While Bachelor in Paradise remains a controversial topic since production of the fourth season was suspended, contestant Amanda Stanton is responding to backlash about her parenting.
The 27-year-old former Bachelor contestant, who subsequently appeared on the third season of Bachelor in Paradise and returned for this year's fourth, issued a lengthy statement on her Instagram page late Tuesday regarding her life as a mother of two.
"I don't normally like to address the trolls/mom shamers … but it's so out of control!" she began in the message posted to her Instagram Story. "I'd like to take a moment to clarify first of all that my kids DO have a father that is part of their life. They spend time with him too. So if you see a photo of me without my kids one weekend and comment something like 'mother of the year' or 'wow shouldn't she be with her kids?' Well, there's a VERY good chance that I can't be with them because they're with their dad." Stanton and her ex-husband of three years, Nick Buonfiglio, share daughters Charlie and Kinsley.
Stanton continued to say Bachelor in Paradise takes "a lot less" time to film than the two months it airs. "Alllllll the other days, weeks and months of the year, I am with them!" she assured.
"I understand that most parents don't go on reality TV shows … but everyone's lives are different," she concluded. "My kids are my entire world. I am doing my best to give them a great life."
After being eliminated on season 20 of The Bachelor, the reality star found love with Josh Murray on Bachelor in Paradise 2016 and accepted his proposal. However, they broke up in 2017, and the fallout of their split played out publicly in the press.
In addition to parenting critics, Stanton also responded to body shamers on Twitter, retorting, "I def don't starve myself and am a healthy weight for my height/size. You body shamers are psycho."
By Wednesday, Stanton noticed the impact of her message. "Had an overwhelming response to my post yesterday!" she wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. "I read through almost all of my DM's and just wanted to say thank you all for being so supportive & kind."
She was cast to return to Bachelor in Paradise this season, but subsequently left Mexico like the other castmembers after filming was suddenly suspended. "We have become aware of allegations of misconduct on the set of Bachelor in Paradise in Mexico," Warner Bros. said in a statement. "We have suspended production and we are conducting a thorough investigation of these allegations. Once the investigation is complete, we will take appropriate responsive action."