Teddi Mellencamp reveals how she ensures her kids' 'privacy is protected' amid Edwin Arroyave divorce

Teddi Mellencamp has shared how she ensures her children's 'privacy is protected' amid her divorce from their father Edwin Arroyave.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills alum announced on Saturday that she and Edwin are going their separate ways after 13 years of marriage.

Now, on her podcast Real Housewife Of Orange County Tamra Judge, Teddi has talked candidly about her desire to shield the children from public scrutiny.

Edwin and Teddi share a son called Cruz, 10, and two daughters called Slate, 12, and Dove, four, in addition to whom Teddi is stepmother to her estranged husband's daughter Isabella, 15, from a past relationship.

The 43-year-old reality star maintained that she is doing her 'best' for her children in the wake of the split, on her podcast Two Ts In A Pod.

'I am doing all right,' said Teddi, sounding subdued. 'At this point, I’m obviously only gonna share what I shared on social media, and I just am trying – I don’t even know how to say this eloquently – but I am just trying my hardest to make sure my kids’ privacy is protected right now, and that we’re able to have all these conversations.'

She disclosed the marriage breakup on social media this Saturday because she 'just didn’t want it to blow up,' explained Teddi.

For the benefit of 'anybody that’s curious why I would’ve posted it,' Teddi noted that 'when your name is recognizable and you file,' the matter 'becomes public.'

Her voice became more nakedly emotional as she said: 'I know that I am gonna keep working on feeling my best so that I can show up for the best for my kids and my life and my work. And yeah, I mean I think that’s the biggest thing for me right now.'

She acknowledged that she might be accused of being a 'hypocrite' for requesting privacy from the public, despite the fact that she does Real Housewives' recaps on her podcast and delves into other reality stars' personal lives in the process.

But she argued that 'when it does come to this, and children,' the situation is 'a little bit different than getting into "Jen Aydin reveals text exchange with Andy Cohen."' 

Her latest comments come just days after she posted an Instagram statement announcing the end of her marriage to Edwin.

'After a great deal of care and consideration, I have made the difficult decision to file for divorce,' she posted to her account.

'My priority is my children and ensuring that every care is taken with their privacy and wellbeing throughout this new chapter.

'Making a public statement is not something I wanted to do but in an effort to protect my family from undue speculation and rumors, I felt being open, honest and vulnerable was the best path forward.'

Just one week before the divorce announcement, Edwin posted a heartfelt tribute to Teddi after they attended the Cure Melanoma gala together.

Teddi, who herself fought a recent battle with the disease, was the compere of the event at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City.

'I always say life and pain are inseparable. And to see @teddimellencamp embrace her pain and use it for the greater good again last night as she emceed the @curemelanoma gala, was a beautiful reminder of what she is capable of,' wrote her husband in his glowing caption.

'Her story has already saved lives. And I couldn’t be prouder that she will continue to save more. Love you, Teds,' he wrote, adding with a crying laughing emoji: '(So much so that I missed the Rams game to be there)'.

The accompanying photo album included a romantic snapshot of Teddi and Edwin kissing, offering no indication of the split to come.

Teddi, the daughter of legendary rocker John Mellencamp, met Edwin at a Los Angeles nightclub in 2009 and married him two years later.

They then welcomed their son Cruz, 10, and daughters Slate, 12, and Dove, four, together. Teddi is also stepmother to Arroyave's daughter from a previous relationship, 15-year-old Isabella. 

When Teddi joined The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills in 2017, she and Edwin had reached a crisis point in their marriage and were on the brink of splitting up.

During her 'first day' of filming, Teddi thought to herself: ‘F***, at what point do I tell everybody that I’m getting a divorce?' 

She recalled: 'We are at our worst absolute phase, because truthfully, for us, it was really about a power struggle,' on her podcast Two Ts In A Pod, which she co-hosts with Orange County Housewife Tamra Judge.

'We were always kind of equals when we were together. I rode horses, I was competitive and I was all these things,' Teddi remembered.

'Then I couldn’t get pregnant naturally, I did all these IVFs. Then, all of a sudden, he was in charge of our finances, and I had never been that. I never not had my own money, I had been working since I was 17. Then I just started hating him.'

She and Edwin were ultimately able to patch up their differences, and she enjoyed a three-season run as a full-time Real Housewife Of Beverly Hills.

Although she lost her position in the main cast in 2020, she has since guest-starred on the show a number of times as a 'friend' of the Housewives. 

In July 2023, Teddi posted a candid Instagram post about the occasional tensions in her marriage - and the way she and Edwin went about addressing them.

'When was the last time you really told your significant other exactly what you want and need? I often times don’t and then let things build up and fester. I mean aren’t our people mind readers? Can’t they tell what my heavy annoyed breathing means? The answer is no,' the showbiz legacy wrote in her caption.

'I tried out being 100 percent direct with @tedwinator yesterday for my birthday and guess what— it worked like a charm. I said: You can work until 11am while I take the kids riding. After we get back I want a date of my favorite things,' she wrote.

The date would consist of: 'Lunch. Walk around BH people watching. A couple’s treatment at my fave spa, an early dinner and then some romantic time and early to bed. I asked if he could be off of his phone, because when he texts, even though I know its work, I get my feelings hurt.'

;The experience was, for her, 'an excellent reminder that we have to spell out what we both want and need in this marriage. I woke up with tears in my eyes so grateful for all the laughs, important convos and silly fluff we talked about.'

She summed up her caption by explaining: 'Marriage isn’t easy and we all have high highs and low lows but if we are vulnerable and open up, it can lead to one of the best days you have had in a long time.'

A few months later, Teddi also shared an 'appreciation post' for her husband, hailing the way he cared for her during her battle with skin cancer.

She recounted a recent ordeal during which the toll from my immunotherapy treatment hit new levels,' leaving her crying as 'extreme pain from the inside-out, sores, vomiting and sadness rushed over me.'

Teddi lovingly remembered: 'Edwin could have tried to give me a quick fix or tell me I am OK or give me a pep-talk. Instead, he comforted me, held my hair back and showed me love and compassion.'

She reflected: 'So often we want to be strong for our partner, pretending to be super-human for the sake of optics or a fear of being seen as weak. But last night, I felt a strength from Edwin that radiated through both of us— and it’s something I still feel as I write this.'