Kim Plath is a controversial figure in Welcome To Plathville, and the selfish cast member seems completely done with motherhood. Barry Plath and Kim were married for 24 years before their split, and the couple's marriage was rooted in their conservative Christian faith. They homeschooled their kids, limited their exposure to popular culture, and maintained strict rules while appearing in the early Welcome To Plathville seasons. However, it all started to fall apart when the older children began to rebel. Barry and Kim chose to divorce in 2022.

It hasn't all been smooth sailing for Kim since separating from Barry. Kim has struggled with the distance this has created between her and her children, especially as several of them have moved away from the family’s rural Georgia home to pursue their own lives. In addition to the emotional fallout, Kim faced legal challenges post-divorce. In October 2022, Welcome To Plathville season 6 unfolds, it's clear that Kim has distanced herself from her mothering role.

8 Kim Hasn't Been There For Ethan Plath Since His Divorce

She Caused The Problems In The First Place

Ethan Plath's problems with his parents stemmed from their strict upbringing and Kim's controlling nature, but since divorcing Olivia, Kim's nowhere to be found. Despite being the main cause of the friction between Olivia and Ethan, Kim hasn't been there for Ethan. Kim's ongoing control over Ethan left him emotionally stunted. Since childhood, Kim's restrictive parenting prevented Ethan from developing independence. She should be welcoming her son with open arms, but instead, she's keeping her distance and making him pick up the pieces after her wild midlife crisis.

Even after his marriage, Kim continued to manipulate him, causing tension with Olivia, who wanted to distance them from the Plath family and continue her own disentanglement from the conservative Christian church. Post-divorce, Kim's attempts at reconciliation have been superficial, offering little genuine , which has further complicated Ethan's emotional recovery. She abandoned him when he needed her most.

7 Kim Hasn't Apologized To Olivia Plath For Ethan's Sake

She Owes Olivia An Apology

Kim's strained relationship with Olivia has remained a prominent plot line in Welcome To Plathville, but Kim has not issued a public apology to Olivia for Ethan's sake, which seems selfish at this point. She's basically abdicating from her motherly duties. The hatred between Olivia and Kim began to boil before Olivia and Ethan were even married, with Olivia feeling that Kim was overly controlling and judgmental.

This sparked a complete breakdown in their relationship, with Ethan feeling caught in the middle. Ethan and Olivia's problems ended with a divorce.

Despite the fact that Ethan wants Olivia back, Kim hasn't taken steps to issue an apology to Olivia, which, at this point, feels evil. Olivia has repeatedly expressed her frustration and hurt over Kim’s lack of ability, including her refusal to apologize. Kim should apologize to Olivia and Ethan, but she's done neither. Maybe this proves that she'd done with motherhood.

6 Kim Is Focusing On Her New Relationship

She's Fully Invested In Ken

Kim's relationship with Ken Palmer, introduced in Welcome to Plathville season 5, is clearly distracting her from family life. Since her divorce from Barry, Kim has become increasingly focused on her new romance, which has led to a shift in her priorities. She met Ken through her son, Isaac Plath, since Ken is a flight instructor and Isaac's fascinated by aviation. Their relationship quickly grew, and Kim has expressed how refreshing it is to be with someone who truly listens to her. She never had that with Barry.

While it's great that Kim has somebody new, she's definitely distanced herself from her kids. However, she acknowledged that as her children grow up and leave the house, she needs to build the life she wants to live. Focusing on Ken might help Kim to be less controlling in her adult kids' lives. However, not everybody likes Ken. Moriah Plath said the relationship made her uncomfortable, and she's definitely closer to Barry lately.

5 Kim Couldn't Care Less About Being Friends With Barry Plath

She's Moved On

Kim wants to be as far away from Barry as she can after their divorce, even at the expense of effective co-parenting. Her actions on Welcome to Plathville reveal a lack of interest in fostering any sort of continued relationship with him. When Kim introduced her new boyfriend, Ken, she wasn't in any rush to facilitate a meeting between Barry and Ken. Kim even joked about the awkwardness of the situation, suggesting that she found the uncomfortable tension amusing.

Kim also left Barry alone with Ken without warning, forcing Barry to socialize with his ex-wife's new boyfriend alone. She's definitely more focused on her new life and relationships than on preserving any sort of friendship with Barry​, which also shows she doesn't prioritize her role as a mother. Learning how to co-parent and be respectful of each other is an important part of navigating divorce for the sake of the kids, and Kim's shown zero interest.

4 Kim Seems Distant From The Rest Of Her Children

She's Not Staying In The Picture

Kim has become increasingly distant from her children since her divorce, leading to the idea that she's over motherhood. She requested primary custody of Amber, Cassia, and Mercy Plath, the three minor children still living at home, but Kim's emotional distance with her older children is obvious. Moriah Plath originally left the homestead when she felt the need to assert independence and discover who she truly was. However, she's recently returned to her Christian roots, albeit without Kim actively in the picture. She now seems closer to Barry.

Kim doesn't seem interested in apologizing and mending relationships with her older children.

Additionally, Barry and Micah Plath have been working out together, adding to their shared bond. Micah is pursuing a modeling career and is in amazing shape, with Barry following suit and hitting the gym. Barry's weight loss and ripped body are incredible, and so is his continued relationship with Micah. Kim doesn't seem interested in maintaining or fixing the frayed bonds with her children because she's moving on.

3 Kim Is All About Fitness & Losing Weight

She's Focused On Herself For Once

Kim's physical transformation hasn't been as obvious as Ken's, but she's embarked on a health journey of her own. Over the past few years, Kim has lost weight and updated her style - she seems much happier. This may be because of her separation from Barry and happy relationship with Kim. Nonetheless, it's taken her focus away from her children. In a sense, she's finally focused on her own health, happiness, and well-being.

Having so many children can take a toll on the body, and Kim's done an amazing thing by giving birth to nine children.

In Welcome to Plathville season 6, her newfound confidence is clear, with Kim appearing more youthful and content. Her weight loss may be linked to her less stressful life post-breakup, and new relationship with Ken. It's tough to fault Kim for prioritizing her own health for perhaps the first time in her adult life. The choice just adds to the argument that Kim is no longer emphasizing motherhood in her life.

2 Kim Only Seems To Care About Her Happiness

She's Finally Free

Kim's gotten pretty selfish lately and doesn't seem to care about anyone's happiness but her own. She's completely checked out as a parent with her older children, especially Ethan. She essentially facilitated the downfall of Ethan and Olivia's marriage and left Ethan alone to pick up the pieces. Kim abandoned Moriah when she needed her and didn't prepare any of her children to function in the real world. Now, she only cares about her happiness.

Kim deserves to find joy after participating in such a restrictive lifestyle for over two decades. While the beliefs she spouted and the rules she set were hers and Barry's, a conservative Christian lifestyle can have more pitfalls for a wife than a husband. She enforced certain values, but now, Kim is breaking her own rules. Hopefully, she'll start being a caring mother again - for now, she's prioritizing herself.

1 Kim Doesn't Try To Act Like A Caring Mother Anymore

She's Distanced Herself From Her Kids

Overall, the criticism that Kim isn't a loving mother seems to have reached a fever pitch, with Kim basically neglecting her role as a mom in recent years. She doesn't exhibit the qualities of a nurturing mother, and has even become emotionally distant. Kim's decision to leave Barry and pursue a new relationship while still in the midst of a custody battle over her younger children was a selfish choice. Her insistence on exploring life independently, despite the impact on her children, makes her seem disconnected.

Moriah and Micah distanced themselves from the family due to conflicts and Kim's low emotional intelligence. While Kim made attempts to reconnect with them, she didn't seem to genuinely understand the impact she had on them. It's great that Kim's enjoying her life after a miserable marriage with Barry, but she can't completely abandon her kids. They still need her outside of Welcome To Plathville.

Welcome to Plathville season 6 airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EDT on TLC.