As Emily Simpson’s emotional journey on The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19 came to a close, her candor continued with an update on 10-year-old son Luke’s health issues.
Throughout the season, Emily had shared the challenges of parenting a child with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) amid other “evolving” diagnoses, which also included obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dyslexia.
As Emily revealed in The Real Housewives of Orange County After Show video above, “Luke’s good today.” At the same time, however, she acknowledged that progress is not always linear.
“Luke’s doing really well because he’s not in school, which is a huge stressor for him,” Emily explained in the above clip. “But I really worry because when he goes back to school, you know, we have to deal with an IEP [Individualized Education Program] and, you know, his guidance counselor and psychologist and all these people have to be involved.”
She continued, “I worry that all the stress and anxiety and everything that he deals with is going to come back up.”
Emily Simpson sheds new light on co-parenting with Shane Simpson
As viewers saw on RHOC‘s Season 19 finale, while in Amsterdam, Emily had a difficult phone conversation with her “frustrated” husband, Shane Simpson, as he attempted to hold down the fort back in Orange County. On the call, Shane admitted that he “lost it” when Luke started “throwing food” as he unsuccessfully attempted to get him to go to soccer practice and do his homework. Meanwhile, Luke could be heard shouting at Shane in the background.
“You make me feel so bad,” Emily tearfully told her husband of 16 years in the episode. “What am I supposed to do? I’m in another country.”
RELATED: Emily Simpson Offers Clarification on Her Son’s Learning Disability
Elsewhere on the RHOC After Show, she opened up more about that moment, while also recounting how Luke had called and texted her multiple times “begging” for her attention.
“It felt awful,” Emily shared. “And my heart was broken. Broken.”
Since then, however, she said that “amazing dad” Shane “embraced a completely different parenting style” that ultimately helped relieve her “separation anxiety” whenever she’s away from home.
“Luke has to have his system, his nervous system regulated,” Emily elaborated. “And in order to do that, you have to constantly nurture. No matter how frustrating he is and challenging he is, you have to stay calm and regulate him. And so, Shane’s had to learn how to parent him differently, and he’s done really well. They’re really close now.”
Emily Simpson reveals she almost quit RHOC amid Luke’s health challenges
Emily further credited her RHOC castmates Gina Kirschenheiter, Heather Dubrow, and Tamra Judge with supporting her through the challenges of navigating the “mom guilt” she felt being away from home during that time.
“There were so many times where, like, Gina or Heather, or Tamra would just say, ‘You’re doing the best you can. You’re a good mom,'” Emily recalled on the After Show. “And that’s really what I needed to hear. It wasn’t about advice or logistically telling me what I should do. It was just saying, ‘You’re a good mom.'”
RELATED: Emily Simpson Makes an Emotional Confession About Her Son Luke: “How Sad Is That?”
That’s when Tamra detailed an “off-camera conversation” they had, during which Emily thought she “should quit” RHOC and focus on her family instead. Because Luke’s diagnosis was still so new while they were filming, she encouraged Emily to learn more about the situation before making that decision.
“And I had that same conversation with Shane,” Emily pointed out, before giving more details on their discussion: “He said, ‘You know, Emily, you know if you quit, you’re basically just giving into his wants and needs, and he’s not learning how to cope. He has to learn how to cope because lots of moms work and have to leave and have to go to an office or have to go to a job. And so, you just quitting and being home with him all the time is not going to help him. He’s not learning how to cope, and that’s not helpful.'”
Now that Season 19 has wrapped, take a sneak peek at Emily unpacking the highs and lows at the RHOC reunion.