Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott are trying to make their co-parenting relationship the best they can. Last week, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum finally pulled the plug on their marriage after nine months of separation, filing for divorce after a marriage that began in 2006 and included five children. In June 2023, Dean abruptly posted on social media that the couple was ending their marriage, but he quickly took the post down. Over the next few months, Tori and Dean weren’t seen together, and by the fall, they were both spotted out with new romantic partners. A few months ago, Dean admitted that he had been to rehab last year, and while his family hadn’t come to see him, Tori and their kids did support his efforts.
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Tori's focus has always been on her kids.
Tori recently launched a new podcast called MisSPELLING, and in the most recent episode, she opened up about how she and Dean are managing co-parenting.
"I honestly had spent the time taking care of the kids and focusing on them, and they weren't ready to see their dad. And I went to see him once when he was in rehab. And we were with therapists, and it got painful and argumentative. It was a lot," she admitted.
She believed Dean needed space while he was in rehab.
"It was a lot, and I didn't feel like he was doing well. Like, there was still a lot of anger and aggression, and so I didn't go back. And I know that hurt him a lot. He felt like we abandoned him when he was going through that process. But I had to do what was right for the kids," she said.
While she did acknowledge that Dean felt abandoned by his family, she had been told that an addict needs space while they’re healing.
The former couple are learning how to navigate co-parenting.
Tori later said that she hopes that she and her ex can have an "amicable" relationship with each other going forward.
"We're co-parenting very well right now. Like, the kids are seeing him again, and they're happy with his progress and the work he's done on himself. And they're proud of him, and we like his girlfriend," she shared. "You hope it works out like that. You always hope that. I don't know. I don't know what's gonna happen now."
She says that kids changed their marriage.
During the first episode of misSPELLING, Tori talked about her decision to file for divorce from Dean, citing irreconcilable differences. She admitted that their marriage changed once they welcomed their first child together, Liam.
"When I got pregnant, we got pregnant right away. So we got married in May, and we started trying right away," she explained. "Basically I conceived right after my dad passed. So I took that as like, 'Oh, it's a sign. This is supposed to be and this is how it was planned to happen.'"
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Tori felt like she was parenting alone a lot.
In addition to eldest son Liam, the estranged couple also share daughters Stella and Hattie and sons Finn and Beau.
"Honestly, our relationship was never the same after we started having kids," she confessed. "We always said, 'We won't be those parents that change. We'll make sure our relationship is a priority, the two of us. We have date nights.'"
She also admitted that during their marriage, she felt like she was the only parent.
