Iyanla continues to work with Leronda and Kizzy.
“Let me tell you something about my mother, the way my mother did me!” – Leronda
Leronda angrily asks Kizzy if her grandmother, Leronda’s mother, told her if she abandoned her.
Iyanla jumps in and yells, “But you did abandon her!”
After a little bit of a back and forth, Leronda tells Kizzy she was addicted to drugs and couldn’t raise her.
“Momma, there is no explanation. She has a hole in her heart the size of you.” – Iyanla
Eventually, Iyanla asks if there’s anything Leronda do to make things better. She then gets Kizzy to sit in Leronda’s lap to symbolize Kizzy being “stuck” at a child age mentally.
Leronda needs to own the past, according to Iyanla. They then talk about how Kizzy really feels Leronda loved her sons more. Markis sticks to his feelings that Kizzy got this completely wrong.
In fact, Markis says being raised by their grandmother was the best scenario she got.
“That could not be the case. She left you at the best place you could possibly be.” – Markis
Markis reveals that he had envy over her arrangements. Iyanla tells him, “At least you had your other brothers!”
Kizzy explains that while being raised by their grandmother, she wasn’t emotionally there. Instead, their grandmother used money to pacify her.
However, Markis and Kizzy argue over their past. He feels Kizzy should’ve gone after them. Suddenly, Leronda jumps in and implies she hasn’t been there for her brothers since she’s been an adult.
Kizzy begins crying again and yells right back at her mom about Markis wanting to “spit in her casket” at her funeral.
Iyanla tries to get everyone to calm down but struggles. She eventually chastises Leronda for causing more strife during their conversation.
“I know you are not making her feel wrong about anything.” – Iyanla
She adds:
“Who she is, is who you taught her to be!” – Iyanla
She then tells the kids that, “They don’t see it how you see it.” Iyanla wants these two to understand each other’s circumstances. She feels they can’t have a relationship until they learn how to listen to each other.
Iyanla then tells Leronda that her kids are blaming each other for her failures. Eventually, Kizzy and Markis hug it out. He admits his anger was misguided towards Kizzy.
Michael Jr. tells Leronda he suffered abuse in foster care.
Next, Leronda sits with Michael Jr. and he finally gets to express his pain. He first says he feels he’s invisible and feels like she doesn’t love him.
Michael Jr. also revealed that he suffered abuse and molestation while in foster care. As a result, he contemplated suicide.
Iyanla tells Leronda that Michael Jr. was in a psychiatric center. Leronda knew but protective custody wouldn’t allow her around Michael Jr. because of her drug habit. She also said her parental rights were terminated.
Iyanla tells Leronda she needs to “sit in her devastation” brought on by her drug addiction. Leronda says, “I accept all that.”
“So stop excusing it. Stop explaining it. Had you not been a drug addict in the first d*** place, the court wouldn’t have been in your business.” – Iyanla
Next, Iyanla has Leronda tell Michael Jr. how she feels about him. Leronda begins to cry as she does this and apologizes.
She asks for forgiveness for having him suffering in foster care and being on drugs.
“Forgive me for not being the mother I should be. We gotta start somewhere. Let the past stay in the past.” – Leronda
Eventually, Leronda and Michael Jr. hug things out.
Iyanla gives Kizzy a hard truth about Leronda.
It’s Iyanla’s final day with the Mitchell family. First, Iyanla has Leronda and Kizzy sit down one more time. Kizzy tells Iyanla that she and Leronda don’t have a “mother/daughter” relationship.
Kizzy begins to cry as she reveals she’s still angry over what happened behind Leronda’s drug addiction. Both of them tell one another they desire a relationship with one another.
But Iyanla tells Kizzy she can’t have that relationship with Leronda.
“She don’t have it to give; not like you want it.” – Iyanla
However, Iyanla tells Kizzy she can choose how to be in a relationship with Leronda “as a woman.”
This breaks Kizzy down into tears, again. Iyanla thinks Kizzy needs to break down the “13 year old” inside her, in order to fully heal from her mother’s negligence.
Kizzy tells Leronda she wanted her to come and get her while she was on drugs.
She then wants to talk to her everyday. Leronda asks Kizzy for respect when they do talk. Kizzy commits to change her tone to talk.
Leronda also asks to be forgiven for being a drug addict. Iyanla then commits to get them a coach to help work through their growing pains in healing.
Iyanla exposes Michael Jr.’s cries for attention on social media.
Next, Leronda and Michael Sr. meet with Iyanla. Iyanla tells them to “offer them who you are now.”
Their meeting gets serious when Iyanla brings up a pattern of disruptive behavior on the internet. She wants Michael Sr. and Leronda to step in and help Michael Jr. before things get worse.
Iyanla brings Michael Jr. in next to talk about what Michael Jr. calls “Denzel 101.” So Iyanla researched what that meant, only to find online videos of Michael Jr. shirtless, grinding the ground.
She shows the three of them the videos, and asks Michael Jr. to explain what the videos are. Michael explains they are comedy videos.
“…Kinda like, freaky comedy for my ladies.” – Michael Jr.
Iyanla explains that years of feeling unwanted as a child led Michael Jr to performing on social media at the expense of his dignity.
A video of Michael Jr. dancing on ice in his underwear is shown next.
“His vulgar and explicit videos are just an excuse and a desperate attempt for attention.” – Iyanla
Leronda and Michael Sr. must learn to see him as a man, “so Michael Jr. can see himself as a man.”
Iyanla reveals that Michael Jr. has an 8-year-old daughter, and he doesn’t want her to see those videos. She also tells him, “ You now have made a mistake as [a parent].”
“Make the correction immediately…” – Iyanla
Surprisingly, Michael Sr. jumps in and asks, “ What the h*** is wrong with you?”
Michael Jr. says he made the videos “for fun.” He wanted to get famous.
“I would translate that as I want attention.” – Iyanla
Michael Jr. says he wants to get his daughter, a job and a woman. But Iyanla says his parents must accept him as man before Michael Jr sees himself as one.
The brothers don new suits for “graduation.”
Afterwards, all of the brothers don new suits. These suits symbolize being reborn into a new society. They join Kizzy and their parents, sitting in order by their ages.
Iyanla’s goal is for everyone to clear the air with their parents. They go in order from youngest to oldest.
Melvin goes first, telling his parents they are forgiven for what happened in the past. He’s also open to repairing their relationship. He also apologizes for disrespecting Leronda.
Marvin ask for Leronda’s word in an effort to trust her. He tells Michael Sr., “I spent all my life chasing after men, and I don’t feel like I should chase after my daddy.”
Mikuel tells his parents he wants both of them to be there for their grandchildren.
Markis asks Leronda for patience, and asks his father for understanding and to not give up on him.
Michael Jr. forgives Michael Sr. and says he didn’t know how to show love in the past. He also just wants “a little bit of love.”
Iyanla tells him that he can get all of his love when he is with him. Suddenly, Michael Sr. begins to cry.
“They don’t realize how much I really love them.” – Michael Sr.
Melvin tells his parents they are “choosing them,” Iyanla praises this growth.
Kizzy next turns to her brothers and asks for them to grow their relationship. She also says she needs to check in on her little brothers.
At the end, Iyanla presents the brothers a diploma from the “University of Life.”
Each diploma represents what each brother learned while with Iyanla.
Where the brothers, Kizzy and the parents are after the show.
After the show, it is stated that Melvin talks with his brothers every week and has a better relationship with his father.
Marvin now has a great relationship with his father. His relationship with Leronda “remains a work in progress.”
Mikuel stays in communication with his brothers and father often. He also feels free since learning how to forgive.
Markis says he’s been “thriving,” and remains in constant contact with his brothers. He claims he now understands his brothers better than before.
Michael Jr. says he uses the tools to act mature. However, he still posts “inappropriate” videos online.
Leronda says she is working on communicating with her sons. She’s also preparing to move in with Kizzy. However, the kids say nothing really changed with Leronda.
Despite this, Kizzy says she and her brothers are all making the effort to improve their relationships and move forward.
Kizzy only spoke to Leronda twice since filming.
Michael Sr.’s relationship with his kids drastically improved. He respects his boys more, and how they view their past.
What did you think of the episode?
Their mother is just not going to do right. Very sad.
Leronda is most likely still on drugs. That is why she doesn’t want a real relationship with any of her kids. She knows having one would mean they would push for her to get off drugs.
Glad progress was made.
I’m not surprised nothing changed with their mom.
Michael JR needs to understand people are laughing at him. Not with him. The internet is a cruel place.