Amber Portwood says that her relationship with her daughter Leah Shirley is on the mend, and they’re doing much better than how Teen Mom OG viewers saw them last season.
Amber’s strained relationship with her 12-year-old daughter Leah has been the focus of her storyline for the past few seasons on Teen Mom OG.
Due to her arrests for domestic violence and drug abuse, Amber lost custody of Leah and her ex, Gary Shirley, has been raising Leah along with his wife, Kristina Shirley.
Last season on Teen Mom OG, viewers watched as Leah was hesitant to form a relationship with her mom after years of being absent from her life.
Teen Mom OG star Amber Portwood says relationship with Leah is improving
Now, Amber is speaking out and wants Teen Mom OG fans to know that she and Leah have been working on their relationship and making improvements.
Speaking recently with Hollywood Life, Amber Portwood told the outlet that her and Leah’s mother-daughter bond is going “great.”
“Honestly, when it comes to me and her, I did exactly what I thought I needed to do,” Amber shared, “which was give her space so she could understand what she was kind of like feeling and understand the emotions that she had, though, because she was obviously… she’s getting older.”
The 31-year-old mom of two continued, “I can say very happily that giving her the space […] and some people might not understand why that was the best thing that I ever could do, because we actually talk now and she sees a brother all the time and that’s exactly what I wanted.”
Amber also shares a three-year-old son named James with her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Glennon. The former couple has been battling over custody of their son for some time now.
Amber Portwood, Leah Shirley are sharing hugs, ‘completely different’ from last season on Teen Mom OG
Amber continued to talk about her and Leah’s blossoming relationship, “She’s hugging me [and it’s just] a completely different dynamic than what you guys saw last season on OG […] where it was just kind of leaving the house and not saying anything.”
“And that is how we’re starting to grow a little bit,” Amber said, and she added that she’s not trying to “push” Leah, saying, “It’s great right now. Honestly, I can’t ask for anything more.”
Amber’s abusive history has not only cost her custody of her children but it’s also created conversations among Teen Mom fans who feel she shouldn’t be allowed to continue filming because of it.
Next up on Amber’s plate is her appearance on both of the new Teen Mom spinoff shows, Family Reunion and Girls’ Night In, both premiering tonight, so be sure to tune in to catch the highly anticipated drama coming viewers’ way.
Teen Mom: Family Reunion premieres on Tuesday, January 11 at 8/7c on MTV followed by the premiere of Teen Mom: Girls’ Night In at 9/8c.