Teen Mom alum Jenelle Evans says she’s struggling to break the family cycle with her 16-year-old son, Jace.
Evans, 33, opened up about her relationship with her eldest son via a fan Q&A on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, August 27. Earlier this month, Jace reportedly moved out of their Las Vegas home following a disagreement and is now living in North Carolina with a relative.
A fan asked Evans if she felt “that history is repeating itself now [that] Jace is acting like how u acted” toward her mother, Barbara.
“It’s the way he was raised with my mom,” she explained Wednesday, adding, “I had to rewire myself out of being too reactive in situations and learn to sit and listen. Had to teach myself not to cuss every other word like I grew up with and still working on it. I had to break the family cycle and it’s happening again.”
TMZ previously reported that Jace’s move came after he threatened to call Child Protective Services (CPS) on Evans when she allegedly left him home with her two other kids while she was out.
A source told Us Weekly on August 21 that CPS never came by the house and Jace was not babysitting in Evans’ absence. Evans had hired a babysitter she found on Care.com whom the kids love, per the insider.
Jenelle Evans’ Instagram Story on August 27. Jenelle Evans/Instagram
When an IG follower asked how she feels about Jace, Evans responded in a Wednesday Story, “It’s a full circle moment and hopefully he can change and follow the rules, but I have 2 other little kids to think of as well and their well being.”
When asked how she feels in general, she wrote, “Sad mostly everyday.”
Evans shares Jace with ex Andrew Lewis, son Kaiser, 11, with ex Nathan Griffith and daughter Ensley, 8, with ex-husband David Eason. She said that Kaiser and Ensley’s “feelings are being hurt by comments and TikTok people talking badly about their mom. Yes, they have phones now.”
Jace did not follow through on his threats, nor did he file a report against Evans. TMZ reported that Evans had grounded him after the incident.
Last week, Jace posted screenshots from their private text exchanges via social media. They detailed an alleged fight between Jace and his former stepfather, Eason, 37, whom the former accused in September 2023 of assaulting him. (Eason received a misdemeanor charge of child abuse after the claims, TMZ reported at the time.)
“I am finally putting out how much mother really is,” Jace wrote, adding, “I need to go back to NC she is just rlly [sic] unstable.”
His first post included a text from Evans that read, “Your [sic] the one saying you’re going to have my custody taken. F*** YOU.”
A second post contained more texts from Evans that read, “Just like the way you lied about David strangling you. You make things worse on yourself.” (Jace’s responses argued her claim.)
Evans responded to the text leak via Instagram on August 19, saying that she “disciplined” Jace over the incident.
“While it hurts to see those moments shared publicly, I know it comes from a place of struggle,” she wrote. “Navigating Jace’s different medical diagnoses has not been easy, but I have never stopped fighting to make sure he has the resources, love and support he needs.”
