Brittany Cartwright says her 4-year-old son, Cruz Michael Cauchi, is saying more words here and there as she and Jax Taylor settle into a new routine after moving back into the family home.
Cartwright shared the update on The Valley After Show, saying Cruz may be benefiting from seeing his mother happier and out of what she called a toxic situation, and maybe from seeing his father happier too when he is with him. “I think that Cruz's growth is, honestly... I hate to say this, but, like, seeing his mom happier and being, you know, out of a toxic situation,” she said. “And maybe even seeing his dad happier whenever he's with him. I don't know. That could be helping everybody.”
The change in home life appears to have brought some stability. Cartwright said she and Cruz are “grounded again,” and described their home as his “safe space” and “happy place.” She added that Cruz is doing better because “he's not being moved around to all these different places.” A producer on the After Show noted that Taylor recently moved out of his townhouse, and Cartwright said she has not yet been to his new home.
Even so, she said she keeps an eye on where Cruz is going. “But I make him send me videos before I let Cruz go over there,” she said, adding that Taylor has a nice room and a playroom for their son. She also said he sometimes comes by her house and has taken toys from there to his new place. “Just buy your own,” Cartwright said, before adding that he is trying.
Cartwright filed to divorce Taylor in August 2024, but the two are still legally married. Their latest comments suggest the arrangement remains uneven, with co-parenting, as she put it, depending on the day. “Some days are good and just fine,” she said. “Other days are just the same.”
The update came on Season 3, Episode 2 of The Valley After Show, after Cartwright previously unveiled Cruz's sensory room, underscoring how much of the child's progress now hinges on a steadier home base and a calmer routine.
