Mother and daughter share an emotional embrace in a preview of Friday’s episode of ‘Mama June: Family Crisis’
June Shannon and daughter Alana Thompson in 2018″ src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/tPPRTggFX1nlPf.BEVY5Jg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/6c1bd87e1dd4e00d2238c588ffe027a0″ class=”caas-img”/>
Desiree Navarro/Getty
June Shannon and daughter Alana Thompson in 2018
Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson emotionally opens up to Mama June Shannon on Mama June: Family Crisis.
A preview for Friday’s episode of the WE TV series shows the 17-year-old reality star and her mother actively engaging in a tender moment during a family therapy session in the kitchen.
The clip opens with Alana’s sister, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird, telling her mom, “We keep trying to fix these things, and then you’ll walk away. Yes, it’s a priority for me to sort out, but at the end of the day, my first priority is my family now. This is what I built. That’s what I’m doing.”
The therapist explains to June: “Every child you have should know that he is the most important person in your life. And what you’re seeing right now is what happens when they don’t feel that way.
“I always hope they know how much they always…,” June, 43, replies before the therapist intervenes, “They can’t know if you don’t give them that.”
Related: Mama June Opens Up About Her Parenting Regrets, Admits She’ll Likely Make ‘Mistakes In The Future’ (Exclusive)
“You didn’t know that because your mom didn’t give it to you. So how would they know if you don’t give it to them? ” he keeps on.
He then asks Alana to walk over to her mother and extend her hand.
“Show her that it’s okay for her to be emotional. You don’t have to tell a joke and make it funny,” the therapist told June.
“I’m glad we got to hang out today,” June told Alana. “And I hope we can do that very soon and I love you.”
“I love you too,” Alana replies as Lauryn, 23, says, “See, it’s not that hard.”
“It was better because she didn’t say it by text”, adds the former Toddlers and tiaras star.
The therapist then asks Alana, “How much would it have meant to you if you could have held her hand on the first day of school and she had said, ‘I love you.’ Go ahead and kick a – now? ‘”
Alana takes a moment and her eyes well up with tears. Emotionally, she explains, “I just feel like my mom should be there for graduation, and I feel like she should be there for my prom…just the little senior activities that I have.”
Related: Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Thompson High School Graduates: ‘So Proud,’ Says Mom June Shannon
“Everyone at school is like, ‘My mommy, my mommy, my mommy,’ and I always have to say, ‘My sister.’ I don’t want to have to say that,” the former continues. Here comes honey Boo Boo star, who was taken into Lauryn’s custody in April 2022.
“See how it works?” the therapist points out to June. “Your daughter is crying. It’s time to go comfort her, right?
June then places Alana’s head on her shoulder and the mother-daughter pair share an emotional embrace.
“This is the first time Mom has really hugged me in about five or six years,” Alana reveals in her confessional.
“And it feels good to have a real loving hug from your mum. It was really nice, I’m not going to lie,” she adds.
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Mama June: Family Crisis airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on WE tv.
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