Ex-reality television dad Jon Gosselin finally got to spend time with a few of his eight kids--but not without a fight. After multiple child abuse charges, his estranged wife Kate Gosselin was court-ordered to surrender the children to their dad. But there's still no word on 12-year-old sextuplet Collin Gosselin. The boy was sent by his mother, sans his father's consent or knowledge, to a "special school" that turned out to be a mental hospital. Collin's still MIA in family pictures and on Gosselin's "Kate Plus 8" reality TV show.
Kate Gosselin made to share custody of kids
After the parents of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" divorced, Kate was awarded custody of the couple's children. They share a set of twins and a set of sextuplets. The raising of them formed the basis of the parents' reality show. Mom got primary (but not sole) custody because she was "working" and dad wasn't. Kate's "job" consisted of being a reality TV mom. Jon was granted visitation rights which his ex-wife didn't honor. Gosselin has rarely seen his kids, some not for years, and never all together. He only got to have four of his children for New Year's Eve because the judge intervened.
Kate Gosselin keeps mum on son, even with dad
Jon Gosselin did get a little time with a few of his children on Thanksgiving.
But the 16-year-old twins Mady and Cara Gosselin won't see their father and have publicly shamed him. Their mother applauds this and encourages their avoiding dad. As for sextuplet Collin Gosselin, mom sent the tween to a mysterious facility for unspecified treatment of "anger issues" over the divorce. Dad was not aware of his being sent away from the family, nor given the chance to try to help his child.
So far, Collin has appeared in none of the latest "Kate Plus 8" episodes, and was excluded from his own birthday party and Christmas.
Kate Gosselin's show must go on
So Kate's job is her TV show. But after the viciously acrimonious divorce, TLC pulled the plug on "Jon & Kate Plus 8" as it was no longer "family-friendly." Mrs.
Gosselin worked tirelessly to persuade The Learning Channel to give her another show. She dropped Jon from the show, but kept her married name, ostensibly because of its media pull and TV connections, and she's navigated child abuse charges made by Collin to staffers. Kate bragged that she's been investigated many times yet still claims it's her ex-husband who is the problem.
