The Family Chantel: Why Chantel Should Of Followed Karen's Advice
When Chantel Everett of The Family Chantel first arrived in the Dominican Republic, she followed her mom Karen's advice to keep her opinions to herself, but that didn't last. Chantel was there to be a source of comfort to Pedro, not to stir the pot even further. Lidia had repeatedly laughed off Pedro's interest in finding his father. Nicole Jimeno, Pedro's sister, also seemed to lack empathy for Pedro. Fans supported Pedro amidst the emotional revelations since what Pedro needed more than anything was love from Chantel and her family.
At his grandmother's home, Pedro's family confirmed that they normalized affairs from generation to generation. Pedro was shocked and hurt by this reality check and couldn't understand why his mother had so little compassion for him. Rather than criticizing Lidia, however, Chantel stayed calm. She was invited to the Dominican Republic by Pedro to support him. So, per Karen's advice, she kept her input to a minimum and maintained a low-key demeanor. At the same time, she was frustrated that Lidia dismissed Pedro's feelings. After Pedro met with his brothers Jonathan and Junior, he learned that his mother sent letters to his father asking him to be a part of his children's lives. The letters were how Junior found out about his father's second family. As long as Lidia showed that she cared about his father's absence, Pedro felt relief. This revelation changed Pedro's view of his mother and helped him have more patience with her.
On the other hand, Chantel still doubted Lidia's parental concern for Pedro. She didn't think that the letters absolved her from making poor choices. Pedro wasn't looking for any criticism from Chantel and therefore became frustrated. They ended their conversation on tense terms. Karen said in her interview, "I think that Chantel and Pedro are like rivers right now pushing in opposite directions." She explained that both parties wanted the other to see things their way. However, Karen reinforced that she believed Chantel needed to support Pedro regardless of what they believed in at the time. Pedro returned to meet with Chantel and her family to make amends. Pedro said, "I want to make peace this morning."
Chantel, Karen, and Winter calmy welcomed Pedro. Then, Chantel apologized for not being a good listener. Usually, unless an opinion is asked for, it might not be entirely helpful. Pedro recognized her genuine apology but was worried about a cycle of negative dynamics. In turn, Karen tried to explain that Chantel wanted to protect him. After repeating that, Pedro learned that he and Nicole seemed to be mistakes on their parents' parts, and he burst into tears. When Karen embraced him, it was one of the most touching moments on The Family Chantel ever. Being unwanted and struggling to find the truth was painful for him. Karen could see this and received loads of positive feedback from fans on the show for her measured approach.
Pedro deserves to be loved, heard, and cherished. Karen said, "I think Pedro is mad at the world, and he very well should be." Pedro said, "Karen, she was hugging me because that's the only thing that I want. Get affection. Get a hug." Pedro can get frustrated with Karen, but he appreciated the maternal affection he needed at that moment. Nicole and Lidia came in seconds later with the opposite agenda. Chaos may always be around the corner, but the moment of mutual understanding and love on The Family Chantel was beautiful.
The Family Chantel airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on TLC.