Ups and downs. Amber Portwood gave an update on her strained relationship with her and ex Gary Shirley’s 12-year-old daughter, Leah, on the Tuesday, September 7, episode of Teen Mom OG.
“I haven’t seen her in quite some time,” the reality star, 31, said in a confessional on the MTV show. “Leah and I are still struggling with our relationship. My relationship with Leah has changed a lot.”
The Indiana native alleged that Shirley, 34, and his wife, Kristina Anderson, have been keeping the preteen from her. “I haven’t heard back from Gary or Leah if I can see her on Easter,” Portwood explained. “I feel very stressed right now. A little sad. … All I do is text Leah all the time. I don’t get anything back. Never. Not anymore.”
The MTV personality, who is also the mother of son James, 3, with ex Andrew Glennon, went on to show unanswered texts from her eldest child, reiteraring that she hasn’t seen her daughter in “a long time.”
Portwood added, “I can’t count the days. It’s just going to make me more depressed. I don’t understand why I’m getting treated this way right now. I’m not going to give up on her.”
The 16 and Pregnant alum has previously opened up about her and Leah’s issues, penning an Instagram post to her “beautiful daughter” in April.
“I know you are going through a lot and there are many things I need to do to make things right,” Portwood wrote at the time. “However, I will always love you, my beautiful daughter. Love you and Happy Easter.”
That same month, Leah told cameras that she and her mom didn’t “really have a bond.” She explained during a Teen Mom OG episode: “Twelve years and she hasn’t really done anything. That’s kind of been, like, Kristina’s spot … All she did was give birth to me.”
Shirley replied, “I don’t want you writing your mom off and saying I can’t have a relationship with her because, at some point, you should have a relationship with her.”
Portwood alleged at the time that her daughter only likes Anderson because her stepmom “spoil[s]” her. “[Leah] respects her because she brings her out to Starbucks, gets her nails done and spends over $1,000 of clothing on her,” the Never Too Late said in an Instagram Live shortly after the April episode aired. “Hell, I’d respect her too. See, I wasn’t raised that way.”
Teen Mom OG airs on MTV Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
