Justin Bieber has had a very up and down relationship with his parents Pattie Mallette and Jeremy Bieber. The couple had the talented singer when they were very young. Pattie and Jeremy were both still teenagers when Bieber was born. Pattie and Jeremy are no longer together and were never married, which has created a more complicated family dynamic for Bieber to navigate.

Bieber has had individual issues with both of his parents. Throughout the years, there have been times when Bieber was not even speaking to his mother, and his relationship with his father is just as complicated. Bieber shared in 2015 that his father once abandoned him and his mother when he was a young child. Though now they all seem to be on stable terms, especially considering they both attended his wedding to Hailey Bieber, there have certainly been some rocky times for the Bieber family.

Justin Bieber’s Childhood

Though Justin Bieber is now living the outlandish lifestyle of a celebrity, he was not always swimming in money and fame. Before he went viral on YouTube in 2007 and landed a music deal with Scooter Braun, Bieber and his family were living in poverty.

Bieber spoke to Interview magazine in 2015 about how he and his family had very little money and never owned a house.

“Growing up, I actually used to busk on the street,” Bieber told Interview about how he would make a little money. “I’d play my guitar, sing, and people would throw money in the case.”

“That was really fun, and I actually got enough money to bring my mom to Florida to go to Disney World, because I always wanted to go, but we never had enough money.”

His parent’s arrangement was also not conventional. Parents Pattie Mallette and Jeremy Bieber had Justin Bieber when they were very young. Pattie and Jeremy were both teenagers when the singer was born. Though Pattie and Jeremy gave their relationship a chance after Bieber was born, they eventually parted ways. Pattie and Jeremy were never married.

Pattie wrote a book about being a single teen mom called Nowhere But Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom.

Due to his parent’s separation, Bieber ended up having quite a large family. He has several half-siblings and step-siblings, with whom he is very close. Bieber has shared many loving posts on his social media of his siblings, and even took brother Jaxon to the Grammy’s in 2016.

Justin Bieber’s Father Jeremy Bieber Abandoned Him

One other aspect of Justin Bieber’s childhood made life very hard for the “Baby” singer. When he was still extremely young, his father Jeremy Bieber completely abandoned him and his mother.

Jeremy and Pattie Mallette had already separated at the time, but had been doing their best to both be present in Bieber’s life. That all changed when Jeremy ran off, and Pattie was left to raise Bieber by herself. Thankfully, she did have the help of her own parents.

Bieber told the outlet that Jeremy “left for like a year when I was about 4, went to British Columbia, came back on Father’s Day.”

“I remember my mom said, ‘If you’re going to be here, you have to be here.'”

Bieber explained his father’s decision by saying he was “not in a place where he could raise a kid. He was immature.”

“There’s a misconception that he’s this deadbeat dad, but he has been in my life since. I was with him on weekends and Wednesdays.”

Music has certainly brought Bieber and his father closer together, as Jeremy also plays guitar and is a big inspiration for Bieber. In 2016, Bieber even admitted that he is closer with his father than his mother.

Bieber and his father certainly maintain a complicated relationship, though. When Bieber’s nudes were leaked online, Jeremy seemingly bragged about his son’s nudes in a since-deleted social media post.

Is Justin Bieber’s Mom Disappointed In Him?

While Justin Bieber has been able to slowly get closer with his father, the same is not necessarily true for his relationship with his mother. Though she was the primary caregiver when he was young, fame brought new complications to their dynamic.

After rising to fame, Bieber became known as a party boy and made some interesting public decisions. His name was constantly plastered across tabloids, and usually not for a good reason.

In the previously mentioned interview with Billboard, Bieber discussed how his fame changed his relationship with his mother.

“I was distant because I was ashamed,” he admitted to the outlet. Bieber “never wanted my mom to be disappointed in me and I knew she was.”

“We spent some time not talking, so it takes time to rebuild that trust. She’s living in Hawaii now, so it’s hard, but getting better. She’s an amazing woman and I love her.”

Where Does Justin Bieber Stand With Parents Pattie And Jeremy Now?

Though Justin Bieber has had various ups and downs with his parents, they all seem to be on relatively good terms now. Family dynamics are certainly important to Bieber, and fans are glad that he is able to enjoy his relationship with his parents after the hard times.

Both Pattie Mallette and Jeremy Bieber attended their son’s wedding to Hailey Bieber, and Pattie praised her son’s love on social media.

Jeremy Bieber was in the news in the summer of 2023. He received backlash over some insensitive tweets he made during Pride Month.

Bieber’s father wrote in the now deleted tweet, “Don’t forget to thank a straight person this month for your existence.”

Though he later apologized, saying, “Acknowledging the nuclear family is offensive? My apologies to those offended. Was not my intent. Not that my opinion matters,” many fans found the apology to be extremely fake and not sincere.

It is unclear if this has affected Jeremy’s relationship with his son.