It’s hard being a single mom.
It’s even harder when millions are invited to comment on your every parenting decision thanks to your role on a popular reality show.
Given her unique set of circumstances, it stands to reason that Briana DeJesus would work hard to give her two daughters as normal an upbringing as possible.
And recently, that meant sheltering them from the fact that she was in a new relationship.
So, did Bri make the right call by keeping 8-year-old Nova in the dark about her romance with John Rodriguez?
No matter your initial reaction to that question, you may feel differently after checking out this preview from Tuesday night’s episode of Teen Mom 2:
No Easy Answer
In a preview clip from Tuesday night’s episode of Teen Mom 2, Briana DeJesus grapples with a difficult decision many a single parent can relate to: Should she tell her 8-year-old daughter, Nova, about her relationship with John Rodriguez?
Context
Those who follow their celebrity gossip know that Briana and John called it quits back in August, but throughout filming for the show’s current season, they appeared to be on the verge of moving in together, so watching this play out behind the scenes is no less intriguing.
Tough Situation
Of course, like all good moms, Briana’s children – she had Nova, 8, with Devoin Austin, and Stella, 2, with Luis Hernandez – are her top priority, and it’s clear that when she contemplated taking the next step with John, her primary concern was how the move would affect her two daughters.
Johnny on the Spot
So while John seemed like a good guy who was genuinely concerned for the happiness of Bri’s kids, it makes sense that DeJesus was cautious not only about living with him, but also about explaining to her daughters that she and Rodriguez were officially dating.
Knowing What’s at Stake
Bri’s younger daughter Stella is just two years old, as we said earlier, and is probably unconcerned with developments in her mother’s love life. But for eight-year-old Nova, the stakes are a lot higher. She’s old enough to understand the implications of Bri entering a new romantic relationship.
Hashing It Out
In this preview clip for tonight’s episode of Teen Mom 2, Briana reveals that she has not yet told her daughters about her relationship with John … and proceeds to explain why this is so complicated.
Cryptic Language
Actually, based on Bri’s comments, it seems Nova wasn’t totally in the dark about the John situation – she clearly noticed that John was around a lot and getting closer to her mother, she just didn’t realize how serious the relationship had become.
Playing It Safe
At least for the moment (the moment this was filmed), DeJesus treading carefully. “[Nova] doesn’t know that we’re together, boyfriend and girlfriend,” Bri said while talking to Rodriguez. “I don’t think she needs to know, not now.”
The Diplomatic Approach
“Until we figure out our living situation … then I’ll have a conversation with her about it because obviously, that’ll be new to her,” she added.
Reason to Be Wary
It’s worth pointing out that DeJesus hasn’t had the worst luck with men (it’s not like she married David Eason … or Courtland Rogers for that matter), but she hasn’t been tremendously fortunate, either.
Proceeding With Caution
“They’re with me, so that means they would live with you,” Bri said of her daughters, making a seemingly obvious point but one that she perhaps felt hadn’t fully resonated with Johnny. “They never lived with a male before.”
Hurdles Upon Hurdles
“It’s something that I’ve got to ease my way into,” she added. “That’s another f–king hurdle that I’ve got to cross.”
Bright Future
Bri pointed out that Nova seemed to like Johnny, and he reported that the little girl referred to him as “cool.” Even though their relationship faced plenty of hurdles, she seemed optimistic about the path forward.
All For Naught
Sadly, nothing would come of that bond, as Briana and John ended their relationship not long after that scene was filmed. It will be interesting to see how she explains that to Nova, for similar reasons.
Priorities
“I realized I wasn’t happy, had too much on my plate and needed to stay focused on all the things going on in my life including my kids, my new spa, filming Teen Mom 2, my other job and my family,” DeJesus told celebrity news magazine Us Weekly at the time.
Keeping It Friendly
“At the end of the day I truly feel bad about what went down with John and me, as he really is a great, sweet, amazing man,” she added, and those kind words took some fans aback.
Surprising Civility
DeJesus’s gushing words about Rodriguez are particularly surprising considering some of the events that have unfolded on recent episodes of Teen Mom 2.
Busted
“There was a screenshot that came out between him and somebody else and it looks like an Instagram DM,” Briana told a friend of hers on last week’s episode. “And [the girl] is like, ‘You got me pregnant, you’re only using [Briana] for fame.’”
A Gentlemanly Reply
“And he’s like, ‘F–k you, die,’ or something like that, something among those lines. It looks really real,” she added, clearly shook and unsure how this was going to play out.
Understandable Doubts
“I’m confused because a part of me is, ‘Okay, it’s fake,’ but then a part of me is like, ‘Okay, what if this really is legit?’” she continued.
The Walls Are Up
“I’m super guarded up, that’s it, brick wall in front of me,” DeJesus said after John denied the allegations.
Keeping Her Guard Up
Given the intense shadiness of some of the men she’s dated in recent years (two baby daddies who weren’t exactly prize-winning partners, and we’re looking at you, too, Javi!), we suppose it’s not surprising that Bri would be so skeptical of John’s denials.
What Really Matters
Fortunately, Briana has made it clear that no matter what happens with the men in her life, her children will always lay claim to the largest portion of her heart.
A Breath of Fresh Air
And with some of the extremely shoddy parenting we’ve seen on reality TV in recent years (looking at you, Jenelle Eason and Farrah Abraham and Amber Portwood), that’s enough to make the DeJesus clan a refreshing change of pace.