Sister Wives

[Melissa55]

Kody is far too focused on the investment value of any property / house they own. He was practically giddy about the supposed increased value of the land. He's not looking at it as a place to build a home (or homes) to live in long term. He's looking at it as an investment. Besides which, I've always questioned whether they truly understand how much it's going to cost to develop and build on that land. I bet they eventually end up just selling it.

I think it’s a little ridiculous that he got so excited from a lawyer telling him that. I wouldn’t take legal advice from my realtor, and I wouldn’t take real estate advice from my lawyer.

It definitely feels to me, most of the time that Kody is in this plural marriage to feed his ego Not necessarily because of a belief system. the whole thing seems so messy when they are all together. I’m sure some of it is for tv. It just seems like Meri is in so much pain, understandably most of it self inflicted, still it seems like real pain.

When Kody got together with his high school friends several years ago they more or less said the same thing about him, that they weren’t surprised he was a polygamist because he needed the constant attention basically.

 

[pryncess527]

They certainly make some interesting financial decisions. If/when the TLC gravy train dries up I think it's gonna be really tough going for that family.

I think if polygamy were truly legal - not just decriminalized, but he was able to legally marry them all - that would also endanger their finances. You know as much as I love em that Janelle & Christine have to be getting federal assistance as “single” moms with no real job.

 

[Mizzoufan]

I think if polygamy were truly legal - not just decriminalized, but he was able to legally marry them all - that would also endanger their finances. You know as much as I love em that Janelle & Christine have to be getting federal assistance as “single” moms with no real job.

Janelle has a real job.

 

[mom2rtk]

Janelle has a real job.

She does now. But I'm pretty sure she has used public assistance in the past, when her kids were younger.

 

[ronandannette]

She does now. But I'm pretty sure she has used public assistance in the past, when her kids were younger.

This is where I clearly don’t understand the religious morals of polygamy. A man providing for and protecting his family (not just getting to boss them all around) is a FUNDAMENTAL principle of most mainstream faiths, and of Western culture in general. The idea of purposely having wives and children you can’t take care of and planning on relying on their mothers and/or the dole to support them is simply repugnant. This alone is a good enough reason to never legalize polygamy.

 

[pryncess527]

Janelle has a real job.

My bad. I knew she was a realtor in the past but was under the impression she didn’t do that anymore with the exception of handling their Vegas listings for a while. I guess I just don’t know what it is that she does. I didn’t mean it as an insult to her though

 

[pryncess527]

This is where I clearly don’t understand the religious morals of polygamy. A man providing for and protecting his family (not just getting to boss them all around) is a FUNDAMENTAL principle of most mainstream faiths, and of Western culture in general. The idea of purposely having wives and children you can’t take care of and planning on relying on their mothers and/or the dole to support them is simply repugnant. This alone is a good enough reason to never legalize polygamy.

But it’s precisely the illegality that permits that to exist. If he had to claim them all to the government, the welfare/federal school aid laws etc could adjust accordingly.

Fraud and deception is much harder in the open. polygamy laws force them into the shadows. I don’t think that’s good for anybody

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Janelle has always been the wife that worked. For years only her and Kody worked and supported the family. She likes working outside the home and Christine loves being a SAHM. Janelle has worked since her kids were very young because she did not want to be a SAHM. That's why she loves polygamy so much. It allows her to be the mom she wants to be (a working mom).

I wouldn't go as far to say that the Brown's have used straight up welfare as in cash and food stamps. I really don't know if they would want to bring that attention onto themselves. And getting that kind of assistance isn't as easy as people think it is. In order to get cash assistance you must be in an approved schooling or in work study program given by the welfare department that helps you find a job (in my state anyway). You can't just sit at home and collect money. There are time limits on finding a job. Once you find a job the state gives you subsidized daycare. Food stamps are a bit easier to get.

BUT I do believe when they fill out FAFSA paperwork they put down they are single parents which isn't illegal and actually very truthful. There's no way they make enough to send 18 kids to college. They are definitely getting federal aid that way.

 

[ronandannette]

My bad. I knew she was a realtor in the past but was under the impression she didn’t do that anymore with the exception of handling their Vegas listings for a while. I guess I just don’t know what it is that she does. I didn’t mean it as an insult to her though

She also started a fitness studio and had some sort of mail-order business for plastic food storage containers. Meri sells tights through a MLM and Christine managed to pass the test for real estate licensure awhile back. And of course there’s Robin’s Sister Wife jewelry website. It doesn’t seem like much of this activity has been too successful though, and whatever Kody does, its certainly not 9:00 to 5:00 and we never hear about it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

She also started a fitness studio and had some sort of mail-order business for plastic food storage containers. Meri sells tights through a MLM and Christine managed to pass the test for real estate licensure awhile back. And of course there’s Robin’s Sister Wife jewelry website. It doesn’t seem like much of this activity has been too successful though, and whatever Kody does, its certainly not 9:00 to 5:00 and we never hear about it.

Kody used to be in marketing before the show. Now they make 40K an episode I believe I read somewhere and he dabbles in business and real estate ventures with "friends." I think Meri makes a decent living with lulumon and her bed and breakfast. I've run across Christine on IG and I think she's also selling lulumon and so is her daughter Mykelti....that's what it seems like from their posts. I don't know what Janelle is doing right now other than real estate.

 

[mom2rtk]

Janelle has always been the wife that worked. For years only her and Kody worked and supported the family. She likes working outside the home and Christine loves being a SAHM. Janelle has worked since her kids were very young because she did not want to be a SAHM. That's why she loves polygamy so much. It allows her to be the mom she wants to be (a working mom).

I wouldn't go as far to say that the Brown's have used straight up welfare as in cash and food stamps. I really don't know if they would want to bring that attention onto themselves. And getting that kind of assistance isn't as easy as people think it is. In order to get cash assistance you must be in an approved schooling or in work study program given by the welfare department that helps you find a job (in my state anyway). You can't just sit at home and collect money. There are time limits on finding a job. Once you find a job the state gives you subsidized daycare. Food stamps are a bit easier to get.

BUT I do believe when they fill out FAFSA paperwork they put down they are single parents which isn't illegal and actually very truthful. There's no way they make enough to send 18 kids to college. They are definitely getting federal aid that way.

There's stuff out there about the actual public assistance the Browns have been on (as recently as 2010 while filming the first season of Sister Wives). Also lots of stuff on their 3 bankruptcies.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Meri used to work in a medical office. When the show started airing, there was an episode where she commented that she was let go because of the show and her beliefs. https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=50477458&itype=cmsid

Now, she is a very successful Lularoe consultant/seller/whatever they are called. I am a part of her group on Facebook and have bought a few Disney themed items of clothing from her to wear on my Disney trips. Where other consultants have marked down their prices on several of their items, she rarely has to because people will buy them at full price and, believe me, they aren't cheap. She travels frequently with fellow consultants/friends so she's not just sitting home and sulking over where to build her house. And, then there's the bed and breakfast that she owns. I don't know if it makes much money but I'm betting that folks book just because it's owned by a "celebrity".

The last time that I tried to go on the My Sister Wife's Closet website, there was no inventory/items listed and it said to come back soon. It's been quite some time since I've looked so it may be back up and running. ***While typing, I got curious and went to the site....still the same message. https://mysisterwifescloset.com/

From what I can recall, Janelle has made several remarks that she was one of the wives that has always worked and that she enjoyed her job. She has a website: https://strivewithjanelle.com/ and if you look at the merchandise that's offered, several items are sold out. She also posts on Instagram that she signed up for FabFitFun which I am sure gives her some sort of money for hawking their wares.

I don't know if Christine has ever worked outside of the home because I don't remember her ever mentioning it. Like someone said above, she did get her realtor's license a while back so maybe now that her kids are older, she may get into the real estate business.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

There's stuff out there about the actual public assistance the Browns have been on (as recently as 2010 while filming the first season of Sister Wives). Also lots of stuff on their 3 bankruptcies.

Ive read about their bankruptcies. I posted a link before regarding them and how much the show pays but it didn’t state anything about the public assistance. Off to google. Lol

 

[mi*vida*loca]

So he was taking on another wife and her 3 kids while on PA? If I’m remember right season one included him courting Robyn.

 

[mom2rtk]

So he was taking on another wife and her 3 kids while on PA? If I’m remember right season one included him courting Robyn.

The site I was reading says they were on PA as recently as 2010. And he married Robyn in May of 2010.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Janelle’s first husband is Meri’s brother.

Robyn’s first husband is Christine’s first cousin. So Christine is the kids “mom” and second cousin. Her kids are their siblings and 3rd cousins.

Weird all the way around.

 

[Turn the Page]

Janelle’s first husband is Meri’s brother.

Robyn’s first husband is Christine’s first cousin. So Christine is the kids “mom” and second cousin. Her kids are their siblings and 3rd cousins.

Weird all the way around.

To be fair, the polygamist community is rather insular and the families are huge so most people would be related in some way......some more distantly than others.

 

[Turn the Page]

But it’s precisely the illegality that permits that to exist. If he had to claim them all to the government, the welfare/federal school aid laws etc could adjust accordingly.

Fraud and deception is much harder in the open. polygamy laws force them into the shadows. I don’t think that’s good for anybody

Eh, I don't know. There are a lot of people who have multiple kids with multiple partners. Granted usually not 15 and usually one at a time but still.

 

[wenrob]

Janelle’s first husband is Meri’s brother.

Robyn’s first husband is Christine’s first cousin. So Christine is the kids “mom” and second cousin. Her kids are their siblings and 3rd cousins.

Weird all the way around.

Yet not uncommon in certain areas/groups even among non polygs. There are common names I can tell you exactly where a family is from. My great grandmother and her sister married my great grandfather and his brother. At one time their last name dominated the town they were from. You also see lots of similar physical traits, everyone looks like everyone else. My mom belonged to a ward with lots of married cousins, it was like walking into a clone factory.

 

[Turn the Page]

Yet not uncommon in certain areas/groups even among non polygs. There are common names I can tell you exactly where a family is from. My great grandmother and her sister married my great grandfather and his brother. At one time their last name dominated the town they were from. You also see lots of similar physical traits, everyone looks like everyone else. My mom belonged to a ward with lots of married cousins, it was like walking into a clone factory.

DH's mother and aunt married 2 brothers. I tell him his family tree doesn't branch.