Maci Bookout Goes On As Parent ‘Rant’

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Maci Bookout

Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star Maci Bookout has shared every step of her parenting journey on television since documenting her first pregnancy in the 2009 premiere episode of 16 and Pregnant. On the March 13 episode of Bookout’s True Crime Podcast, “Expired”Bookout and co-host Natalie Gard walk a tangent that leads to a full-blown parenting rant from Bookout, who has a lot to say on the subject.

“I’m not perfect and I make a lot of mistakes, especially in parenting… First of all, people can judge me whatever they want for what I’m about to say, but I will never be afraid of my children. It’s not going to happen. I’m in charge… They’ll always know not to fuck me,” the mother-of-three said.

A Teen Mom fan page on Instagram shared a snippet of the podcast by Bookout and the official “Expired” account commented, saying, “🙌 Check out the full tirade on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast!”

Maci Bookout shares her parenting secrets

During her tirade (which starts around the 56:45 mark on her latest podcast episode), Bookout shared her keys to getting her kids to listen and respect her at all times, saying it’s a two-way street.

“I’m a really good whisperer and I have great facial expressions. It doesn’t need more. And you have to be a parent that shows up and respects them as a kid, as a person, respects what they want, what they say,” Bookout said, “but that doesn’t mean you have to do it. But you have to respect what they have to say and how they feel. And you just have to show up for them because it makes them respect you. It’s about respect.”

Bookout also mentions her eldest child, Bentley, who she had with then-boyfriend Ryan Edwards in October 2008, saying, “I can tell you Bentley could walk through that door right now while we’re recording and you could be like, ‘ Are you afraid of your mom?’ and he would be like a 14 year old [going through] Puberty, ‘My mommy sucks’ but he’ll throw you that grin like ‘I wouldn’t mess with her.’ But he also knows that I will be the first to stand behind him, but not because of some cops***. I won’t cover for him.”

Bookout hypothetically ends her tirade about how she would react if her children committed crimes growing up, saying, “I’ll visit you in jail or rehab or wherever we need to go.” We will face our consequences. I can still love you, I can still be your mother and love you in every setting. That doesn’t mean I have to support you with any hateful, violent shit, but I sure as hell will never be scared of you. And if I’m afraid of you, then we have to get help and take you somewhere. Because if I’m afraid of you, then everyone should be afraid of you. Period.”

Maci Bookout reunites with Ryan Edwards on Teen Mom: Family Reunion

Bookout’s co-parenting journey with her ex Edwards has seen many ups and downs over the years, including Bookout’s filing of a restraining order against Bentley’s father in 2018. Edwards currently faces legal troubles of his own as he was ordered by the court to serve at least 45 days of rehab at a facility in Austin, Texas . Prior to his recent arrest, Edwards returned to television screens and reunited with Bookout on stage “Teen Mom: Family Reunion, the Aftermath”..

The two had a conversation about their shared parenting goals, which life coach Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, and Edwards cried when he said his goal was “to be able to — I think for Maci to be okay with that.” [me] can only see [Bentley], Really. Hell, I haven’t spent time with him in a long time, just me.”

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