Kim Kardashian invents travel stories to hide Kanye West's absence
The SKIMS founder details how she manages co-parenting with her ex-husband in a new biography.
By Luka Evans ·
Kim Kardashian is telling her four children that their father is traveling to explain his infrequent visits. The SKIMS founder shared these details in the new biography Citizen Kim. The book was written by Jonathan Van Meter and released by Viking on October 27.
Kardashian stated that she creates these explanations to shield North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm from the reality of their father's schedule. She said, 'I still make up stories and protect them.' Her goal is to keep their view of Kanye West positive. She noted that it is challenging to co-parent with a parent who only appears every few months.
Communication between the two parents now frequently goes through West's wife, Bianca Censori, or West's manager. Kardashian said, 'I'll communicate through his wife.' This arrangement has allowed for some family time. The group recently celebrated Christmas together after Kardashian included Censori in the holiday plans.
The couple's path to this current dynamic began with a high-profile romance. They started dating in 2012 and welcomed North in 2013. West proposed at San Francisco's AT&T Park in October 2013. The pair married in Florence, Italy, on May 24, 2014. They later shared the cover of the April 2014 issue of Vogue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz with baby North.
Tensions rose in July 2020 when Kardashian publicly addressed the impact of West's bipolar disorder. She asked the public for compassion regarding the pain of the experience. She filed for divorce in February 2021. The court declared them legally single in March 2022. They reached a settlement in November 2022 that established joint custody of their four children.
In an October 2025 interview on Call Her Daddy, Kardashian linked the breakup to the instability caused by West's episodes. She cited financial uncertainty and his attacks on her family members as key factors. She described leaving the marriage as a necessary decision to be a more effective parent. West has acknowledged a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder.
West described a four-month manic episode in early 2025 in a January 2026 statement. He published this account as a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal. He connected his regrettable behavior to his illness while admitting it did not excuse his actions. The new 352-page biography also covers Kardashian's work in criminal justice reform and her business ventures. Van Meter conducted hundreds of hours of interviews for the book.
The book traces Kardashian's career from reality television to fashion and business. It provides a look at her life beyond the marriage to West. Van Meter is a contributing editor at Vogue and New York. He previously served as the founding editor-in-chief of Vibe.
