Bristol Palin Shares Son Tripp’s Post-Alaska Plans and College Thoughts
Oh perfect, just what the internet needed: another celebrity mom weighing in on teenage life choices with laser-sharp sincerity. Bristol Palin recently lifted the curtain on her 16-year-old son Tripp’s plans after he swapped Texan school halls for Alaskan mountain air.
The story begins last August when Bristol, 34, publicly revealed that her oldest child chose to finish high school up north with his father, Levi Johnston. “This has been the hardest ‘first day of school’ yet with one of the biggest pieces of my heart missing,” she wrote on Instagram, acknowledging the tug-of-war between maternal longing and a teenager’s right to choose. Fans watching her Instagram Q&A got an update when someone asked if Tripp was eyeing college. Bristol’s response was refreshingly hands-off: she won’t push him into a campus he doesn’t want. “He wants to work – he already works actually. He’ll go into a trade and will have his hand in some sort of real estate development I’m sure,” she said, quoting a July 17 photo of her son that she shared with followers.
That straightforward answer came with a side of insider context. Tripp originally lived with his mother in Texas, where Bristol co-parents with ex Dakota Meyer and raises daughters Sailor Grace, 9, and Atlee Bay, 8. But when Tripp decided he preferred Alaska’s familiar surroundings and a closer bond with his dad, Bristol admitted she was blindsided. During an August 2024 episode of Cheryl Burke’s Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast, she recalled the moment he texted: “Hey Mom, I’m not coming back.” Her initial reaction was rage and heartbreak, followed by reluctant acceptance. “It still is gut wrenching,” she confessed, pointing out that their mother-son dynamic had been unbreakable since his birth.
Despite the tears, Bristol doubled down on letting Tripp follow his own path. She even mentioned shopping around for a second home in Alaska just to keep some family ties intact, though she recognized that sentimental desires can’t override a teen’s independence. And when a fan pressed about college, Bristol made it clear she trusts him to decide. She praised his work ethic and hinted that a trade school or real estate apprenticeship might suit him far better than a lecture hall.
This reveal adds nuance to Bristol’s public image. Known to many as Sarah Palin’s daughter and a former Dancing With the Stars contestant, she’s now also a mom navigating the same teen-parenting minefield as everyone else. Her mix of stoic acceptance and authentic emotion is a reminder that celebrity families face everyday challenges: change, sacrifice, and the hope that next year will be easier.
Stay tuned for the next instalment in this family drama: will Tripp embrace vocational training, or will college eventually win him over? Either way, Bristol’s next Instagram update is sure to serve equal parts reality check and heartfelt honesty. Well, there you have it. Parenthood in the spotlight never gets old.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Cheryl Burke’s Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast, Bristol Palin’s Instagram
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
