Kate Gosselin is not happy over criticism she has received for posting a Halloween photo that only features five of her sextuplets. The Kate Plus 8 star recently posted a photo of her trick-or-treating date with “a couple of cute pink dinosaurs and a few adorable astronauts.” Gosselin’s holiday photo featured her 13-year-olds Alexis, Leah, Hannah, Aaden, and Joel, but notably missing from the picture was their sibling, Collin.
Commenters had a field day over the photo, with many bashing Kate for omitting Collin from the family’s Halloween festivities. In addition, Kate’s estranged ex-husband Jon Gosselin was reportedly “heartbroken” when he saw the photo.
But an insider tells Hollywood Life Kate Gosselin is being unfairly trashed over the Halloween photo, and she is upset that Jon has “popped out of nowhere” to question her parenting choices.
“Kate was furious over the criticism she received for not taking Collin trick or treating, as she was totally acting in his best interests,” the source told Hollywood Life.
Collin Gosselin is currently enrolled in a school for children with special needs. Kate has given few details about Collin’s issues as the child remains at an undisclosed facility. But the insider says Collin Gosselin “has been thriving since he enrolled in his new school,” and that it would disrupt his progress to pull him out of the facility just for one night of Halloween activities.
“She can’t just take him out of his program as and when she feels like it,” the Gosselin insider said.
“Collin needs a really strict routine, with no sudden changes, and he gets very anxious and distressed by too much sensory overload—so to even consider taking him somewhere he would be surrounded by crowds of kids is out of the question.”
Kate Gosselin has been vocal about the fact that she puts her children’s needs first despite what critics say about her parenting skills. Still, the source said the Kate Plus 8 star “would have loved to have had Collin there with the rest of his siblings, but it would have been too overwhelming for him.”
After Kate posted what was intended to be a happy Halloween photo, critics questioned where young Collin was.
“No Collin? This is sad. It’s like he’s not even a part of your family anymore,” one commenter wrote.
“Wow, Collin still not home. Kate has really destroyed that poor boy,” wrote another follower, while another asked Kate, “How long are you going to keep him in treatment? This is heartbreaking!”
Kate Gosselin received similar criticism earlier this year when the family celebrated the sextuplets 13 th birthday sans Collin. The birthday bash was even featured on an episode of Kate Plus 8 .
While he wasn’t home for his birthday, Collin Gosselin did make one appearance on the most recent season of Kate Plus 8. Collin was featured in an episode in which the family had a game night, but scenes from the episode were reportedly shot before he was sent away.
Last year, Kate Gosselin and seven of her kids (twins Mady and Cara and five of the sextuplets) posed for a People magazine cover shoot. At the time, Kate explained to the magazine why Collin was missing, revealing that her son’s absence has impacted their entire family.
“We miss him so much, so it’s been hard because there is a huge hole in our family without him here,” Kate said. “But it comforts us to know he’s where he needs to be right now, and I can feel good about that.”
Do you think Kate Gosselin did the right thing by keeping Collin away from home on Halloween?
[Featured Image by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Images]
