Brandi Glanville Opens Up About Co-Parenting with Ex Eddie Cibrian and Why They Spend Holidays Together: 'I Put My Kids First'
12/29/2024 09:40 PM
Glanville and her sons Mason and Jake recently spent Christmas at the home Cibrian shares with wife LeAnn Rimes
Brandi Glanville is opening up about her co-parenting dynamic with ex-husband Eddie Cibrian.
In the Dec. 29 episode of her podcast Brandi Glanville Unfiltered, the reality star, 52, shared that she spent Christmas at Cibrian's house, explaining that it's always been important to her that her kids celebrate the holidays with both of their parents.
Cibrian and Glanville were married from 2001 to 2009 and share sons Mason, 21, and Jake, 17.
"I went over there to my ex's house [for Christmas] because of my kids," she said, referring to the home Cibrian, 51, shares with wife LeAnn Rimes, whom he married in 2011. "I mean, you guys don't understand the love I have for these children. Like, I would take a bullet for them."
She continued, "What was I gonna do? Stay over here in my house, be lonely during Christmas or go be with, like, my beloved children and my in-laws who I'm obsessed with and love?"
Glanville said that despite being criticized online about her choices, she insisted, "I put my kids first," and noted that she feels proud of how she has handled her co-parenting relationship with Cibrian since their divorce.
"I have the utmost respect for myself. Like, certain times, I actually pat myself on the back and [say], like, 'Oh, my girl. You're doing this for your boys.' "
"It sounds ridiculous, and I don't know that it would be done if it were the other way around if I had cheated and married and invited him over," she added, seemingly referring to the fact that Cibrian and Rimes, 42, became romantically involved while the actor was still married to Glanville.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum said she wants her kids to be able to mark special occasions as a united family.
"I don't know, but I can only speak [for myself when I say] that having two separate holidays f---- kids up, guys. It f---- them up. Two birthdays f---- them up," she explained.
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Glanville shared that she is able to put aside any uncomfortable feelings she may have for the sake of her sons. "I can step in there and not give a f--- as long as everyone's happy and everyone's in one place and the kids are happy and we're having a good time and the food is good," she said, noting that the family Christmas at Cibrian's house was "lovely."
The day after Christmas, Glanville shared a photo from the holiday gathering on Instagram as she thanked her ex-husband and country singer Rimes, 42, for hosting.
She wrote in the caption, "Happy Christmas❤️ not my favorite look for my face but I felt ALL the love from my modern family. Thanks Eddie & @leannrimes@masoncibrian@jakecibrian & all of the friend's & grandparents ❤️❤️❤️."
Back in August, Glanville spoke to PEOPLE about her life as a single mom, sharing how her kids have grown up living two different lifestyles due to her and Cibrian's differing financial circumstances.
"Sometimes I cry when [the kids] go to their dad's," Glanville admitted at the time.
"They have a staff. They have this giant mansion. They have kind of everything they want," she said of Cibrian and Rimes' home. "And with me, we have a small house and we move every other year. And it's hard, you know, they see the struggle is real."
She said that while her sons enjoy their father's more lavish lifestyle, they are so "sweet" and "polite."
"They get that bit of entitlement, which I don't love, but then they come back to me and they're like helping me with the groceries, opening the door for me," Glanville told PEOPLE. "They told me they love me a million times a day. It's just really great — they get to see how like, richer people live and how moms struggle sometimes."