Amber Portwood and her daughter, Leah Shirley, play central roles in Teen Mom: The Next Chapter‘s most emotionally charged storylines. Once a close-knit duo, years of absence, emotional turmoil, and unmet expectations marred their relationship. Leah, now 16, has openly discussed her struggles with abandonment and the emotional scars left by her mother’s inconsistent presence. In season 2, episode 32, Amber slams Leah after receiving a message from her daughter that hurts her. Here’s what happened.

Amber Portwood called her daughter ‘disrespectful’ and ‘rude’ in ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ Season 2

Teen Mom: The Next Chapter Season 2 highlights Amber Portwood and Leah Shirley’s complicated mother-daughter relationship. Leah, now 16, has expressed a desire to sever ties with her mother, even seeking therapy to address abandonment issues stemming from Amber’s past behavior. In contrast, Amber has publicly denied being the cause of Leah’s need for therapy, stating that Leah’s issues have little to do with her. Despite Amber’s attempts to reconcile, including writing letters and sending gifts, Leah remains distant.

In season 2 episode 32, “I’m Ready for the Next Chapter,” Amber loses her cool after receiving a message from Leah. The start of the message reads, “This isn’t meant to hurt you, but I want to let you know that all these years, it’s been my decision to not have a relationship with you, and nobody influenced my decision.” Leah notes that she wants significant boundaries between her and Amber.

Kristina Shirley, Gary Shirley’s wife, reads over the text with Leah. She notes that Amber would likely not take well to the rejection.

When Amber receives the text, she feels confused. “Why is Leah messaging me?” she says while reading her daughter’s note. She then angrily explains what the text said to the producer. Amber calls out Gary while addressing Leah through the screen.

“And then you have this other piece of s***, nasty man, and this is the s*** that I get from my daughter that I love so much, and I can’t even give her it? I can’t take her out on little dates like I did with my son; I couldn’t take her out to go shopping; I couldn’t take her out to f***ing eat alone,” Amber states. “Gary said I always had to go over there, you nasty prick.”

“And Leah — stop,” she warns. “You’re 16. Stop. People see the disrespect, by the way. And they tell me how much you disrespect me, too. Stop. You’re rude. There’s no reason to be rude. You do not know what you’re saying right now. You’re young. Be young. Be 16 … and do not be in the middle of me and your father.”

Fans think Amber Portwood’s reaction to her daughter’s text was out of line

Teen Mom: The Next Chapter viewers don’t agree with Amber Portwood’s anger toward Leah. Many fans took to Reddit to condemn Amber for how she accused her daughter of being rude and disrespectful.

“Her reaction to Leah’s text was horrible,” a fan commented.

“Even for her, it was really, truly awful,” another fan wrote.

“I already felt bad for her, but after seeing Amber’s reaction … I feel even more bad for that child,” yet another fan wrote.

“I’m glad Gary is finally allowing Leah to do what she needs to do when it comes to Amber,” another fan commented on Reddit. “He’s not trying to push them into having some type of relationship. Leah is old enough to make these decisions for herself, and I’m glad she’s being allowed to do that. Leah should not have to understand her mother‘s mental condition, because even though she is an older teenager, she is still a child, and a child is not supposed to be asked to understand their parent.”

The ‘Teen Mom’ star says she wants the show canceled

In March 2025, Amber Portwood vowed to get Teen Mom: The Next Chapter canceled. According to Amber, the show continues to prevent her from having a relationship with Leah. However, according to Leah, it’s Amber’s actions that have caused their rift.

“If [the show] isn’t canceled, I’ll get it canceled,” Amber told a TikTok creator during her live stream, according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup. “[The ball] is already in my court, honey. I promise that.”

A production source told the publication they heard “absolutely nothing” about the show’s cancellation.

“Also, Amber thinking that she would have any power to cancel the show is ridiculous,” they said. “To my knowledge, she has not been officially let go, though, but she’s basically asking to be fired. So, it’s doubtful she will continue on.”

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