Amber Portwood‘s new book, So, You’re Crazy Too? has raised quite a few eyebrows since it was released recently, due to the candid and sometimes shocking stories Amber disclosed about her life in it. While the Teen Mom OG star has stated that she hopes the new book will help people who are also struggling with their mental health, fans were curious how one person in particular— Amber’s teen daughter Leah— feels about Amber’s very personal book.
In a new interview with The Ashley, Amber revealed whether or not she will allow Leah to read her memoir, and gave an update as to how her sometimes tumultuous relationship with Leah is today. As ‘Teen Mom OG’ fans know, Leah made it clear last season that she did not want a relationship with Amber, but things have improved a lot since then, Amber says.
“We are now at a point that it is a fun relationship,” Amber told The Ashley. “We’re not what people think anymore. She needed her time. She needed to understand and cope with my past.”
Amber said that, since ‘Teen Mom OG’ viewers saw them last, Leah had a heart-to-heart with her.
“She ended up coming to me and saying, ‘I will never judge you,'” Amber said of 13-year-old Leah. “I said, ‘I’m glad you said that because I don’t want you to judge anyone. I want you to have an open mind.’
“My daughter is so amazingly smart and a beautiful person,” Amber added.
Amber said it took Leah a while to move past some of the anger she had toward her for things Amber had done (or not done) in the past.
“Even through my mistakes I can show to my own kids, that this is what not to do,” Amber– who also has son James with ex Andrew Glennon. “I think Leah took a while to understand. She told me she could see the change [in me]. I thought that was beautiful of her to say. What I did, I was going to stay present and not stay away from her.”
Amber said that she has used therapy and other methods to reflect on her own past. Leah and Leah’s dad, Gary Shirley, had accused Amber during past ‘Teen Mom OG’ episodes of putting Leah on the back burner when Amber got a new man. Amber says she has come a long way from that.
“I’m just a different person when it comes to understanding what a codependent relationship is, and real love and that is with my family,” she said.
Amber’s relationship with Gary and his wife Kristina (whom Amber has blasted during Instagram Live rants numerous times over the years) has also greatly improved.
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“Gary is great, we’re friends,” Amber said. “He has a great wife, it’s kind of amazing when we’re all together. James thinks of them as an uncle and aunt. [Their daughter] Emilee treats [James] like a brother. It’s amazing to see.
“Whenever I get into a relationship, they’ll have to be ok with the blended family,” she added.
As The Ashley previously reported, Amber’s new book contains graphic stories about sex, her childhood, and her time before and after being chosen for ‘Teen Mom OG.’ (You can some excerpts from the book here and here!) Amber says that, although Leah hasn’t read the book yet (to her knowledge), the 13-year-old does know about some of the events discussed in the book. (Amber’s book also contains stories about her struggles with mental illness, as well as suicide attempts, drug use and more.)
“Leah knows a couple of things,” Amber said, adding that she doesn’t believe Leah will be embarrassed of anything written in the book. “She’s aware of what my mental illnesses are and that is a big step.”
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Amber’s book, So, You’re Crazy Too? can be ordered here.
(Photos: MTV; Instagram)
21 Responses
Remember that idiot she dated “Matt”
He was such a choad and sucked away her money.
I think he even bought her a corvette with her own money. Lol. I bet this guy is living on loser street
Kristina and Gary have raised a lovely daughter
I remember signing an online petition to have deluJenelle fired. Can’t we start a new one?
Leah heard from all her friends at school about all the crazy sh*t amber posted online and about all the mean sh*t she said about Kristina, the woman who has been mothering Leah since she was 2 years old.
So yeah, I think the 13-year-old probably either read the book or everyone told her about it.
What is Leah going to say, of course, she understands Amber is sick, she has seen her mental illness play out in real life, she knows the woman, sleeps all day, screams at people, jumps in and out of relationships. Has had two kids and doesn’t have or want custody of either of them.
I think Leah is like okay as long as she leaves me alone and stops posting on the internet, I think we are okay.
You’re so off base. The statement that she doesn’t have or want custody of either of her kids is wildly inaccurate. She sees James every week, and take him to see Leah, too. Have you not read the articles on this very site where she’s petitioning the court for the additional time she’s supposed to be able to have with James now under the parenting guidelines and how Andrew is trying to run off to California with him to not only block her from getting that, but further reduce her time with him?
She’s trying. You just want to believe that she’s not because of preconceived notions you have of her based on mistakes she made in the past. Your comment would be far more credible if it was more balanced instead of a rant! ?
no biological mother of 2, leah didn’t and doesn’t need to cope with ur past but with ur constant absence, and i get it this is your way to tell her there is a new toyboy in ur life so leah can prepare for not having u in her life yet again, except this time around leah is relieved, she can’t wait to have this drivel of a show stop and see u vanish into social media oblivion, farewell egg donor.
Of course Leah will be embarrassed by the book. Amber is clueless
I don’t believe a word that comes out of amber’s mouth. She lies about her relationship with Leah all the time.
I believe a whole 0% of this nonsense.
I think if Amber wants to do right by Leah she’d quit the show and give Leah her privacy by not telling outsiders how things are going. It’s their business not the fans.
Fire this dummy.
And Amber you are NOT a mom. You are an egg donor.
Always chasing after a man. And can not even pick a decent one.
?????
?
This sloth will be on the new reboot, I guarantee it. She’s not a teen or a mom and MTV hasn’t fired her yet.
Drugs, gel, multiple assaults..
A rill role model. And bc we live in backwards world lately, her story is called “redemption”
Hey you know what kills trust with your kid? You always blabbing it to social media!! Such an attention-wh0re. Cripes. I am so glad Leah as Christina and Gary.
Your… daughter. Your child… has had to cope… because if your shîtty aśś parenting? I think that’s nice. SMFH.
Amber. Seriously. Stop sharing these rare and private moments you have with her. She deserves privacy. You’re not building a stronger relationship with her by telling the world that you’re building a stronger relationship.
Does Amber understand that Leah can google all the things she does not yet know about her egg donors shenanigans? And that all Leahs friends can do the same?
seriously!! someone online even said that the reason leah wasn’t talking to amber was because someone from school showed her a clip of amber hitting gary! and on top of that gary and kristina mention that leah’s friends watch ambers lives and it’s embarrassing for poor leah
i hope amber is telling the truth about how far she’s come. because it definitely doesn’t seem that way everytime she gets mad at kristina and calls her a homewrecker online then calling her beautiful and amazing without genuinely pologizing
Amber will always be a conniving asshole in my book. She should have been fired long ago.