Raising kids between two households is always complicated, especially as your kids get older and more independent. Recently, Bristol Palin's 15-year-old son, Tripp, made the decision to live primarily with dad Levi Johnston in Alaska instead of with Bristol in Texas. Now, the Teen Mom alum is opening up about what she says has been a "gut-wrenching" experience – starting with the way that Tripp decided to break the news to his mom.
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Bristol got the news from Tripp in a text message.
When she appeared this week on Cheryl Burke's podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans, Bristol shared the story about how she found out that Tripp wanted to stay in Alaska with his dad.
"He just texted me. He’s like, ‘Hey Mom. I’m not coming back.' Oh, I couldn’t even believe it," she said. "At first I’m like, 'I’m coming up to Alaska, we’re not doing this.' I was so mad. So mad."
It was a shock because she and Tripp are in constant contact while he's in Alaska.
"We talk before school every day and after school every day. We FaceTime every day. So I’m sure that was a very monumental decision for him," she said. "And I’m sure it was so hard for him to bring it up to me, but I respect that he thinks this is what’s best and he needs that relationship with his dad."
Now that Tripp is almost 16, she wanted to give him the chance to be with his dad.
"He thinks that this is best right now and all I can do is just hope and pray that it is what’s best," she added.
Earlier this month, she shared the news that Tripp had moved to Alaska.
In a post on her Instagram Stories, Bristol wrote that "one of the biggest pieces of my heart" was missing on the first day of school as she sent daughters Sailor and Atlee off without their big brother.
"Tripp has decided to finish out high school in Alaska to be closer to his dad and our entire family," she wrote. "If you know Tripp, you know he lives for hunting/fishing and I honestly can't blame him for wanting to be back home."
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Bristol believes that Tripp needs to be with his dad right now.
"So as hard as it is for me, and it’s so hard for my girls too, I know that he needs to grow that relationship with his dad," she explained on the podcast. "And he loves Alaska so much, he’s hunting and fishing all the time. So I know that it’s going to be a good thing."
That doesn't mean it's going to be easy for her.
"It still is gut-wrenching to me because it’s been just Tripp and I," Bristol admitted. "And then I’ve had my girls but it’s always been Tripp and I."
It's definitely going to be a big adjustment, but one that Bristol can handle — and one day, Tripp will be even more thankful his mom allowed him this time with his dad.
