The Southern Tea: Navigating Divorce & Co-Parenting feat. Kayla
Host: Lindsie Chrisley
Guest: Kayla
Date: December 10, 2025
Episode Overview
In this candid and heartfelt episode, Lindsie Chrisley welcomes her friend Kayla for a real, unfiltered discussion about divorce, co-parenting, and life’s complex transitions. The episode centers on their personal journeys—Kayla’s experience with a turbulent, abusive divorce and Lindsie’s with a more amicable (but still deeply painful) separation—offering insight, humor, and advice for anyone facing similar crossroads. The conversation weaves between practical preparations, emotional health, dating after divorce, single parenthood, internet scrutiny, and what it means to find “home” after everything changes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Opening Banter, Jail Stories & Vulnerable Moments
Timestamps: 01:06–04:56
- Lindsie and Kayla set the tone with playful banter about Facebook Marketplace and the absurdity of what people try to sell.
- Kayla shares her mugshot story and brief jail stint (for assault and battery in a domestic dispute), leading to some very honest—and humorous—reflections on “what actually happens in jail,” like not getting to wear a bra.
- Kayla (03:00): "Mine was horrible because I was extremely pissed at the time. So I literally look like an assassin…I’ve still posted it on the Internet…because I’m so proud of it."
- Both discuss irrational fears about getting arrested and how these moments shape self-perception.
2. Deciding on Divorce: Emotional and Practical Realities
Timestamps: 05:57–11:43
- Lindsie introduces a listener question about deciding to divorce and “going back and forth” on the issue.
- Kayla explains the long emotional process of “checking out” before formally ending a marriage, a process common among women:
- Kayla (06:25): “Women tend to check out far before men do…mentally, I got divorced about a year, maybe even two, earlier.”
- Shared wisdom from Kayla’s Southern mom: “You’ll know when your belly’s full.”
- Lindsie echoes this progression, describing the difficulty in being “the filer” and the emotional responsibility that comes with it.
- Both stress the importance of preparation: securing funds, finding the right attorney, and the feelings of secrecy or guilt that accompany the planning process.
3. Financial Independence & Abuse
Timestamps: 08:42–10:39
- Kayla and Lindsie dig into financial vulnerability in relationships and the nuances of financial abuse.
- Kayla (09:03): “Financial abuse…is so sneaky. You don’t realize it’s happening until it’s too late.”
- Lindsie highlights the challenge for stay-at-home parents, emphasizing the critical need for personal financial security before leaving an unhealthy relationship.
4. Comparing Divorce Experiences: Amicable vs. Abusive
Timestamps: 15:40–17:45
- The women draw sharp contrasts between their divorces: Lindsie’s being amicable but tough, Kayla’s being traumatic and hostile.
- Kayla (16:03): “Mine was extremely abusive and toxic…I would have done anything to have a partner willing to have a conversation about it.”
- Both agree: No one marries expecting divorce, and regardless of the path, it’s one of life’s most difficult transitions.
5. Allowing Yourself to Feel: Healing, Trauma, and Growth
Timestamps: 17:27–21:26
- Lindsie and Kayla advocate for moving slowly through the divorce process—feeling each phase rather than rushing to “just get it over with."
- Kayla reflects on how unaddressed trauma inevitably resurfaces:
- Kayla (18:28): “All those things I chose not to deal with in the moment, I’m now dealing with eight years later.”
- The conversation expands to how trauma shapes post-divorce relationships, boundaries, and hypersensitivities in new partnerships.
6. Dating After Divorce & Trauma Patterns
Timestamps: 21:33–23:01
- Both share their methods for self-reflection post-divorce: pro/con lists, deal-breakers, and therapist advice.
- Lindsie emphasizes that what she would accept then is not what she’ll accept now, demonstrating her own growth.
7. Co-Parenting Dynamics: Philosophies, Guilt, and Growth
Timestamps: 23:15–28:47
- Lindsie answers the perennial fan question about whether she’d ever reconcile with her ex-husband, Will.
- Lindsie (24:15): “We got divorced for a reason…those reasons would still exist.”
- The core difference in their co-parenting philosophies becomes apparent: Will is “rules with an iron fist”; Lindsie is a “gentle parent.”
- Both agree that it’s healthier for Jackson to witness two peaceful, separated homes than one in perpetual conflict.
- Kayla (25:58): "It's much better to have the best of both parents and live without the worst of them."
8. Social Media, Public Opinions, and Privacy
Timestamps: 34:11–35:27
- Lindsie and Kayla discuss the impact of parasocial relationships—the tendency of internet followers to project their own narratives onto public figures’ lives.
- Kayla (34:53): “They’re only seeing a portion of the reality, and that’s okay. But it does make it complicated and it adds pressure.”
- Kayla notes her choice not to speak about her own divorce online to avoid this scrutiny.
9. Parenting Differences & Co-Parenting Challenges
Timestamps: 35:27–39:17
- Lindsie shares a real-life example: negotiating with Will about taking Jackson on a special trip. She describes herself as the “yes parent” and Will as the “no parent.”
- Kayla, who has sole custody, reflects on how different her journey is and her anxieties around the idea of ever having to co-parent.
10. Singlehood, Healing, and Revisiting Relationships
Timestamps: 42:01–54:44
- Lindsie discusses her recent breakup, the need to be single to heal, and the courage it took to let go—only to later reconnect with David when she was ready.
- She emphasizes that people’s perceptions (via the podcast or social media) often lag behind her real life and emotional journey.
- Lindsie (49:04): “I did not have the capacity…to be emotionally and mentally available.”
- The women affirm the importance of setting boundaries, focusing on mental health, and giving one’s all in a relationship—or walking away.
11. Personal Identity & The Last Name Debate
Timestamps: 55:37–62:38
- Lindsie addresses questions about changing her last name—publicly and privately—and the complicated emotions tied to "home" and family names.
- They share a strange situation where Lindsie was reported on TikTok for “impersonating herself,” illustrating the absurdity of public scrutiny.
12. Light-hearted Closing: Living in the South, Drones, and Modern Life
Timestamps: 64:24–71:00
- The episode ends with some levity: coverage of a local news story about a drone delivering crab legs, steak, and drugs to a South Carolina prison (much laughter and disbelief).
- They segue into technology’s invasiveness—drones, robots, Google Maps—and reminisce about "simpler times."
- Lindsie shares a weekly devotional about trusting God’s plan, reinforcing the episode’s themes of faith and hope.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Kayla (06:25): “Women tend to check out far before men do...I got divorced…but mentally, I got divorced a year, maybe two, earlier.”
- Lindsie (07:14): “For the majority, women are far gone emotionally before they actually ever take the steps to file for divorce.”
- Kayla (09:03): “Financial abuse…is so sneaky. Right. You don’t realize it’s happening until it’s too late.”
- Kayla (18:28): “All those things I chose not to deal with in the moment, I’m now dealing with eight years later.”
- Lindsie (24:15): “We got divorced for a reason and those reasons would still exist. Right. We are very, very different people and choose to live very, very different lives.”
- Kayla (25:58): “It’s much better to have the best of both parents and live without the worst of them, which would be…no kid wants to watch their parents fight."
- Lindsie (49:04): “I did not have the capacity to be able to provide anything that would have been positive for that other person’s life…that’s the most unselfish thing you can do.”
- Lindsie (71:05): “God’s plan is always the best. Sometimes the process is painful and difficult. But don’t forget, when God is silent, he is doing something for you.”
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Deciding to Divorce & Emotional Preparation: 05:57–11:43
- Financial Abuse & Independence: 08:42–10:39
- Amicable vs Toxic Divorce: 15:40–17:45
- Self-reflection & Growth After Divorce: 17:27–21:26
- Co-parenting and Parenting Differences: 23:15–28:47, 35:27–39:17
- Public Life & Social Media Pressure: 34:11–35:27, 55:37–62:38
- Drama, Drones, and Southern Stories: 64:24–71:00
- Weekly Devotional: 71:00–71:48
Tone & Takeaways
Woven through with Southern humor, blunt honesty, vulnerability, and practical advice, this episode is both a comfort and a guide for anyone navigating divorce, co-parenting, or messy life transitions. The voices of Lindsie and Kayla are supportive, relatable, and unafraid to spill the "whole tea" on what it really means to move forward—one day at a time.