Life is hard when you’re a teenager. It’s even harder when you grow up on reality TV, only for your parents to eventually wind up in jail for financial crimes. Unfortunately, that’s the harsh reality for Chrisley Knows Best star, Grayson Chrisley. While his parents, Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley, serve a combined 19 years behind bars, 17-year-old Grayson opened up about what’s it like having his parents incarcerated. Apparently, he’s become “bitter,” and it’s more than just your regular teenage angst.
“Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”
Grayson chatted with his big sister Savannah Chrisley during a recent episode of her podcast, Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley. After their parents went to prison for fraud and tax evasion, Savannah became Grayson’s primary guardian. She also obtained custody of her niece, Chloe Chrisley.
Of course, nothing says “family bonding,” like sitting down and recording a podcast about your family trauma. So on the podcast, Grayson and Savannah talked about how difficult it is visiting their parents behind bars. Since Todd is serving his 12-year prison sentence in Florida and Julie is in Kentucky, they go to great lengths to see their disgraced parents.
Grayson admitted, “I struggle going back to back weeks because I’m in that mood… and then I go and start it all over again. You never really get out of it.” He continued, “Some days or weeks are harder than others.” Meanwhile, Savannah said she feels “renewed” after visiting their parents. Unless she ends up fighting with a flight attendant on the way home …
Since the two have different feelings about their parents, Grayson admitted he and Savannah “butt heads” over the trips to Florida and Kentucky. He explained, “It’s not that I don’t want to go, but I’m also 17.”
Savannah agreed with her brother. She added, “I think that’s a hard balance that we have yet to find. But then it’s also hard because there’s some weekends you don’t want to go, but then the hard part is when you don’t go, our schedules don’t align. And then you don’t see one of them for three or four weeks and then you’re struggling because you haven’t seen him for that long.”
Grayson responded, “It’s like, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
Grayson also admitted it’s hard balancing the life of a 17-year-old with having his parents behind bars. Most kids his age are gearing up for prom and trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. But Grayson is navigating how to factor in a 15-hour road trip to see his dad at the big house.
“It’s also hard because they tell you you gotta live your life,” Grayson revealed. “‘You’re 17 years old. You can’t spend every weekend going.’ And then when you don’t go, you still feel bad even though they said that – even though you know they understand.”
Ultimately, only one word can describe the way Grayson feels: bitter. He admitted that although it’s not the best way to handle it, the feeling is unavoidable.
“There is always going to be a part of you that is bitter,” Grayson confessed. “There’s no way around it,” he continued. “It’s gonna suck for as long as they’re there.”
TELL US – DO YOU FEEL FOR GRAYSON AS HE DEALS WITH HIS PARENTS’ INCARCERATION? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CHRISLEY KIDS BEING SO PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR PARENTS’ TIME IN PRISON?
