RHOBH's Sutton Stracke Admits It's Challenging To Co-Parent With Ex-Husband Christian Stracke Who's In England

Sutton Stracke is out here trying to make RHOBH drama and real-life family logistics coexist, and it is not exactly a smooth ride. In true Housewife fashion, she’s got a “we’re fine” setup that sounds cute on paper, then gets complicated the second you factor in distance, schedules, and an ex who is currently in England.

She’s described the co-parenting arrangement as challenging, but workable, and even joked that she and her youngest son are basically the “odd couple.” Meanwhile, her RHOBH season 13 vibe is more daring than ever, including that infamous dinner moment where she openly talked about marijuana on camera and then had to deal with how her kids actually feel about watching her on TV.

And just when you think it can’t get more layered, she’s also leaning on the kind of friendships that feel like a lifeline, especially with Erika and Garcelle.

She would call herself and her youngest son the 'odd couple.'

I make dinner, we eat, we watch our show, and we talk; we hang out together. In a way, it’s this very strange blessing that Christian gave me when he moved, because I get James, my son, with me all the time, so thank you, Christian.

Their current setup is not an ideal family situation. It's quite challenging, yet it's working according to the RHOBH star.

Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for P.S. ARTS

Sutton noted that she and her two co-stars in RHOBH season 13 are alike.

Both Erika and Garcelle Beauvais are also divorced, single moms. Sutton recalls having had the best time during one night of filming.

The three of us just relaxed, and I think we were all surprised at how much fun we had together. We kept saying, ‘We have to do this again off camera because we have a lot in common.

She then adds:

They make fun of me, which is fine, but we like to talk about all kinds of different topics, and we’re really smart businesswomen, so it was a really good trio.Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA

When Sutton says she makes dinner, hangs with her youngest, and keeps the routine going, you can feel how hard she’s working to keep this “odd couple” life steady even with Christian in England.

That’s what makes her co-star trio moment with Erika and Garcelle hit different, because the on-camera laughs are happening while her real family setup is still a logistical puzzle.

Sutton’s “strange blessing” setup echoes the AITA about choosing a struggling friend over a bestie.

Then comes the dinner incident, where Sutton admits to using a joint on TV, and suddenly her kids’ opinions about her reality show stop being background noise.

After the divorce, she gets back into dating with a matchmaker, but the real question becomes whether her personal reinvention can keep up with the co-parenting chaos.

Although Sutton has relished her time on RHOBH, her three children aren't particularly keen on watching her on reality TV.

She recalls that because of COVID, when they had nothing else to watch, her children decided to watch her on TV. She thinks her daughter, who is in her senior year, watches it; her middle son is done watching it, and her youngest has never seen an episode.

In season 13, Sutton takes a more daring approach, as seen during the infamous dinner incident where she openly admits to using a joint. Reflecting on the moment, she mentioned engaging in conversations with her children about marijuana usage because she did so on TV.

The RHOBH star got back into the dating scene after her divorce by working with a matchmaker.

The family dinner might be the least dramatic part of Sutton’s life right now, and that says a lot.

Want another “boundaries vs trust” fight, read whether someone should share their secret chili with a roommate.