‘Sister Wives’ Season 16 Episode 7 Recap- January 2

Sister Wives Credit: TLC

Last week on Sister Wives, Christine discussed his and Robyn’s nanny. She could not understand how a stranger was allowed around his children yet Ysabel was not. This was breaking their child’s heart. Christine was eager to know what protocols said nanny followed in order to be in the home. All of the wives gathered and Kody handed out printed rules. To Janelle and Christine, they were a tad excessive. However, if everyone were to abide by them, they could all possibly gather for the 2020 holidays. Robyn wanted to make it clear she was not the creator nor enforcer of these rules. Apparently, some of the kids had called her, accusing her of being such and she did not appreciate this.

Christine and Janelle did not think they would be around for Thanksgiving but had hope for Christmas. Yet, Christine felt even following these rules, Kody would not believe they had observed them 100%. Meri is feeling very lonely being isolated during all of this. She especially misses Robyn’s younger kids. Luckily, she has followed Kody’s isolation rules. Finally, they agreed she could come by and see the kids. Now, Janelle is taking another stand against Kody who is mad she has chosen her children over him.

Sister Wives Struggle With Kody

Janelle’s kids used to seek out Kody for everything. Now the relationships are super strained since COVID and they look at him as an antagonist. He will come by and be outside, for example, to help with yard activities. Other than that, they challenge his beliefs on why they cannot all be together. All the wives got the nanny rules so they know what needs to be done so they can all gather. Meri is fine with them so she can get together with Robyn and her kids. Christine says they can follow them some of the time to allow for gatherings but long-term is not feasible.

Sister Wives Credit: TLC

To Janelle, they are laughable and Kody thinks she is mocking them. Now that he has come by, she wants to have a conversation with him. Janelle apologizes, saying she does most things on the list. However, some of the rules made her feel like she was being held prisoner but she will adapt for a family Christmas. She does not appreciate how he throws in that Robyn has adopted them into her life as a value and compliance thing. All of Robyn’s kids are at home unlike Janelle’s. She does not have to make tough decisions as Janelle feels she is doing.

Sister Wives Robyn Brown Youtube

Janelle wants to allow her sons to have the best college and work experiences yet Kody thinks they are too social. Garrison is about three months shy of a down payment on a home so she is supporting that. She also admits her mental health has suffered during this whole situation. Kody lists his rules again and says either the boys go or they stop being social.

Options All-Around

Janelle does not want to limit her family. She also wants Kody to be back in the home and to see their youngest daughter, Savanah. Janelle says she is not going to ask Gabriel to stop seeing his girlfriend. She twists it to if Kody would stop seeing his girlfriend at Gabe’s age. Of course, he says he left at twenty to go on a mission, claiming he “socially distanced” himself. He was gone for two years but this is a different scenario. Janelle proposes Gabe’s girlfriend come live with them for a short time to limit exposure.

Sister Wives Credit: TLC

Kody knows no matter what he says, there will be ramifications. If he says yes, he is throwing his religious views out the window. Frankly, Kody feels the family has done that anyway. Yet, by saying no, he is restricting them from being together. Since Gabe’s girlfriend is working for the holidays, she would simply quarantine for two weeks with the family so they could all celebrate. As for Garrison, Janelle says he has no social life as Kody believes he does.

All of his friends have moved away so he is literally just working. She is actually concerned for him and if he is lonely. Kody notices he is reaching out more but feels it is only because he has no one else. In his mind, they are grown so it is time to cut the cord. Janelle won’t ever do that to her kids and he is coming off as extremely combative.  He would evict them but Janelle’s name is on the lease so he can’t. Maybe Janelle likes having the company.

Sister Wives Against Kody

Kody tries to say his father kicked him out at a young age with $50 and a car he earned. Janelle is just not like that with her kids and never will be. Kody notes the struggle with plural marriage is whatever one wife does ultimately affects the whole family. Janelle is tired of talking to Kody because it is like circling the drain but she says she will talk to the kids. After he leaves, she gathers her kids together to discuss holiday protocols. She won’t even show them the list because she knows how they will react.

Kody Brown Credit: YouTube

Gabriel will follow Janelle’s rules but not his father’s. He has not seen his dad in a genuine way in eight months so he is mad. Gabe also wants to get a job and see his girlfriend so he feels these extra steps are prohibiting him from living. Yes, he is being safe as Janelle notes they sanitize and wear masks- they have been more cautious than Kody gives them credit for. Garrison proposes they tell their dad they did all of this but just keep living their lives. Savanah and Janelle don’t agree.

Gabe wants Kody over there so he can tell him how he feels to his face. Janelle brings up the holidays. Savanah says if she can go without a social life,  so can her brothers. Gabe does not want to be without his girlfriend since her birthday is on Thanksgiving so Garrison, again, suggests he lies. Janelle admits they never raised their kids to be “sheeple” thus they are very strong-willed. It starts to become too complicated so Janelle suggests they go to Utah for Thanksgiving.

A Divided Holiday?

The Browns have a lot of extended family in Utah so if they cannot make it work in Flagstaff, why not head there? Gabe is adamantly against this so Garrison says he and Gabe will get a hotel. Savanah feels really bad for her mom at this point. The boys are tired of playing this game, mainly mad at their dad. They point at their dad noting he has been with Robyn for the past nine months. Sidenote-Christine says since COVID began she has seen Kody a handful of times.

Sister Wives Credit: TLC

Gabe asks about Christine and the holidays. If she is traveling, they would rather be with her and her family. She does not care if he sees his girlfriend. However, if she stays in town, they will all socially distance themselves. Luckily, Christine adores Janelle’s kids and vice versa.

Robyn and Janelle- Sister Wives Chit Chat

It is Robyn’s birthday so Janelle stops by to drop her a gift- a towel warmer. Robyn admits COVID has been super stressful and says she worries about Kody and the other wives. Kody and Janelle had spent eight months apart once when he wanted to move. Unfortunately, she really loved her great job so she declined and stayed behind. It was all beneficial for the family to maintain a steady income. She also admits they work well with their communication skills. Of course, there is more to it as they have six kids.

Credit: TLC

Janelle does love plural marriage because she has her own freedoms. With the list, she felt some of those freedoms were being taken away. Robyn asks Janelle to try to work things out with Kody so she can go back to polygamy as she never signed up for monogamy. They’ve been married for over ten years now and at first, she was on a rotation. She had him once or twice a week. Now, he is there all of the time and is not always happy. It is just too much.

Credit: TLC

As for Janelle, he was over for about five days before Hunter left and she missed her independence. Christine says they have more fun when he is not around. Finally, Meri wants them to send him her way. She will take him. Robyn admits she had proposals before Kody but she wanted to live plural marriage but that is not happening currently.

The Last Straw For Janelle

All of the adults have gathered for the final holiday chat and Janelle confesses her boys want to be with Christine for Thanksgiving. Kody laughs because of course the boys want to be with Christine as she has no rules. This is a lot of pressure for Christine so she goes on to share what her kids in Utah have relayed after hearing Kody’s get-together rules. It is just not possible for them to adhere at this time. They have chosen to go to Mitch and Aspyn’s in Utah for Thanksgiving but will be home for Christmas.

Janelle Brown Credit: YouTube

Janelle will now be going to Utah, as well. Meri is joining Robyn and Kody but she is frustrated because she put in so much work to be able to gather. Kody tries to say he respects their decisions but Janelle also feels he is putting them on a guilt trip. He calls it a “prick to their conscience.” Christine says a choice between Kody and her kids means her kids will always win. Janelle is over Kody acting like she does not follow the rules when she is abiding by the CDC to perfection.

She has pointed out she would be alone for Thanksgiving and she is not doing that. As Janelle walks away, she tells him to f– off. Kody tries to bring up the time Truely almost died from kidney failure when he was responsible for her. Christine came home and rushed her to the ER and if one of their own passes, he does not want to hate the rule-breakers. This will end the family.

Next time, there is a wedge within the family while the wives celebrate Thanksgiving in their own ways. Watch Sister Wives every Sunday on TLC.

 

 

Amanda Lauren

2 Comments

  1. I don’t know how Meri, Janelle, or Christine have stayed in this mess of a plural marriage for so long. Cody is not a responsible, loving husband committed to all of these women in any way. He is a smug wuss who has no valid reasons for the way he treats Meri, Janelle, Christine, and all of their kids. Everything has to be his way and he doesn’t want to listen to the concerns anyone wants to discuss with him. I think that he checked out of all of the relationships with everyone but Robyn and her kids. In the long run he did the rest of them a huge favor because he sure isn’t worth dealing with at this point because of his lousy attitude and the only wife he truly loved is Robyn. Good riddance to Cody.

  2. I don’t think Robyn is the smartest in the room. She talks like a child. Cried about everything and doesn’t want anyone mad at her. That’s like a child.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *