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Sister Wives has documented the lives of the Brown family throughout 17 seasons on TLC. The series has taken an in-depth look at the polygamist clan headed by Kody Brown, his wife Robyn, Meri, Janelle, and Christine Brown. However, they believe some wives have better prepared their kids for life than others, saying Robyn’s children “don’t stand a chance” alongside Christine and Janelle’s “well-adjusted” families.

A photo montage of Christine, Robyn, and Janelle Brown from TLC's 'Sister Wives.'
Christine, Robyn, and Janelle Brown | TLC/Discovery

Robyn, Christine, and Janelle parent their children differently

As Sister Wives fans have historically observed, Kody’s wives each have a different approach to parenting their children. Robyn appears to be what some would call a hovering parent of her five children, while Christine and Janelle have allowed their kids to make mistakes and learn from them.

For example, in a sit-down during an earlier season, Janelle and Christine’s older children discussed how, as kids, they brushed off fights or falls and continued on. In contrast, they cited how a younger Aurora, Robyn’s daughter was very emotional over many things that wouldn’t have phased them.

Janelle’s oldest son Logan helped prepare the kids for school in the morning as she left for work relatively early. This led to her children’s independence. Christine, the stay-at-home parent, tended to 11 children while her sister wives and Kody worked. Therefore, she could not deal with every sibling squabble or issue as there were too many children to handle.

Some viewers believe Robyn Brown’s kids ‘don’t stand a chance’ against Christine and Janelle’s ‘well-adjusted’ children

In a Reddit post, some viewers compared the parenting skills of three of the sister wives, not including Meri Brown, Kody’s first wife, who has one child, Leon. They believe that Christine and Janelle have given their kids coping skills that will help them through adulthood, while Robyn has not.

“I feel so bad for Robyn’s kids. I feel like they don’t stand a chance,” one fan wrote. “Janelle and Christine’s kids are healthy, well-adjusted, and successful. I’m not sure it will work the same for Robyn’s kids.”

“Cue Robyn making sure her kids know that Christine is abandoning them for her children, just like she did for Thanksgiving 2021,” deduced a second viewer. They cited Aurora, Breanna, Solomon, and Ariella’s reaction toward Christine at a get-together the night before she moved to Utah, where they were clearly angry at the situation.

“Well, most [of Robyn’s kids] are adults and still live at home with no apparent responsibilities,” penned a third fan.

Other viewers have called Kody and Robyn ‘selfish’ parents

A family photo featuring Robyn Brown and Kody Brown and their five children, Ariella, Solomon, Breanna, Dayton, and Aurora Brown, on 'Sister Wives' Season 17 on TLC.
Robyn, Ariella, Kody, Solomon, Breanna, Dayton, and Aurora Brown, ‘Sister Wives’ Season 17 | TLC
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Viewers called out Kody and Robyn as “selfish” parents in a separate Reddit thread. They cited their belief that Robyn “infantilizes” her children, noting one daughter’s panic attacks and her youngest still using a pacifier at age 5.

“She infantilizes her children while at the same time does not provide any structure and responsibilities. I can see why her daughter has panic attacks,” deduced one viewer. “Both parents prefer to live in a state of helplessness where everything is done ‘to them.'”

They concluded, “Unlike Christine and Janelle’s kids, where the adults encourage and facilitate the youth in learning how to adult in an adult-like manner, Robyn’s kids are encouraged to develop the same ‘learned helplessness’ as their parents.”

“A kindergartener with no seat belt and a pacifier. I’ll bet they didn’t want to deal with a tantrum. Mighty fine parenting there,” wrote a second fan.

Kody and Robyn have also claimed they allow their youngest daughter to set her own bedtime, sometimes midnight or later, so they don’t have to deal with a cranky child in the mornings. Son Soloman has a regular bedtime while her older children are in high school and college.

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

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