Lifestyle Home Chip and Joanna Gaines Have Made Peace with the Writer Who Criticized Their Parenting "I already respected them a lot, despite some concerns I addressed in that article, but now I respect them even more," says Dylan Austin By Mackenzie Schmidt Mackenzie Schmidt Mackenzie Schmidt is the Home and Travel Editor for PEOPLE. She's worked at PEOPLE for over five years as a writer and editor on the Lifestyle team. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 2, 2018 04:26 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Chip and Joanna Gaines and the writer who recently criticized their parenting are all good, after he apologized to them directly, and their rep replied. Daryl Austin came under fire from Fixer Upper fans in April, after he penned an article on USA Today, expressing his opinion that the HGTV stars couldn’t possibly put their kids first, as they have often said they do, given how busy they are with their mega-popular series and their ever-expanding business ventures. Writer Apologizes to Chip and Joanna Gaines After Questioning Their ‘Family First’ Motto Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images “There is much to be admired about them, including their commitments to their faith, marriage, family and community,” Austin said of the famous couple. “There’s an important distinction, however, that I think their millions of fans and would-be imitators need to remember: Chip and Joanna Gaines did not get where they are now by putting their family first.” After it was released, Chip responded to Austin with a tweet saying, “I don’t know Daryl, & he clearly doesn’t know me. But for the record: If there is ever a need w/ my family (1st), I’ll shut this circus down so fast it will make your head spin. BUT Jo & I believe, w/ God anything is possible. Including having an amazing family AND a career you love.” Austin later wrote another story, this time for Fox News, in which he admitted, “I regret writing it.” He added, “I didn’t write it to be hurtful, out of jealousy, or to cause controversy. I wrote it for one simple reason: because I believed every word I wrote to be true.” He recently reached out to Chip and Joanna, who just welcomed their fifth child on June 21, directly asking for their forgiveness. Chip Gaines/Twitter. Inset: Rob Kim/Getty WATCH THIS: Chip and Joanna Gaines Welcome Son: ‘The Gaines Crew Is Now 1 Stronger!’ Joanna Gaines Helped a Friend Through Infertility Struggles and Got a Sweet Tribute in Return A representative for the Gaineses replied, letting him know it was water under the bridge, and, Austin says, it’s given him a sense of closure after a tumultuous few months. “I already respected them a lot, despite some concerns I addressed in that article, but now I respect them even more.”