When Season 6 of TLC's "Welcome to Plathville" begins, mom of 10 Kim Plath is navigating divorce while living in a rather surprising place — a houseboat.
"Living on a houseboat definitely has its challenges, and it is a lot of fun," Kim says with a smile on her video call with TODAY.com.
Kim, who is currently going through a divorce with Barry Plath, shares the houseboat part time with their three minor children, Amber, Cassia and Mercy. Her children range in age from 11 to 26.
"It definitely makes you think about what you really want to have with you and what you can live without," she continues, hinting at the small square footage onboard. "But it also gives you beautiful views, almost 24/7, and fresh air and sunshine and water and waves and kayaking."
She pauses coyly before adding with a laugh, "Viewers will have to tune in and see how long the girls and I can stand living on a small houseboat."
Kim carefully guards details about her custody arrangement with Barry, saying, “Barry and I are still co-parenting. And ... and that’s all I have to say about that.”
Calling the family's reality show fame "a little bit surreal," Kim says she enjoys meeting fans and taking pictures.
“I don’t really watch the show. I don’t really watch very much TV at all,” says Kim. “I don’t think I’m a TV star. I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, every so often, cameras show up and we do stuff.’”
"More changes every day"
Kim shares how her large family was asked to film the pilot for the series, which began airing in 2019.
"We had a family band and we were we performed and made CDs for about four years. And at some point we made a music video and I posted that on YouTube. And about a week later I got a phone call from a producer that wanted to pitch a show," she said.
Kim and Barry, who were together when the show began, had given their children an extremely conservative upbringing in rural Georgia. The show chronicled the experiences of the family as they began exploring formerly forbidden fruit like television, pop culture and sugar.
Kim’s oldest daughter, Hosanna Plath, opted out of appearing on the show. According to the “Plathville” series premiere, Hosanna got married before the show started filming and moved to Ohio.
“I don’t share anything public about her unless I ask her and get her permission,” Kim says.
The family members who appear onscreen have shared many celebrations (Micah Plath moved to L.A. to pursue a modeling career) and heartaches (the family had a special episode to pay tribute to Joshua Plath, who died at 17 months, on what would have been his 15th birthday).
Now that the older children are living independently (though Moriah Plath just moved into her father's house), Kim is enjoying the freedom of having just three little ones at home.
The divorce was “was rough on them at first,” says Kim, but now “they’ve really kind of settled in and they understand.”
Kim herself has had to weather a lot of big life changes, "and there are more changes every day," she says, even in terms of family logistics. “I don't need a big van to travel. I can just drive a regular car, like normal people, and they're all potty trained. You know, like, life is easy. They all do their own laundry. It's great."
She adds a caveat: "Don't get me wrong — especially my older children if they hear this — I loved having all mine at home."
A second divorce
Kim and Barry aren't the only Plaths in the middle of a divorce.
Their oldest son, Ethan Plath, 26, is ending his marriage with Olivia Plath, also 26. Kim has had a tense relationship with the former couple over the years,as seen on the show.
The preview of the episode premiering on July 30 hints that Kim finally connects with Ethan. She’s tightlipped about what happens, but does say that their interaction was “really good.”
“I cried, and I still cry when I think about it,” she says thoughtfully. “We do have a long ways to go. He and I are both going through divorces. You know, figuring out what life is like on the other side. There’s a lot of healing that has to take place for a lot of reasons. It’s a long process.”
Looking back on her relationship with her ex-daughter-in-law, Kim says she might have made different decisions along the way, "but I really don't know what I could have done differently that would have changed the outcome," she says. "I feel like that's how it would have played out whatever I did."
"It's great and it's terrifying"
What does Kim think about her new role as a mom of older kids?
"It's great and it's terrifying," she says.
"I love being able to sit down and talk to them more like peers, and they understand a lot more now about why we did all these things to pinch pennies to keep a roof over our heads."
She takes a beat and continues, "It's terrifying because, you know, I want to call them every day and be like, 'Be careful and don't get hurt and make sure you wear your seatbelt and use your turn signal and wear your helmet if you're riding a motorcycle.'"
As Kim continues talking about her children forging new paths, she sounds like she's talking to herself, as well.
"You just take your hands off," she continues. "They're always welcome to call and ask for advice. But if they don't, they're gonna figure it out ... one way or another."
