What The Kids From Teen Mom Look Like Now

When MTV's "Teen Mom” hit the scene in 2008, it was an emotional and impactful ride. Over the years, millions of fans have looked on as the cast faced the raw realities of becoming teen parents. Their time in the spotlight has definitely shaped the lives of the teen moms, who've shared some of their most vulnerable and shocking moments with the world.

As the show picked up steam and eventually added spinoffs like "Teen Mom 2," "Teen Mom 3," and "Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant," some viewers slammed the franchise for glorifying teen pregnancy. Reports that some of the cast earn $500,000 per season have sparked even more outrage among detractors (via Cheat Sheet). Many critics have pointed out that by giving the cast such massive platforms and paydays, MTV lost sight of the show's original cautionary message about teen pregnancy, per Time Magazine. But the notoriety has had deep implications for the cast of "Teen Mom" and over the years, some of the show's stars have endured drug addiction, domestic violence, and so much more. Despite these hardships, the Teen Moms have managed to raise some pretty remarkable kids.

For all of the show's controversy, the children of the "Teen Mom" franchise will forever hold a special place in our hearts. After all, we did witness their grand entrances into the world. Through all of the milestones, tantrums, and priceless moments, we've watched the kiddos grow up before our eyes. And while it's hard to believe, some of them are now teenagers themselves. Time sure does fly.

Bentley Edwards

As the oldest child in the "Teen Mom" franchise, Bentley Edwards melted hearts with his chubby cheeks and his doll-like blue eyes. Now 14 years old, Bentley hasn't lost any of his charm. The junior "Teen Mom" star is still the spitting image of his mom, Maci Bookout, and he seems to be an excellent role model for his younger siblings, Jayde and Maverick. Maci is famously wild about sports, so it's no surprise that Bentley has taken up an interest in baseball, golf, and wrestling. In August of 2022, the young golfer posted a proud hole-in-one moment on his Instagram account. Maci Bookout swooped into the comments to exclaim, "I'll always be proud of u buddy, but this will be one of the top moments!" (via Instagram).

Bentley's earliest "Teen Mom" episodes focused on his mom's struggle to save her relationship with Bentley's father, Ryan Edwards. Throughout the years, Bentley's connection with his father has been frayed by Ryan's struggles with heroin addiction, which have landed him in jail and rehab several times over, per Us Weekly. In 2018, Ryan's legal troubles became even messier when he was slapped with a protective order for threats that he allegedly made to Maci and her husband, Taylor McKinney. But despite the fallout with his dad, Bentley Edwards appears to be living the dream.

Leah Shirley

As chronicled in the earlier seasons of "Teen Mom," Amber Portwood's struggles with drug addiction and domestic violence had serious consequences. Starting in June 2012, the troubled star spent 17 months behind bars for charges of drug possession and domestic battery against her baby's father, Gary Shirley (via "Today"). Amber's missteps caused her to miss out on a lot of precious time with her daughter, Leah Shirley.

But despite Leah's rocky upbringing, her sweet and emotionally intelligent nature has been evident from the start, so it's no surprise that Leah has grown up to be an exceptionally well-rounded kid. Now a teenager herself, the young reality star is especially close with her father, Gary Shirley, and stepmom, Kristina Shirley. The couple strive to provide Leah with every opportunity for success, and their efforts seem to be paying off big time. In October 2022, Gary took to Instagram to show off his daughter's straight-A report card.

Gary Shirley is an enthusiastic amateur chef, and it seems that some of his cooking skills have rubbed off on Leah. In May 2022, the daddy-daughter duo announced that they were launching a cooking show together on YouTube, per The Sun. With so many achievements already under her belt, the future looks bright for Leah Shirley.

Sophia Abraham

Farrah Abraham, mother of Sophia Abraham, may be the most notorious figure in the "Teen Mom" fandom, but her story began under difficult circumstances. In Farrah's "16 and Pregnant" episode, we learned that her star-crossed romance with Sophia's father, Derek Underwood, was forbidden by her ultra-strict mother, Deborah Danielson. Tragically, Derek passed away in a car accident before Sophia's birth (via E! News). These events set the stage for Farrah's tumultuous tenure on "Teen Mom."

In 2017, Farrah was fired from the show. But the enterprising star was undeterred and continued to rack up appearances on programs like "Marriage Boot Camp" and "Couples Therapy," per TV Guide. And like many other reality show personalities, Farrah has continued to stay relevant thanks to social media. With all of her experience in front of the camera, it's no surprise that Sophia Abraham has been building her digital brand as well.

Although she is only 13, Sophia seems to be lightyears ahead of her years, especially in terms of fashion. With her wardrobe of baggy pants, sky-high platforms, and bold accessories, the teen is already an expert in goth-chic. To celebrate her passage into teendom, Sophia posted to Instagram about getting her septum pierced. Sophia's recent life updates also involve a super cute romance. In 2022, the influencer shared a glimpse of her boyfriend in an adorable TikTok video, per In Touch.

Novalee Baltierra

Catelynn Baltierra's storyline was quite different from the others of "Teen Mom," as she chose to place her daughter, Carly, up for adoption. Subsequent seasons followed Catelynn and her boyfriend, Tyler Baltierra, as their complex and emotional journey unfolded. In 2015, things began looking up when the couple welcomed their second child, Novalee Baltierra, in an emotionally-charged episode of "Teen Mom."

Today, Novalee Baltierra is a second-grader with heaps of personality. On "Teen Mom," the blond-haired sweetie steals the show with her smarts and her adorably sharp wit. Novalee is now a proud older sibling to her sisters, Vaeda and Rya Baltierra. When baby Rya was born, Novalee had some insightful words for Catelynn and Tyler. In footage that aired on the show, she told them, "That means you're going to have to take good care of three kids, and it's gonna be a lot of work."

Novalee Baltierra still has a relationship with her big sister Carly, who does not appear on the show at the behest of her adoptive parents. In an interview with E! News, Catelynn explained that the sisters get to meet about once every two years. She revealed, "The last visit we had last summer, Carly just wanted to be with her sisters all the time and play with them. As long as our girls can have a relationship and a bond for a lifetime, that's all that matters to me."

Jace Evans

Jace Evans is famous for being the sweet, chubby-faced baby boy of Jenelle Evans, infamous "Teen Mom" party girl and all-around troublemaker. Most of Jace's early storyline was centered around his mom's substance abuse issues, unsavory boyfriends, and her explosive relationship with her own mom, Barbara Evans. Although Jenelle Evans was nixed from the "Teen Mom" franchise in 2019, she has managed to linger in the limelight as a social media influencer. So it's no wonder that Jace, who is now a teenager, has been making appearances on his mom's digital platforms.

In August 2022, Jace celebrated his 13th birthday. Jenelle took to Instagram for a recap of their day, complete with a family lunch outing and a birthday cake topped with a decorative dirt bike. In the video, Jenelle explained that Jace's birthday wish was to ride his new dirt bike all day. In addition to his interest in motorsports, Jace Evans is also a soccer player.

Jace's grandmother, Barbara Evans, has had custody of the boy since 2010. In 2022, Barbara sat down with MTV to give an update on her grandson, stating, "He still lives with me. He's going into, you know, puberty, and he's getting to be quite the character" (via MTV). The proud grandma gushed that Jace is "electronic smart" and that he often fixes her phone.

Isaac Rivera

Isaac Rivera rose to fame as the sweet, doe-eyed son of Kailyn Lowry and Jo Rivera. Although the couple split soon after Isaac's birth, the "Teen Mom" stars continue to work on their co-parenting relationship. The mini "Teen Mom" star is also close to Javi Marroquin, who is Kailyn's former husband and the father of her son Lincoln, per The Sun. With so many supporters, it's no wonder that Isaac Rivera has grown into such a charming young man.

On his Instagram account, which is monitored by his mama, the 12-year-old loves to show off his sporty style and his ultra-cute freckles. Like many kids his age, Isaac is currently rocking braces. The multi-talented tween is also learning to play piano. But of course, the youngster has his share of growing pains. According to Us Weekly, Kailyn has revealed that she quarrels with Isaac more than her other children — but there surely isn't any love lost between the mom and son.

Aliannah and Aleeah Simms

Aliannah and Aleeah Simms stole our hearts as the adorable twin daughters of Leah Messer and Corey Simms. In early episodes of "Teen Mom 2," the new parents struggled to save their fizzling relationship. After a brief marriage, the pair called it quits and Leah went on to marry Jeremy Calvert in 2012, per the Daily Mail. By the time the couple split in 2015, they had welcomed another daughter, Adalynn. Although the teen mom has had a string of other romances since her split with Calvert, Leah's world revolves around her three daughters.

As a toddler, Aliannah "Ali" Simms was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy (per Us Weekly). Although the news left Ali's parents shocked and grief-stricken, they have since learned how to navigate her disability. Now 12 years old, Ali is involved with numerous different activities, including horse showing, which the curly-haired tween seems to excel at. As seen on Leah Messer's Instagram, Ali is a spunky and confident kid who looks just like her dad, Corey.

Aleeah "Grace" Simms is known as the sassy wild child of the family who always keeps Leah on her toes. With such an energetic personality, it makes perfect sense that Grace is now an accomplished cheerleader. Recent Instagram shares of Grace have caused a stir over the tween's mirror-image likeness to Leah. Between Leah's depression and her battle with addiction, the star and her loved ones have been through a lot, so it's rewarding to see that her girls are thriving.

Nova DeJesus

Known as the emotional and ultra-sweet daughter of Briana DeJesus, Nova DeJesus was born into the ultimate girl squad with her mom, aunt Brittany, and grandma Roxanne. After Nova's birth, the show mostly focused on the conflict between Briana's family and Nova's father, Devoin Austin. Fans were concerned for little Nova when the young father seemed disinterested in parenting. But like many teen parents, Nova's dad Devoin grew up quickly. Not only is he becoming a spectacular dad to Nova, he's also a father-figure to her little sister, Stella, whom Briana shares with her ex, Luis Hernandez (via The Sun). Despite a string of public quarrels between her mother and father, Nova seems to benefit greatly from having both parents involved in her life.

The little DeJesus is now ten years old, and social media gives us a glimpse into her charming personality and musical talents. In January 2022, Briana gave Nova a shoutout on Instagram, writing, "Nova appreciation post! She's talented! She started taking piano lessons and is killing it! Her teacher wants her to do a recital!" In the since-deleted post, Nova was all smiles while cruising around with her little sis on a mini Vespa. The post also included a photo of Nova with her radiant smile and natural hair (via The Sun).

Aubree Lind-Deboer

Most of Aubree's early storyline followed the dramatic on-again off-again relationship between her parents, Chelsea Houska and Adam Lind. In 2014, Chelsea found love again with her current husband, Cole Deboer. Today, the family is going strong, and the Deboers have added three more kiddos to the mix: Watson, Layne, and Walker. Since his "Teen Mom" debut, Cole Deboer has been a devoted father figure in Aubree's life — a welcome contrast to her absentee dad, Adam. In a fitting acknowledgement of their close bond, Aubree's last name was changed to Lind-Deboer in 2018 (via OK! Magazine).

In 2020, Chelsea moved on from MTV to pursue new opportunities, and of course, she brought her brood along for the ride (via E! News). Between their business ventures and their upcoming series on HGTV, the Deboer family has definitely been busy. But it's clear that Aubree gets an excellent balance of work and play. These days, the 13-year-old is a softball star who really seems to enjoy goofing off with her younger siblings, per Chelsea's Instagram page. Aubree is also experimenting with fun fashion trends, having recently traded in her long tresses for an edgy split-dyed bob. And just like her mom, Aubree loves makeup.

On Aubree's 13th birthday, proud mom Chelsea posted a sweet tribute to her first-born on Instagram that said "My music loving, sassy, funny, Harry Styles obsessed girl is a TEENAGER." Thousands of fans chimed in with birthday wishes for the junior television star.

Ryder Wharton

Born to MTV's "The Challenge" stars Cheyenne Floyd and Cory Wharton, Ryder Wharton was always destined for MTV fame. Evidently, growing up in the limelight is no problem for this tiny TV star, who seems to be a natural performer. On Ryder's Instagram account, which is monitored by mom and dad, the 5-year old loves to show off her style, dance moves, and dramatic poses. Most importantly, the kindergartener is already breaking into the world of business. With support from her mom, Ryder launched her nail polish brand, Nails By Ryder K, in 2021.

As depicted on "Teen Mom," the romance between Cheyenne and Cory was short-lived. However, Cheyenne ended up finding love, and the reality star tied the knot with Zach Davis in 2022 (via People). Both of Ryder's folks are now raising kiddos with their new partners, and together the two have built one of the strongest co-parenting relationships of the "Teen Mom" franchise. Both sides of the family joined Ryder for her first-day sendoff to kindergarten, which was featured on Cheyenne's Instagram. In the post, Ryder expressed that she wants to be a pop star when she grows up. With an incredible kid like Ryder, Cheyenne and Cory have lots to be proud of.

Holly Smith

From explosive family feuds to legal woes, "Teen Mom" star Ashley Jones knows what it's like to walk through troubled times. But the young mom has always tried her hardest to set a good example for her daughter, Holly Smith, whom she shares with husband Bariki Smith. Now five years old, Holly is a super cute kid who loves dressing up like a princess, per Instagram.

She's also soaking up some of her mom's bold and straightforward personality. Describing her daughter to MTV in September 2022, Ashley said, "I think my favorite quality in Holly is that she's outspoken. She's always going to speak her mind and she's going to speak up for what she believes in and what she thinks is right and wrong, and I feel like that's priceless." In the same interview, Ashley revealed that she doesn't know what Holly will be when she grows up. Holly has plenty of time to figure out her future career moves, but for now she seems perfectly content with just being a princess.

Kloie Austin

After a turbulent childhood with her troubled mother, Jade Cline was committed to turning the tables for her own daughter, Kloie. Earlier seasons of "Teen Mom" highlighted Jade's struggle to make a living while raising the baby with Kloie's father, Sean Austin. Despite Jade's best efforts to keep the family together, the young mom decided to cut ties with Sean in 2020 after a nasty fight involving Jade's parents. Since then, Sean has committed to sobriety, and the couple quietly reunited. They're now engaged, with wedding bells set to ring in October 2023 (via E! News).

Kloie is now five and enrolled in kindergarten, and the blond-haired sweetie is her mother's mini-me. During a super cute pool day with her daughter in April of 2022, Jade wrote on Instagram, "Watching you develop your own little personality just warms my heart. You're funny & such a sweetheart. I love being your mommy." With such a darling daughter and a promising future ahead, Jade Cline has a lot to be thankful for these days.