someone to clean my house when I'm stretched thin for any number of reasons, including that I just need a break.  And it's not even that easy for me to afford it, either.

[Featherhat]

I think they have all decided that filming the show constitutes working.

I'm trying to be fair, so...having been on location for days just to film thirty-second commercials, it can take ridiculous amounts of time to set up and film a scene, although I suspect TLC isn't exactly bothering with multiple takes for this show.

They would have to stay available, stay in wardrobe and makeup for the few instances that they bother with continuity, dub voiceovers, learn "lines," etc.

I guess that counts. It doesn't make them actors, although they probably think they are.

 

Oh I've checked Cynical Jinx's "Becoming Sisterwives" reviews and they definitely do consider it work.

 

• Robyn says "...Now that we have a television show, we are essentially working together as a family on a daily basis and we are a team financially."

 

That would account for all the babysitters they need whilst everyone is out at "work". To be fair there must be meetings and planning and days when they spend a lot of time on the couch together, so they might need help from the older kids and other relatives occasionally, but not in the way they seem to love banging on about it.

[SometimesBites]

 

I think they have all decided that filming the show constitutes working.

No doubt there is a great deal off-screen time spent planning and producing this show, more than any "reality" program would ever want the viewers to know. We all have a strong sense of the scripted scenes and the moments when it clearly appears that a candid moment has been heavily plotted and rehearsed. I'm sure that Kody inserts himself in the planning of story lines in a HUGE way, as in, "No, no, let's do this shot again. Get a camera on me managing the motorhome sewage. Yeah, let's weave that in three or four time during the episode." This would definitely eat up giant chunks of time, and so would be considered "working" to the Browns.

 

Meri apparently works the LIV racket somewhat, and she probably helps out a little bit with MSWC.

Robyn is the MSCW guru--I think she's chasing her tail with that sinkhole all the time.

Janelle has done the actual work to get her real estate license, and has actually sold a couple houses--and in the LV real estate biz, that's a freakin miracle. She's the only one plugged into a line of work that is grounded in a version of REALITY.

Christine, who was really good at being the SAHM for the entire family, was knocked clean out of her Keds by turning their life into a TV show for Kody. I really think she's never been able to shift gears, and that doing the "work" of creating Sister Wives has just discombobulated her completely.

And Kody? No. Fucking. Way. He can't marshal enough concentration to devote real sweat equity into anything in a meaningful way. He's the classic snake-oil salesman, the feather merchant extraordinaire. Wind him up and watch him spin like a top.

 

I actually think having Annie move in is wonderful. I'm a big believer in the value of multi-generational households. Annie is no longer aging alone in that ratty little house (the roof looked like it was about to disintegrate), the children get to be around an earthy, grounded adult female who DOESN'T buy polygamy, Kody has to contend with a woman who sees right through him and doesn't seem to have any trouble telling him the truth, and Christine not only gets a little help at home (for those many days when she's essentially a SINGLE MOTHER), she also gets some time to strengthen her relationship with her mom. I think it's a great situation, and I only hope these jerks don't ruin it. :)

[DakotaJustice]

...not to mention (again) that Annie adds a much-needed plotline, which in retrospect the producers (*and I suspect Kody/adult Browns*) have been setting up over the past 8 shows or so (since last June when this "season" began).  Kody has been allowing the producers to give him the Asshole Edit (I'm CERTAIN that the Browns have some authority over edits - Janelle's tweeted as much) and it appears that Annie moved in last Aug/Sept, so this move was probably in the works for at least a few months prior.  The older kids are moving out and seem to want little to do with the show now, so Annie's coming in as the Cousin Oliver to revive plotlines as the existing ones (MSWC, Janelle's "weight loss journey", and Robyn's non-existent second/fifth pregnancy) have been played out.

[technorebel]

After seeing Annie's house, I'm wondering if financial hardship caused her to move in with Christine.  The yard that was nothing but dirt and weeds and the chain link fence around the front yard.  I've only seen that in pretty sketchy neighborhoods.  How much money could she be making by selling her tote bags?  So it may have been presented as mom helping Christine out just to save face for Annie.

[Featherhat]

Possibly. It might be a case of win-win for everyone. Annie gets help financially and to spend time with her daughter and grandkids, Christine gets help looking after the kids and maybe some one to talk to (although I don't think she'd cope with talking about her issues with polygamy with her mother who fled yet) and TLC gets another plotline about as exciting as all the others so far.

 

Until/unless Kody actually considers Mrs Brown #5 its all white noise to me. I'm not sure he'd actually marry anyone else, but I can see a "courtship that didn't work out" arc for the publicity, we know they love doing Big Love storylines.

[RedheadZombie]

Janelle's youngest boy (Gabe?) is really starting to look a lot like Logan.  I noticed it in his couch session.

 

I am so glad you pointed this out.  There was some very nasty speculation on another site, that Logan must secretly be Janelle's from Meri's brother, because he supposedly didn't look like Kody.  Publically questioning a teenagers paternity is beyond the pale, in my opinion.

 

Agree that weight is an easy sore point to push on, especially with the young women, who have our entire society providing the message that they don't measure up. Don't agree that all of Kody's daughters are overweight. Maddie is much smaller than Aspyn, Mykelti, and Mariah; Savannah is still too young to tell; Ysabel and Gwennie are downright slender (sort of like their Grandma Annie), and petite little Truely looks like she'll probably follow in their footsteps. So really, that's only 3 of Kody's 8 daughters who are struggling with an obvious weight problem.

 

All the teenagers have gained a significant amount of weight, even Madison.  At the commitment ceremony, I temporarily mistook her for Mariah.  Maddie's not that big, of course, but I think she looks a good twenty-five pounds heavier.  Robin's oldest (Aurora?) as well as Gwendlyn have gone from very skinny to a softer look - probably related to estrogen and puberty.  I do think Mariah suffers the most by being heavy.  She's already the most disliked teenager (some of it with reason), and the weight gain has negatively affected her looks.  She is the target of a lot of criticism (much deserved), but I hope people don't make cruel comments on her social media.  I think the best thing that could have happened to Mariah, was to move back to Utah.  She and Meri were very co-dependent, which isn't that uncommon with only children.  I think Meri experiencing Mariah's mood swings really allowed her to examine her own behavior, and she said as much in a TH.

 

I actually thought Ann's bags were cute. And I was impressed with all the moving the got done. They were pretty good at getting it done.

 

That's because Meri took over.  She's shown time and again that she's quite organized and is very good at packing.  She just had to give Kody a little time to run around in circles with his chest puffed out, talking about how difficult it all is.  I think she's the best when it comes to working with him, getting done what needs to be done, while allowing him to keep his "masculinity", as well as the impression that he's in charge.  He really needs to call up Brady Williams and ask to be mentored.  I wouldn't choose polygamy, but if I did, I would want a husband like Brandy.  He gets stuff done and keeps things somewhat organized, without exuding a controlling angry vibe like Joe Darger.

[RedheadZombie]

Christine was very hostile towards Robyn when Robyn entered the family. And she still doesn't seem all THAT warm to her. So I don't really blame Robyn for not wanting her kids partially raised by Christine. And Christine's whole drama around it without acknowledging how she's treated Robyn in the past was ridiculous. Plus, if Christine wants more time with Robyn's kids, she could just invite them over, without all the couch interview crying drama. Same goes for Meri.I

 

I think both Christine and Meri are able to put aside any personal feelings with a sister wife, when it comes to the children.  I've always been surprised at how much Janelle's teens like Meri, and it's made me question how cruel Meri actually was, if Janelle's children are able to be so close with her.  Robyn tries too hard to be the teens' friend, and Janelle is just very standoffish with the other kids (although she showed affection to one of Robyn's once).  I think Janelle is the type of woman who doesn't really care for children in general, but loves her own.

 

I also thought it was very interesting how Mykelti wants to have sister wives but her sister absolutely does not. And I felt a little bad for the way they responded about Mariah being their sister wife.... I hope she has a fairly decent relationship with her siblings...

 

I think she does.  You could always see her in the background hugging and kissing on her siblings.  She seemed very comfortable in the TH couch sessions she used to do with the other teenagers.  I think Mariah is a lot more thin-skinned and sensitive than the others, as seen in her little melt down on Mother's Day.  She's always been very vocal about wanting another sibling via Meri, and I do think she feels she doesn't have as tight of a relationship as the other 100% siblings.  Yet she's always laughing and dancing with them during their celebrations.

[LoLo]

Well, to be fair, that could be editing.  She might have gone on and on about how much she'll miss them.  Then whoever was filming her personal interview might have said, "What exactly will you miss?"  And she might have gone on and on again about "I'll miss their smiles....  I'll miss seeing them in the morning....  I'll miss sitting around the dinner table talking about their day....blah blah blah, etc. etc."  She might have said 17 other things she'll miss about them before she got around to that she'll miss their help, but that's what they decided to show.  Or, they might have asked her directly, "Are you going to miss the help they give you?"  And she replied, "Yes, I'm going to miss the help they give me."  

 

I'm not saying that's what happened (maybe she did say first that she'd miss their help), but I don't trust 100% that we're not seeing an edited version of what she might have said.  

I get that but she mentioned them helping her & her needing help numerous times. To me that means that was what was really important to her. Needing help & now having to take care of her kids herself. Remember when Truly was sick & so dehydrated but no one noticed until it was dangerously scary? How much time are you spending with your young child that you didn't know she was sick or not peeing. She was like 3. 

[tabloidlover]

Good point, LoLo.   I struggle to understand what on earth Christine could possibly be doing with her time all day every day.  Her house is a friggin mess, she clearly doesn't spend enough time with Truly to know when she is deathly ill, and the other kids are in school all day.  Whaaaaat the fuck???   I have a feeling she spends lots of time looking out her window to see if Kody is running around, whose house he is spending time at, etc.   

[Absolom]

Ratings:  1.582 M viewers and a .5 rating.

[ginger90]

I rented a house way out in the country before, that had a chain link fence around the front yard.  It looked odd, but when I met the owners they explained that they couldn't afford to fence off the big back yard and they needed a place for their dog to go outside when they couldn't take him for a walk.  I found out a few months later that the reason that the real reason the front yard was fenced with 6' tall chain link was because a family down the road had six pitbulls that they let run loose whenever they felt like it.  Those dogs got my cat and left me with kittens to raise, although I didn't realize at the time what was happening.  Eventually, enough people complained that the local animal control officer went out to talk to them and and it was a big scene when he was trapped in his car because they refused to call off the dogs.  He called for backup and the cops ended up shooting all the dogs, arresting the adults, taking the children in to custody, and then found out they were dealing with a meth lab.  Yikes!

Oh crap!!!!!!!!

[purpleflowers]

I think it's a good point some have raised about the filming time. So the hours spent filming, and planning filming, and "rehearsing" probably do take up a fair amount of time. Maybe it's more time-consuming than I originally gave the SW credit for. However, I still don't buy that this prevents them from having a decent amount of time to help parent each other's kids and look after their own and keep their homes cleaner. If they think they are entitled to four huge homes, they could at least take better care of them. 

The reason I don't think the "work" is so time-consuming as to REQUIRE outside help is the way they act. They wouldn't be sitting there crying on the couch to each other about not having bonds and not co-parenting if they were actually trying to do it with the time they had. I think if it was truly just a matter of having no time at all, they wouldn't be resentful and confused towards each other about all of this. 

[Madding crowd]

I think when they were talking about not wanting to be a sister wife with Mariah, it was because they are sisters. Even these weird pligs wouldn't want to share a husband with their sibling.

[MamaMax]

That's because Meri took over.  She's shown time and again that she's quite organized and is very good at packing.  She just had to give Kody a little time to run around in circles with his chest puffed out, talking about how difficult it all is.  I think she's the best when it comes to working with him, getting done what needs to be done, while allowing him to keep his "masculinity", as well as the impression that he's in charge

Yes, I also noticed wth the whole car discussion, Kody was getting all crazy, flipping his hair and snapping at the wives to get it together…and then Meri and Christine were very calmly explaining why all the cars were needed.

My husband would have just said "Babe? Why are we taking so many cars?" and I would say "Because Kid X has to work and is coming later and I am bringing a car to leave with Kid Y, since I need to bring hers back here to get it registered."  He: "Oh, got it."  The End.

Wow, my post went quotes crazy...

[gunderda]

I think when they were talking about not wanting to be a sister wife with Mariah, it was because they are sisters. Even these weird pligs wouldn't want to share a husband with their sibling.

 

Except I think Mykelti was saying she DID want to be sisterwives with her sister, said it would be fun - and then her sister said no way, I don't want to live in a polygamous family" and then added "would you want to be sister wives with Mariah?" and they both laughed and said NO.

[Madding crowd]

I didn't get the impression the girls really wanted to share a husband or that they dislike their sister Mariah. I thought it was just a light hearted comment but I could have misinterpreted. if they really do want to share a husband (which would be really icky in my opinion), then Mariah would be better off finding another poly family where she isn't related anyway.

 

I also tend to think Janelle being married to Meri's brother at one time provides a kind of ick factor to the relationship, but I'm aware that many polygamists marry cousins, ex in laws etc. 

Edited January 30, 2015 by Madding crowd

[Featherhat]

I think when they were talking about not wanting to be a sister wife with Mariah, it was because they are sisters. Even these weird pligs wouldn't want to share a husband with their sibling.

 

Well Joe Darger is married to twin sisters and their cousin so some do.

 

I don't think any of the older girls apart from Mariah have expressed an interest in being polygamous. That might change in the future, but for now anything about it should be taken as a joke from them.

[Madding crowd]

Yes, I mentioned that some polygamists think it's ok to marry two sisters, cousins etc. I still think it would be disgusting to sleep with my sisters husband, but I'm not a polygamist. One of Christine's daughters mentioned being open to polygamy, but since the Brown girls are actually allowed to go to college they may all turn against this way of life.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Madding crowd

[Zahdii]

Unless they're so used to their douche of a father that they gravitate towards someone just like him. 

 

There are an abundance of young men out there who would love to have a girlfriend who is open to sharing him, most of those types just try to keep them from knowing about each other.

 

Get one of those types who thinks "Hey!  She's used to one guy having lots of women!  And she can't possibly expect me to support her, the other women, and all those kids all by myself.  I've found the perfect starter wife!  She's getting a degree and I'll put her to work while I go choose my next one!"

 

Some of these polygamists don't even bother with the religion stuff anymore, they just make up other excuses for what they're doing.

[purpleflowers]

Aspyn has always gone back and forth on the polygamy topic. She has said different things in different episodes about her plans for the future. Mykelti most recently said she would hope to get married to a single man and then decide together with him about taking more wives. Mariah said she probably will have plural marriage, and Logan said he probably won't. Madison is definitely against it for herself. I don't know where any of the other kids stand on it. 

Edited January 30, 2015 by purpleflowers

[SometimesBites]

 

Mykelti most recently said she would hope to get married to a single man and then decide together with him about taking more wives.

This scenario makes me worry most about Mykelti. It sounds (esp. to someone her age) SO logical and reasonable. But if you've married a man who is open to bringing additional women into his bed, the whole notion of deciding "together" is highly suspect. She's basically describing what Meri did, and Meri was miserable every time Kody took another woman--even Robyn, the one Meri supposedly hand-picked for him.

 

Remember the story of the previous plyg family that the Browns visited (can't remember their names)? The guy worked his first wife. WORKED her. Groomed her to the idea--first with comments like "Gosh, I wish I had two of you, so one could sit with me and watch TV and one could make the cookies" and then turning the screw and turning the screw until she finally gave in, even though she was initially hurt and appalled that he wanted a second wife. These guys make me sick.

 

I'm left to wonder if any of the girls besides Maddie believe that they are deserving of having a husband of her very own, no "sharing" required?

 

The whole polygamous mindset devalues women as individuals so insidiously, no matter what sort of rhetoric they throw out there about how wonderful and precious women are. It's bullshit. What each individual woman needs and wants out of life is paid lip service, but when there are a bunch of them (say, 4) each one just become lumped in with the batch: "I have 14 children, two cars, four wives, and six pairs of flip-flops." Kody underscored that mindset himself--several times--by smirking that having his MIL Annie come to live is "one more woman under my roof." Yep, we get it, Kody. Just like that despicable phrase, "adding another ring." Sort of like notches on a bedpost, eh?

 

I have a whole bunch of earrings; I really like all of them and ESPECIALLY like a couple of them. But I only have one wedding ring; it's precious to me, and no other ring could hold a candle to it. You could wave any number of flashy diamonds at me, and I wouldn't trade my wedding ring for any of them.

 

For the men in this system, women are like Monopoly deeds: yeah, getting Boardwalk is cool, but even the low-rent properties build your cache in the game, and the one who collects the most deeds usually wins. I hope Mykelti doesn't sell herself short, nor any of her sisters.

[CousinOliver]

...not to mention (again) that Annie adds a much-needed plotline, which in retrospect the producers (*and I suspect Kody/adult Browns*) have been setting up over the past 8 shows or so (since last June when this "season" began).  Kody has been allowing the producers to give him the Asshole Edit (I'm CERTAIN that the Browns have some authority over edits - Janelle's tweeted as much) and it appears that Annie moved in last Aug/Sept, so this move was probably in the works for at least a few months prior.  The older kids are moving out and seem to want little to do with the show now, so Annie's coming in as the Cousin Oliver to revive plotlines as the existing ones (MSWC, Janelle's "weight loss journey", and Robyn's non-existent second/fifth pregnancy) have been played out.

 

Indeed...  ;)

[Granny58]

"I think when they were talking about not wanting to be a sister wife with Mariah, it was because they are sisters. Even these weird pligs wouldn't want to share a husband with their sibling."

 

I don't think that was it.  It wasn't an "ewwww" moment, it was a "no way in hell" moment.  

[MarkySnark]

"I think when they were talking about not wanting to be a sister wife with Mariah, it was because they are sisters. Even these weird pligs wouldn't want to share a husband with their sibling."

 

I don't think that was it.  It wasn't an "ewwww" moment, it was a "no way in hell" moment.  

I agree with you, Granny58. They were saying, "We HAVE to be in this family with her because we share DNA. No way in the celestial kingdom would we CHOOSE to be in a different family with her."

[Madding crowd]

I don't believe they hate their sister-they all seem pretty friendly when they are together. The Brown kids seem pretty happy and close, you would have to show me some evidence before I believe they can't stand Mariah.

[Kohola3]

The Brown kids seem pretty happy and close, you would have to show me some evidence before I believe they can't stand Mariah.

 

I think a good example was the big breakfast that the older girls were preparing together for some special occasion.  They were all joking and laughing and Mariah pitched some sort of fit;  they were all making fun of her.  Lots of eye-rolling.  It was very apparent that the Princess was feeling quite superior and they were having none of it.

[purpleflowers]

I don't believe they hate their sister-they all seem pretty friendly when they are together. The Brown kids seem pretty happy and close, you would have to show me some evidence before I believe they can't stand Mariah.

I agree with you. They probably have their differences with Mariah, but I get the feeling they all get along. I don't think the Mykelti "NOOO" comment has to really mean more than what it seems to mean on face value: she does not think Mariah would be good sister-wife material, maybe because of her fussy personality. It doesn't mean they don't have great times with Mariah or enjoy her company. It's one thing to be siblings and friends; it must be something else entirely to share a husband. I think we could all agree to that!  ;-)

Edited January 30, 2015 by purpleflowers

[Featherhat]

I think it's fairly inevitable that some of the kids will end up in polygamous marriages. If any preaching about how its the only thing God cares about and the only way to get to the highest levels of Heaven happens, then sooner or later one of them will go for it. Also who's kids they are, I guess. Christine's double down hysterics might push her girls more towards it or end up driving them away from it. If Mariah ever does attempt it, she's going to be in for a real shock and then attempt to control the situation by becoming Queen Sister Wife.

 

It would help to know how much contact they have with any AUB groups, how religious they actually are and what they say when the camera isn't rolling. A lot of the time they seem like they're only following the scripture according to Kody's toolish ego and other times I end up thinking they take the AUB teachings seriously and it's just cut from the show, as per their agreement with TLC

 

But yeah if Mykelti goes that route, she has a high possibility of ending up another Meri who surprise, surprise realises she doesn't actually want to share the husband she used to have all to herself, but has to pretend that it's *her* who talked him in to each and every wife. Serious I hate this lie all Polygamists tell "oh, I was happy as we were but wife1 was desperate to have sister wives and forced me to court more women. I do believe that the women might attempt to have some control over the process by pointing out women (like Meri and Robyn) but this excuse is like saying "but the cookie jumped into my hand!".

[CousinOliver]

I think it's fairly inevitable that some of the kids will end up in polygamous marriages. If any preaching about how its the only thing God cares about and the only way to get to the highest levels of Heaven happens, then sooner or later one of them will go for it. Also who's kids they are, I guess. Christine's double down hysterics might push her girls more towards it or end up driving them away from it. If Mariah ever does attempt it, she's going to be in for a real shock and then attempt to control the situation by becoming Queen Sister Wife.

 

It would help to know how much contact they have with any AUB groups, how religious they actually are and what they say when the camera isn't rolling. A lot of the time they seem like they're only following the scripture according to Kody's toolish ego and other times I end up thinking they take the AUB teachings seriously and it's just cut from the show, as per their agreement with TLC

 

But yeah if Mykelti goes that route, she has a high possibility of ending up another Meri who surprise, surprise realises she doesn't actually want to share the husband she used to have all to herself, but has to pretend that it's *her* who talked him in to each and every wife. Serious I hate this lie all Polygamists tell "oh, I was happy as we were but wife1 was desperate to have sister wives and forced me to court more women. I do believe that the women might attempt to have some control over the process by pointing out women (like Meri and Robyn) but this excuse is like saying "but the cookie jumped into my hand!

 

Interesting and insightful. 

 

I see Mariah as being another Christine, after watching this week's episode.  Christine was seeing something she wanted to emulate, which was never real.  Her Mom was unhappy.  Mariah is probably influenced by the relationship she saw/sees between her parents, not getting the whole picture of how unhappy/jealous Meri is in this marriage.  So, like Christine, she'll go in planning on perfect plyg life and the cracks will start to show eventually. 

[AndreaF]

I think that the biggest catalyst to (possibly) have driven any of the kids away from polygamy was taking them out of the plyg community and submerging them into mainstream America, where it's not the norm.  I would guess that the kids in school asked the Brown kids a million questions, maybe gave opposing viewpoints, etc.  Mix that with all of their new friends/friends' parents/teachers being able to watch the idiocy that is the Brown Adults every week, read their book, whatever, and those poor kids had to be on the spot at various points in their life.  Not that they were treated cruelly. 

 

Then add in the kids having watched the wife and mistresses engage in a lot of passive-aggressive manipulation, arguing, tears and jealousy over Kody and his Twig of Love, the chaos, the scandals and crimes of the AUB/FLDS... 

 

I don't know, I could be wrong, but I think that the majority of the Brown kids are pretty sharp, and they'd see that even if they felt that they had a great childhood it doesn't necessarily mean that they'd want to perpetuate the lifestyle. 

[Featherhat]

No, but if Mykelti  or Asypen is still thinking about it years after moving to Vegas it shows that it might have been seriously discussed among the group. Christine has been told that her father's wives were very unhappy but  she hasn't taken any of that in and she still believes polygamy can be the most amazing thing ever even though her own relationship with Kody is poor. Janelle converted from mainline LDS but the others where born into it with uniformly horrible warning stories and still married Kody.

 

It's hopeful thinking but if that were always the case then modern (internet using) plyg communities would have ceased being with the invention of the googleable phrase "Joseph Smith was just a horny guy".

 

I hope these kids never have to deal with being polygamous (unless they enter into a fully consensual polyamorous relationship. ) But If/When they move back to Utah after the cameras if any of them remain togetherwill be interesting.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Featherhat

[Kohola3]

I also think a lot depends on their ability to equate polygamy with economic instability. None of them are stupid and perhaps once the TLC gravy train jumps the tracks, all of the houses are turned back into the bank, and their mothers are back on food stamps and other forms of welfare they will figure out the root cause.  

 

Of course, much of that has to do with Lord Moron Kody with his supporting cast of dimwitted "wives" but in the real world non-working adults can't have umpteen kids and manage to support them.  Even if they have contact with other polygamous families, I would wager it's not much different.  Welfare abuse among these "religious" sects is well documented.  (And I personally call BS on this being a religious choice since they all seem to make up the rules as they go.)

 

Maybe I am too optimistic but I hope that they are intelligent enough to not fall into that way toxic way of life especially since they were schooled in mainstream society through high school and college.

[ghoulina]

It's always seemed, to me, that Jenelle's kids are the most vocal about not wanting a plural relationship for themselves. I'm pretty sure Hunter isn't down for it either. It will be interesting to see how the next group of kids feels; they haven't really been asked that question yet. 

 

As for the relationship Mariah has with the other girls, I think they probably all love each other, but Mariah's sisters realize what a PITA she is and wouldn't want to live with that in an adult relationship. I don't think they were totally joking, or thinking about any "ick" factor, but I don't think they hate her either.

[Granny58]

"I don't believe they hate their sister-they all seem pretty friendly when they are together. The Brown kids seem pretty happy and close, you would have to show me some evidence before I believe they can't stand Mariah."

 

I'm not saying they can't stand her.  I just got the impression that they thought being her sister-wife would be entirely too difficult.  It wasn't a skeevie "we're banging the same guy" vibe at all.  

[Madding crowd]

Ok, so I guess it's just me who thinks the girls would find it gross to share a husband with their sister. And yes, they probably get annoyed at their sister. I get annoyed at my sisters sometimes too. It doesn't mean they are bad people or I don't love them.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Madding crowd

[Chalby]

I know! I know he is dim, but really Kody, most families have to deal with various car/travel logistics too. It is not just a polygamist problem. Sigh...what an idiot.

 

I still don't understand why it was so difficult for him to grasp. I would say the majority of us have had to move family members in and out of homes. It's not that hard.I love your "Sigh... what an idiot". LOL

Edited February 2, 2015 by Chalby

[purpleflowers]

No, but if Mykelti  or Asypen is still thinking about it years after moving to Vegas it shows that it might have been seriously discussed among the group. 

I have thought about this too. Even though the family has moved away from their original community and the children have been exposed to different lifestyles and other peers in Vegas, some of the girls are still considering polygamy. I think especially for the older and adult children, they have probably been shaped by growing up not only with a polygamous family themselves, but probably around other plyg families in their community and their religious circle. Being surrounded by that since childhood may make it seem familiar and even inevitable for themselves. They way they talk about it sometimes reminds me of how some young people talk of marriage in general: not wanting to be tied down or not being able to picture settling down and eventually warming up to the idea. Aspyn and Mykelti have sometimes discussed it like this, so it makes me feel like no amount of mainstream society is going to stop at least a couple of the children from going down this path. On the other hand, these girls in particular have witnessed the addition of a fourth wife and the impact that had on their mother. Maybe that will resonate with some of Christine's younger ones. 

Edited February 2, 2015 by purpleflowers

[Chalby]

She's used to one guy having lots of women!  And she can't possibly expect me to support her, the other women, and all those kids all by myself.\

That's where this current polygamist gals are getting shortchanged. I think they were raised to believe the husband would financially provide for them, but as Kody has shown us, the wives not only have to work, but have to support their sister wives and their children. It's servitude.

[ladle]

I think Robyn said one thing this entire episode, and I was still like, "Shut UP, Robyn!"  Seriously, you're going to sagely weigh in on Aspyn and Mykelti's childhood dynamics, like you're OG?  Take a freaking seat.  I so wish I had the time and ability to register the domain www.shutuprobyn.com.  It would feature some of the highlights from Robyn's talking heads.

[kassa]

No, but if Mykelti  or Asypen is still thinking about it years after moving to Vegas it shows that it might have been seriously discussed among the group.

 

 

Or they are sensitive to their mother's feelings, and putting off the histrionics until they have a ring on their finger from a nice LDS boy. Why open that Pandora's box until you have to?

 

It's not that I think Christine would freak out, necessarily.  I think, however, there would be lots of discussion about how young they are, and how they shouldn't decide just yet, how they really CAN'T have decided just yet, and just a lot of blather and not-so-subtle attempts at bringing them back to plural marriage, and they're too sharp to want to deal with all of that before they have to.  

 

Plus I'm sure that no matter what their feelings on polygamy, they have no desire to hurt their parents on national television by openly disavowing what they are living.   I'm sure they'd see that as disrespectful/disloyal.  Better to just grow up, get out, and move on with your life outside the show.