How Kody Brown's Estranged Wives Feel About Their Kids Entering Polygamous Marriages

While polygamy is not a requirement of the Mormon fundamentalist faith (it was renounced in 1890), plenty of its members practice it to this day. For them, plural marriage is closely related to their beliefs and, by extension, to God, which is why it's still around in the community. One of the most popular contemporary polygamists is undoubtedly Kody Brown, who went public with his lifestyle on TLC's "Sister Wives." 

But more than a decade since the show's debut, he might no longer believe in sharing as much as he used to. Two of Kody's estranged wives, Christine and Janelle Brown, are on the same page, at least when it comes to their children. Despite living in a plural family for years, the former sister wives don't think any of the Brown kids will continue the plural custom in their own relationships. 

According to ET, Christine grew up in a polygamous family, while Janelle was intrigued by the concept later in life. They both wanted a big family and the experience of having sister wives, but their reality turned out somewhat different than what they expected. Both women ultimately left Kody less than a year apart and have opened up to new possibilities in life, with polygamy not necessarily being one of them.

As far as Christine and Janelle Brown are concerned, their combined 12 children aren't ready for a polygamous lifestyle. In an exclusive conversation with People, the reality stars asserted that the new Brown generation doesn't have what it takes to start their own plural families as adults. "I think polygamy is hard, and I think you really do have to have a religious conviction, and they just don't," Janelle said. Other than not being devout enough, they're also simply not interested, according to Christine. 

"Some of our kids have seen how hard it is, and some of our kids have seen the separation," she explained. Janelle also pointed out that rather than forcing the idea of polygamy on their children, their ultimate goal as parents is to inspire their kids to connect with God — in whichever way that may be. After witnessing all of Kody Brown's breakups, it's actually no surprise that none of his kids want what he had, at least for the time being.

Paedon Brown, Christine's son, shared his own feelings on the topic in a "Sister Wives" episode from Season 18. "When we first went public, the purpose ... was to say, 'Polygamy works.' I don't think it works in my family anymore," he revealed during a solo confessional (via People). Not only are Kody's children renouncing polygamy but he might be, too.

In the wake of his family falling apart, Kody Brown is on the fence about continuing with a plural lifestyle. The patriarch has made a number of candid comments about polygamy over the years, including doubting the concept in general. Now that three of his marriages are over, Kody could finally be done with the concept for good. "It's a weird thing to be getting left. It's made me question getting into plural marriage," Kody confessed in a Season 17 episode, per Today.

His ex-wife, Christine Brown, feels the same way. While speaking to People, Christine confirmed that she's ready for a partner to call her own. "I will be a monogamist from here on out," she declared. "Polygamy is not for me anymore." Janelle Brown, on the other hand, still has hope for plural love. She explained, "I really do love the freedom and the independence that [plural marriage] gave me." However, she has no intention of looking for a new partner any time soon.

Thus, we shouldn't get our hopes up for a spin-off show just yet. While everyone in the Brown family seems to be distancing themselves from polygamy in one way or another, Robyn Brown is standing firm in her beliefs. According to In Touch Weekly, Kody's sole remaining wife has no particular interest in living a monogamous life. Where that leaves the patriarch is to be seen in the upcoming seasons of the long-running show.