Leah Messer is on the defensive after her parenting came into question during Monday’s episode of Teen Mom 2.
Fans criticized Leah in regard to her daughter Aleeah Grace’s behavior during the episode, particularly during a scene in which Leah is trying to talk to Aleeah about her upcoming therapy session.
Leah posted about the episode of Instagram, which opened her and her daughter up for plenty of online insults.
“Tonight on ‘Teen Mom 2’ Gracie and I are taking an important step by going to therapy,” Leah wrote in the photo caption.
In the comment section of the post, some fans called Aleeah names, while others criticized Leah for allowing the little girl to be disrespectful, and for discussing Aleeah’s therapy on-camera when Aleeah didn’t want to.
“I could never put my kids personal life on TV like this,” one person wrote. “This will follow her for life. She doesn’t ask for this. None of the kids on the show ask for this kind of exposure.”
“Please don’t film anymore talks with Gracie about her therapy,” another fan commented. “You can tell she’s uncomfortable, not to mention the kids at school don’t need all this information about your girls. Don’t let production try and say this is helping other people in the same situation.
Leah jumped to her own and her daughter’s defense in several replies to nay-sayers’ comments.
“For all of you that have a negative opinion about Aleeahs behavior… This is all I have to say…. YOU DON’T KNOW HER STORY!” Leah wrote. “You don’t know that it’s a struggle for her to accept that her sister has MD and she just wants her to be able to play with her and chase her back outside!”
(Aleeah’s twin sister, Ali, has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy and Leah has stated that she feels bad that, because of her MD, Ali sometimes requires more of Leah’s attention than Aleeah or Leah’s youngest daughter Addie does.)
Leah continued to defend Aleeah in her comment.
“You don’t know that she wakes up every day feeling like she has to protect her from BULLIES at school! You don’t know,” Leah wrote. “YOU DON’T KNOW… that she holds so many feelings inside because she wants her best friend to be healthy and everything is okay!
“YOU DON’T KNOW that she has hid so much guilt, pain, and resentment in all this time because she’s a CHILD and just didn’t understand WHY. THERES SO MUCH MORE but I’m going to leave it here… YOU DON’T KNOW HER STORY, but I know that she’s the most incredible, resilient, talented, funny, intelligent, and kind heart little girl I’ve ever met!” Leah continued.
“She’s finally starting to OPEN up about her feelings! I KNOW I made the right decision by therapy & your opinion about my child doesn’t mean a damn thing to me!”
Leah’s mother Dawn Spears also jumped into the online conversation, reminding the shows’s fans that “everyone corrects their child’s behavior in different ways.”
Dawn also confirmed to one concerned fan that Aleeah’s therapy sessions would remain private and would not be filmed for ‘Teen Mom 2.’
Corey Simms, who is the father of Aleeah and Ali, did not comment on the episode after it aired on Monday.
(Photos: MTV, Instagram)
33 Responses
This is actual y the Main reason why this show must be canceled, is TV show ING underage Kids private life and they didnt signed up Ford this
This new comment plugin is shit. I know TheAshley doesn’t give a shit but it is a pointless addition. There are many other wordpress tools that block spam and allow you to manage comments that are less obtrusive and broken. Askimet is kinda known throughout the blog community as being a site breaker. Good luck
Leah was calling Aleeah rude, and I’m going to defend the kid. She kept saying that she didn’t want to talk about everything right at that point, and Leah kept forcing the issue. I would have felt the same way Aleeah did.
For the last few seasons, Grace’s behaviour has been up and down.. however, I feel like she acts out because of the fact that Ali does need a lot more attention from Leah due to her medical issues. Grace’s attitude may be stemmed out of a bit of jealousy because she doesn’t get a lot of one on on attention from Leah. Any attention is better than no attention to some kids. I mean, we only see a snippet on TV, but that’s what it seems like to me. Ali is a sweet kid, but there’s been a few times where she’s bunged on an act and faked tears when she’s instigated an argument or a fight with Grace. It’s when Grace reacts to it, Ali tries to squeeze out tears and then Grace gets into trouble.
But as I said, we only see what mtv wants us to see.. but kids seemingly act out for a reason, whether it’s stemmed from something or lack of parenting/discipline.
I think Leah does a good job and it’s extremely hard when you have a sick child! Continue doing you and the girls!
I have to agree with everyone else. It was so painfully obvious Aleeah was uncomfortable talking about her feelings and therapy, whether it was because cameras were rolling or other reasons. It wasn’t fair to get mad at her for not opening up. But regardless of her going to therapy and having some emotional issues, Aleeah still needed to be disciplined for the way she was acting. That phone should have been taken away immediately. Just because you need some therapy doesn’t give you the right to behave as badly as you want with no consequences and Aleeah needs to learn that.
Some of these comments have people making up storylines for Aleeah that were never seen or spoke about on the show, or anywhere else for that matter. Corey NEVER said that Aleeah was “forced to make the other children toast for breakfast.” It was also never, ever presented that Aleeah was playing mommy through Leah’s struggles. I am SURE that it was hard on the entire family, and am proud of Leah for getting help and changing her life. However, filling in blanks with our own assertions and then presenting them as fact is not okay. I have never seen any clips on the show of Aleeah caring for her siblings, nor have I read any story or news article that made that claim. Ali and Addie also don’t appear to struggle with Aleeahs behavioral issues, and, if I remember correctly, Aleeah has always been somewhat difficult. So, while I am sure the children struggled when Mom was sick, I do NOT think its fair to start telling stories about Gracie cooking Ali and Addie breakfast and taking care of them. We never saw anything on the show or in the tabloids that made that claim.
Corey NEVER said that Aleeah was “forced to make the other children toast for breakfast.”
No one said that’s what Corey said. You came up with that quote yourself. But, you do seem to be, in part, referencing my comments about Aleeah making toast while Leah was passed out. And yes, Corey did say that Aleeah told him that she knew how to make toast. When he asked how she knew, she told him that she climbed onto the counter to make toast because mommy was sleeping and wouldn’t get up. I do stand corrected in that we do not know if Aleeah also made toast for the other kids (at the time, she was realistically the only child who could accomplish the task). He took that comment to mean that the kids were forced to take care of themselves because Leah was passed out. Whether Aleeah regularly took on the role of “mom” I couldn’t say. But, we did see multiple scenes of the kids opening the fridge to no food, crying because they were hungry, unkempt, dirty home, going to bed at midnight on a school night after being fed canned ravioli, sleeping on the couch being fed cold canned soup. There are also credible reports that she had a boyfriend living in the home with his kids at the time. I think it’s safe to say the situation was beyond “hard on the family.”
You are 100% correct w/EVERYTHING you wrote. I’m not sure what show Sarah has been watching but I recall all the instances you pointed out. I also don’t agree w/Sarah stating “Ali and Addie also don’t appear to struggle with Aleeahs behavioral issues” bc I have seen Gracie punch and hit or knock Ali down on more than one occasion. If I were Ali, I would definitely feel affected by Gracie’s behavioral issues
I am well aware of what Corey said, which is exactly what I was referring to in my comment. As for the below comment about Aleeah, you misinterpreted my statement. I was simply referring to the fact that both Ali and Addie do not exhibit the same behavioral issues as Gracie. I also never, ever said that things weren’t bad st the home at some point or that the kids did not struggle. I don’t see ANY utility to bringing up a persons past transgressions with such veracity when that person has done the work and continues to work every day to correct those mistakes. So YES, I acknowledged that things were difficult. I did not feel the need to elaborate in a big huge paragraph as to what those difficulties were. What matters is what was done after to learn, change and do better. I don’t believe in dragging a person down for past mistakes that they cannot take back when they’ve made such positive strides. I’d rather celebrate how far they’ve come. And I STAND BY my statement regarding fabricated storylines in the comments. I don’t care about the facts you left out that you felt the need to list now, NONE of those things change the fact that your claims about aleeah taking on the parenting role are false.
I think you’re commenting about the wrong person because I never said Aleeah took on a parenting role, so you can get off your soap box now. I also acknowledged in my original comment that Leah has come a long way and doing her best. Since when are we not allowed to bring up past transgressions? Especially when some of us doubt Leah’s claim that all of Aleeah’s issues are a reaction to Ali’s health issues. It didn’t come up in a vacuum.
I always liked Leah..but shekinda changed into Kail. We don’t know what you don’t show. You could have raised awareness but instead just filming for cash.
Why was that conversation taking place in the car on the way to the therapist ? Leah needed to sit her daughter down and talk to her, maybe she would have got s better response face to face rather than spending more time looking in her rear view mirror than she did the road! With all those woods surrounding her; I was hoping an animal didn’t cross her path , she was paying very little attention to the road as usual.
First of all, Gracie has only been on this planet for 8 years, so Im sure she does not know how to get a grip on her emotions just yet…hence why Leah is putting her in therapy. Being 8 and having an ill sibling has got to be frustrating and scary to say the least. Remember she thought she smooshed Ali in the womb and that was the reason why Ali has MD.
Compared to where she was, Leah has come a very long way…and at least she noticed that Gracie is having a difficult time and needed therapy. Plus, both parents have to sign off on the kids being filmed, and I’m sure if Corey had a problem with them filming it, there’s no way it would have been filmed. Both parents probably felt it could help another family going through a similar situation.
People need to lay off Leah. She was a flaming hot mess a few years ago, but to me she’s actually trying to get herself together.
True. But the last year she wasn’t doing so well. Not saying drugs..saying attitude.
Isn’t the real problem the stigma that people associate with seeing a mental health therapist? I don’t really agree with these kids having every aspect of their lives filmed, but I watch the show. So, that makes me a hypocrite in a sense I guess. Ali has watched her sister struggle and become worse. I can’t imagine how she feels. People should really try to understand her struggles too. I’m sure she does feel guilty in a sense that her sister suffers and she’s healthy. She’s just a child and the name calling isn’t necessary or helpful.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about Leah. On one hand, it seems like she is getting her life together and putting Aleeah in therapy was the right decision. I also don’t fault her for coming to her daughter’s defense because I think the comments about she should smack her daughter for being disrespectful, etc. are just cruel and unnecessary.
But, as usual, she is taking zero accountability for her role in all of this. As others have pointed out, she fell really short as a mom for a long time. She was hooked on pills and we all know that’s true no matter how hard she denies it. During that time, it was Aleeah who climbed into the counter to make toast to feed herself and the other girls while Leah was passed out. We saw that the fridge was bare and the kids were living in pretty terrible conditions. That’s a trauma that doesn’t disappear now that Leah is better. For Leah to pretend like all of Aleeah’s issues stem from Ali is unfair and untruthful.
I have also noticed on a few occasions that Aleeah is treated as if she is older than Ali, like she should know better. And I get it. I get that parents with a disabled child often overcompensate and it’s a difficult situation. But Aleeah is a child and it must all seem incredibly unfair to her. The spellbook incident left me feeling really bad for her. Both girls were at fault for fighting and Aleeah immediately apologized to Ali and tried to help her up. But, Leah was very quick to place the entire blame on Aleeah because Ali was crying. I’m not surprised she began lashing out at that point (and I didn’t care for Leah using Corey as a threat). She probably saw it as being unfair. There have been other occasions where I’ve wondered if Ali sees how easily she can get Aleeah in trouble and how quick Leah is to believe that Aleeah is at fault. It comes as no surprise to me that Aleeah is acting out. Positive or negative, it’s the best way to get attention.
I also agree with others that point out that her going therapy should not be aired. Leah was super private about her own issues, but kept trying to force Aleeah to discuss her feelings on camera. Once again, it’s not at all shocking that Aleeah wanted no part of it and started acting bratty. She knows her mom is asking these staged questions for the benefit of the camera. She’s too old for that. Leah should have shut it down since it became immediately obvious how uncomfortable her daughter was. Same with calling Corey and discussing the appointment with Aleeah sitting right there. I felt awkward for her. Some things should be private, especially since this is not something Aleeah chose.
Leah clearly loves her daughters and I think she is trying to do her best. But, she’s still a bit immature and like many parents with a sick or disabled child, she is falling into the trap of favoring one child over the other. Hopefully, therapy helps both Aleeah and Leah.
I have to say, I wasn’t impressed at all with the way Leah was interrogating her during the car ride. She didn’t want to talk about it. I agree that Leah was neglectful to the girls and she can not rely on calling Cory to fix the problems when they arise now.
You make an EXCELLENT point. Why does Leah refuse to address her own issues she had publicly but its ok to talk about her daughters? I think Leah has made great progress in her life but what’s good for the goose should be what’s good for the gander..
Finally someone with common sense ?? I shudder watching this show and seeing the level of drama and amount of adult situations these children are exposed to on a regular basis. Is it any wonder they turn out the way they do? Add in a mother who has always struggled with her child’s disability and turned to men and drugs to cope, and boom it’s a perfect storm. Great, you’re getting her therapy. But she needs to work on creating a lifestyle that is healthier for her children. That little girl is growing up way too fast and it’s due to how she’s been raised. They wanted their lives documented to bring in a big check, well expect people to comment on what you show them.
All of these woman need to come to the realization that if you cash the hefty checks you better be ready for the hefty criticism of every single thing you do, kids included. Sorry, that is the world we live in.
Don’t like it, quit the show, quit the product hawking and quit social media and you, your kids and family will be forgotten within six months. You’ll need to get a job an work for a living, but so does the rest of the world. They would rather subject their kids and family to public and future ridicule than give up the easy money.
I am basically fed up with all these girls and their equally f’d parents that really should be faulted for two generations of dysfunctional people.
I hand it to MTV, they groomed a bunch of idiots from high school students through to adulthood to perform, for peanuts.
All of these children are now too old to have their lives shared and exploited on MTV. No privacy and they aren’t allowed to just enjoy their lives.
I don’t think anyone should be insulting Leah or Gracie, but the people who say Leah shouldn’t let MTV film conversations like this have a point. Gracie didn’t ask to have her life broadcast to the world and children are incredibly cruel. I highly doubt Gracie wants her classmates knowing she’s going to therapy. I think it’s great that Leah is being proactive with her daughter’s mental health, but stuff like this should be kept off camera for Gracie’s sake. I also have a problem with the fact that Leah protects her own struggles (MONKEY!), but has no problem airing her daughter’s dirty laundry out for the world to see. It’s time to end these shows. These poor kids have had their privacy invaded for far too long just so their parents can make good money fast.
“Dirty laundry?” I don’t see Gracie’s reasons for therapy as dirty laundry, it sounds more like she’s a little girl dealing with some big feelings. There’s no shame in that. There’s also no shame in talking to someone for help, no matter how old you are. I’m glad the conversation was filmed; one more step in breaking down the negative stigma associated with mental health.
Although I don’t know how helpful it was for Leah to document those feelings via social media. It’s absolutely ok to feel whatever you feel, but the intimate details of it are between you and your therapist and the people directly involved.
The conversation was filmed despite Aleeah obviously not wanting to discuss anything on camera. If Leah wants to break down stigmas against mental health, she needs to use her own struggles with substance abuse, not force a child to tell us all why she is acting out on camera. This was incredibly uncomfortable to watch because it was beyond clear that this is not what Aleeah wanted.
See this is what I’m talking about. I agree that Gracie’s feelings about therapy is something she shouldn’t have to talk about outside of therapy if she is not comfortable. But NO WHERE in that conversation did Leah ask Gracie to state why she was acting out. She asked Gracie to tell her how she felt about GOING to therapy (scared, excited, nervous etc). Seemed to me like she was is trying to teach her children good coping skills, and simply got frustrated because she wants to help Grace and knows there’s only so much she can do. I’m not trying to be confrontational here, just pointing out that nothing was EVER said or done to indicate it was the cameras and filming that made Grace not want to share her feelings. I agree she was uncomfortable talking about her feelings…disagree that the conversation would have been any different off-camera. Which, of course, we would have no way of ascertaining. But let’s not make up stories that Aleeah was uncomfortable because the conversation was being filmed, when all we actually know is that she was uncomfortable with the conversation itself.
Sarah is really, really personally invested in this whole Leah situation. If you think for one minute this conversation would have been the same whether on or off camera, you’re just trolling us. What child wants to have a heart to heart with their mother about going to therapy, to talk about serious issues, from the backseat with cameras in their face? Are you kidding me? Of course that child was uncomfortable. Leah is capable of making mistakes, obviously, not quite sure why you’re defending every single thing she does ?
What the…
Not sure why you are being so defensive about this. First of all, they did talk about Aleeah not knowing why she acts out in class. Leah did also talk about Alreah’s issues being because of her feelings about Ali. That’s all the “why” of Aleeah’s behavior. It is becoming increasingly hilarious how you are so concerned with us getting every single detail of this right, and then you misquote or exaggerate in every post.
It’s crazy to think that this conversation would have looked the same with no cameras around. Why is this bothering you so much?
In theory I agree that Leah should be just as free talking about her struggles. But in reality, she is a divorced mom with shared custody. If I was in that situation, and also struggling with addiction & planning on seeking therapy, no way in hell would I publicly admit it. Not for the shame in it but because treatment for depression sounds a lot better on paper than treatment for narcotic addiction.
Was going to say the same thing. Love how the 1+ year of her mother’s severe drug addiction and lots of father figures coming in and out of her life gets glossed over. Unfortunately her mother was too sick to be preparing her for these issues before they happened. Glad she is finally becoming a better parent. She is one of the ones I worry about the most without the MTV money. Sure a lot of the money went to drugs but hope she’s been saving because with no skills I can only imagine she’ll find another man when MTV stops filming.
I think she gets a pretty decent child support check between both Corey and Jeremy who have actual jobs.
I’m totally on Leah’s side. It’s one thing for these haters to go after the adults but they have no right to go after the kids. That is just not okay.
You can’t tell anyone watching that some of her daughters behavior isn’t also a result of a drug addled mother in a divorce and dating, moving her around, and forcing her to be the mother figure to her sisters before she was old enough to take care of herself! That’s part of the reason her dad finally got custody. Mom got her life together but that doesn’t erase the sense of responsibility this little girl felt or confusion that now mom wants to be adult & stop her from bossing the girls around. Leah leaves off the real defense and when this child’s problems started because Leah still refuses to admit that she had a drug problem & was a terrible mother!
Leah’s still cleaning up the messes from her River of Denial. But I don’t think Grace is bad, I think she’s perfectly normal. I think Leah still struggles to set boundaries and parent her girls at times. However if she needed rehab to get her crap together, it’s probably a good idea to get her daughter some as well & the reason it won’t be filmed has nothing to do with her privacy but mommy’s secrets.