Has Ryan Edwards truly turned over a new, responsible leaf?
This question has been posed about the reality star many times over the years, of course.
HOWEVER, Edwards seemingly took a major step in a very positive direction on the April 17 episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter… as the 37-year-old had a honest conversation with his and ex Maci Bookout’s 16-year-old son, Bentley.
To put it bluntly, Edwards has been an absentee parent for a majority of this child’s life.
The MTV personality has been arrested on numerous occasions and checked into rehab more than once to battle substance abuse issues.
Via a court filing from earlier this year, there’s actually an official record of just how little time Ryan spends with his kids.
But perhaps the past will NOT be prologue in his case?
“You know for the longest, I’ve not been in a good place,” Edwards told Bentlty during the emotional moment on the aforementioned episode. “For a while, your momma didn’t want us together at all. It made me mad, but I don’t blame her now.”
Indeed, earlier on the same installment, Bookout — who also shares kids Jayde, 9, and Maverick, 8, with husband Taylor McKinney — admitted that Bentley’s latest visit to Ryan and his fiancée Amanda Conner’s home was the “first time” she and her 16-year-old felt “happy” about the arrangement.
She really hasn’t said anything like that in the past.
Edwards, for his part, shares a baby girl with Conner… as well as kids Jagger, 10, and Stella, 5, with ex Mackenzie Standifer.
He said on air that he resented Maci for having kept Bentley away from him amid his addiction struggles, but he now understands where she was coming from a lot more than he did in the past.
He’s also satisfied with where he and his son stand these days.
It could be A LOT worse, that’s for certain.
“16 years later, here we are,” Edwards said on the Teen Mom episode. “I’m sorry it took this long, but it’s better now than ever. I’d love to spend time with you whenever you want to come over here. I know we ain’t been able to, but I would enjoy that.”
Wow, huh?
Hopefully clean and sober at this point, the mechanic emphasized that he will continue to work on himself to better his relationship with his son, adding:
“There were times I wasn’t there for you, but I hope I’m showing you it’s a little different.”
The duo ended this exchange by each saying they loved the other.
Just about a year ago, Bookout detailed how she and her ex were able to come to a more peaceful co-parenting dynamic after a whole lot of conflict and tension.
“All of us involved have done a whole lot of work,” the 33-year old told E! News last June.
“We have just honestly worked on ourselves. So, naturally, it’s all coming together.”
For the sake of Bentley and other kids in Ryan’s life, we’re so very, very thrilled to hear this.
Ryan Edwards Apologizes to Son for Being a Total Deadbeat Dad was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
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