The Truth About The Little Couple's Jen Arnold & Bill Klein's Relationship
If you watch "The Little Couple" on TLC, there's a good chance you're a fan of Dr. Jen Arnold and her husband, Bill Klein. The sweet pair have been a reality television staple since 2009, an impressive run by any measure, and along the way, we've been privy to it all.
Jen and Bill have undergone a stunning transformation over the years, as they both relocated from Texas to Florida and became parents to two beautiful children, Zoey and Will. But one thing that's remained steady through it all is Bill and Jen's rock-solid marriage (via the Tampa Bay Times). As it turns out, the couple puts in the work to make sure that their partnership remains both resilient and romantic. Given that they both work, film their show, and parent their children, that's saying something. Where do they find the time with a schedule like that?
Wondering just how the Little Couple keeps their relationship steady and strong while subject to surprises once in a while? Read on to discover the truth about Jen Arnold and Bill Klein's relationship.
The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein first met when they were kids
It's not often that a person's love story starts out at only 10 years old, but that's what happened for Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein, who first met one another when they were both in the hospital as kids. And it's thanks to Bill's insanely good memory that we get to hear the details. "I used to do laps around the hallways, and I was happy as could be," he recalled in an interview with Glamour. "I was cut out of my cast, I was sitting up, listening to my Walkman, my parents were 200 miles away, so I couldn't get in trouble by them... so I cruised into her room." And, thus, it all began.
Jen doesn't recall these events in the way that Bill does — she was on some pretty heavy narcotics at the time. Still, everything he describes about the encounter checks out. "But all the details he's telling you, when he first told me, I was like, 'No, you didn't,'" she revealed. "Then he started rattling it off and it was all right." Talk about fate!
The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein re-met thanks to online dating
While Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of "The Little Couple" fame first encountered one another as kids in the hospital, they didn't trade numbers or become pen pals at that time. Rather, they met in a romantic context later on as adults. "Officially, [we met] online on a dating site for little people," Jen told the Tampa Bay Times.
However, this meeting occurred after a near-miss encounter when Bill and Jen were in college, when they each worked with the same mentor one year apart. "When I was there, Dr. Kopits and his nurse practitioner kept telling me, 'You know, I want you to meet this Billy Klein. He wants to go into medicine like you, he's super smart,'" she continued. "I remember saying, 'Yes, that sounds right up my alley, smart, geeky, a little person like me.'"
When Jen and Bill finally did get the chance to get to know one another, it was super clear that they were meant to be. Of course, Bill didn't become a doctor like Jen, but that didn't matter in the least.
Bill Klein got on a plane for The Little Couple's first date
Once Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of "The Little Couple" finally met one another as adults, it became clear early on that this pairing was special. In fact, Bill went so far as to get on a plane for their first date, as they lived in two different cities. And while that's a pretty bold move, Jen wasn't bugged out by Bill's intensity. "That is a big gesture, but when you're a little person and you meet somebody that happens often," she explained in a chat with Glamour.
Of course, Bill remembered meeting Jen when they were children, which had to be a sign to him that she was the one. But Jen didn't have the context that Bill did, rendering her experience a bit different than his. "I think what surprised me the most was when he told me he knew who I was," she continued. "I didn't realize that, because I didn't know who he was!" Well, obviously, they hit it off, because now they're clearly #RelationshipGoals.
In 2008, The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein tied the knot
After Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein from TLC's "The Little Couple" met and started dating, they decided to take their relationship to the next level. To that end, the couple started planning their wedding, and Jen knew exactly what she wanted. "Well, I'm a Florida girl and I really wanted a beach wedding, even though we lived in New York," she shared in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times. "Luckily I had my family here in Florida to help make the plans."
If you're at all familiar with St. Petersburg, Florida, then you'll recognize the iconic places that Bill and Jen selected for their nuptials. "We ended up getting married April 12, 2008, at St. Mary's downtown and had the reception at the Don CeSar," she continued. "This is the place I love so it made the most sense."
Bill and Jen celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary in 2021, as noted by a post on her Instagram page. "I am so lucky to get to spend this thing called life by your side," she gushed in the caption. Awww!
When it comes to celebrations, twice is nice for The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein
If you're a dedicated viewer of "The Little Couple," then you've surely seen Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein celebrate various special occasions over the years. That includes birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestone events, all of which are filmed for their fans. We wouldn't want to miss out on the festivities, after all!
As it turns out, however, what you see on "The Little Couple" might not be the actual celebration. The reason? Jen and Bill strive to preserve some of their family's intimacy, which means they often celebrate important events twice, says Jen. "We try to remind each other that dinners out with the cameras don't really count and that we still need to have a separate celebratory dinner for us, for birthdays and anniversaries," she explained to HuffPost. "Even though we celebrate on camera, we do something separate as well." We can't blame them for wanting some privacy!
Being famous sharpened the Little Couple's communication skills
In addition to the perks of being a reality star — having millions of fans around the world and having a platform to amplify your perspective — Bill Klein and Dr. Jen Arnold have become master communicators, something they attribute to their show, "The Little Couple." "On occasion, we have to expand upon a topic that we otherwise would have skimmed across because of time, because our days and our jobs are busy," Bill shared in an interview with HuffPost. "It gives us a chance to communicate in more detail."
Bill and Jen also abide by some typical relationship advice, something that many couples would agree with. "[We] never go to bed angry," Jen revealed. "Once, we did, and we both woke up in the middle of the night miserable." Clearly, the duo have some seriously good communication skills if they can resolve any fight before it festers!
The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein split duties and chores 50/50
Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of TLC's "The Little Couple" are one busy couple. They both have full-time jobs of their own, they parent their two children together, and they've starred in a reality show for over a decade. To that end, have you ever wondered how they handle their domestic duties? Wonder no more, as Jen said they have a good system in place. "Bill and I do share things pretty darn well," she revealed in a chat with the Tampa Bay Times. "We set limits and I also divide and conquer really well with my husband."
In addition to handling household chores in a totally equitable manner, Jen said that she and her husband play to their strengths when it comes to delegating other duties. "He takes care of all things finance because he's a business guy," she continued. "He takes care of the contracts dealing with the production company." Of course, Jen handles all of the medical stuff when it comes to the kids, and Bill is responsible for school duties. We are so here for this balanced partnership!
The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein feel totally comfortable with each other
Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein have been married for about as long as they've been on television, as they'd just tied the knot when they started filming "The Little Couple." During that time, the pair has been through a lot together, including becoming parents (after years of trying) and moving several times. They've also gotten to know each other so well that their intimacy actually surprised Jen. "No one prepared me for how comfortable you are in front of someone," she told HuffPost. "Like being self-conscious about how I look? That's not something you think about. It's amazing how close you can get." It really is.
Additionally, Jen and Bill have total faith and trust in each other, though Jen is amused that so much of their lives is taped for posterity. "It's funny knowing every bachelor party he's ever been to has been recorded," she continued. "There's always someone watching and I have eyes making sure he's being good." Hilarious!
The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein wrote a book together
In addition to being working parents who also film a reality show, Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of "The Little Couple" decided to knock another item off of their bucket list. To that end, in 2016, they published a book entitled "Life Is Short (No Pun Intended): Love, Laughter, and Learning to Enjoy Every Moment." The reason, according to Bill? "The idea was to connect the dots for people that knew us, and obviously we wanted the viewership [of our show] to read the book to explain why we are the way we are today," he explained in a chat with Glamour.
That's not all, either, as Jen and Bill wanted their children to read the book when they're older. "The other part from a legacy perspective," he continued, adding, "I would like for my kids to take a couple of notes from our pages and maybe say, 'You know what? My dad got bullied too. And my mom got bullied also. We saw obstacles in their lives and they turned out to be fine.'"
Jen and Bill published a second book two years later, "Think Big: Overcoming Obstacles with Optimism." Impressive, no?
For years, The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein tried surrogacy
For a long time, Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of "The Little Couple" sought to grow their family and have children. Initially, they thought that surrogacy would be the way to make this happen, and they worked with a woman named Cindy to make their dreams come true. Sadly, she miscarried after becoming pregnant for the first time. And while that was difficult, Jen was determined to press on, as she wrote in their book "Think Big: Overcoming Obstacles with Optimism." "I knew right away not to give up," she revealed. "We had only tried once. We don't give up that easily."
Unfortunately, Cindy miscarried again after the second time she got pregnant, which understandably was devastating for Bill and Jen. "Keeping the faith felt a little more difficult for Bill and me," she told Radar Online.
Fortunately, the duo were able to have children thanks to international adoption, and Jen wouldn't trade it for the world. "If you stay the course and are optimistic, you might find yourself seeing joy in your hands," she added. "Joy rushed over us in ways we hadn't expected and surely couldn't have imagined so soon after our experiences with surrogacy."
When it was time to grow their family, adoption was it for The Little Couple
Speaking of adoption and the impact it had on Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein's life, the Little Couple brought their two children home back in 2013: They adopted Zoey Klein from India and Will Klein from China. Naturally, Jen and Bill were absolutely delighted to become parents. "It's all been positive, I mean, a few crazy people, but mostly comments on how crazy it is to be adopting two kids at once, but we are," Jen revealed in an interview with TheWrap. "That being said, we're happy crazy." Congratulations, guys!
It wasn't by design that Will and Zoey came into their lives so close together, either. "It wasn't that we intended to, or tried to, adopt two children at one time," Jen continued. "It's just how the stars aligned, really."
While adopting two kids at one time is a lot for anyone, Jen was confident they'd make it work. "It's a blessing that we'll figure out a way to handle," she added, and by the looks of it, they have — and then some.
The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage
Even though Bill Klein and Dr. Jen Arnold decided adoption was the best way to grow their family, after bringing Will home and waiting for Zoey's adoption to be finalized, Jen made a surprising discovery. "'I'm pregnant,' [Jen said in] complete and utter disbelief," Bill wrote in their book "Think Big: Overcoming Obstacles with Optimism." "After going through two years of fertility treatments and surrogacy followed by miscarriages, this was unexpected, to say the least!"
However, for as much as Bill and his wife would have welcomed a biological child, they found out at a doctor's appointment that the pregnancy wasn't viable. Still, for whatever grief that might have caused them, Bill's inherent optimism won in the end. "I will see Jen's beautiful smile and Will's never-ending joy and Zoey enthusiastically hopping and skipping along and just think, 'When did I win the Powerball of life?'" he added.
People assume that Bill Klein's last name is Arnold
While Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of TLC's "The Little Couple" are married, they both have different last names. However, in a funny subversion of traditional gender roles, sometimes people presume they share Jen's last name, not Bill's. "I was at Restoration Hardware and the lady came up and said, 'Oh my god, I was hoping I'd meet you guys, it's very nice to meet you Bill Arnold,'" he told HuffPost. "It's actually a running joke now [since] it's happened so often that people just presume that my last name is Arnold."
Fortunately and not surprisingly, Bill isn't bothered when people assume that his last name is Arnold instead of Klein. "It's perfectly fine by me, there's no ego or harm done," he continued. Hey, it's nice to see folks assuming that the wife's last name is the one that they'd share for once!
No matter what, The Little Couple's Jen Arnold and Bill Klein make time for each other
With all that Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of "The Little Couple" have going on, you might wonder when they make time for each other, just the two of them. As it turns out, they intentionally do exactly that every day, even if it's in smaller moments. "When you have a busy life, particularly two toddlers that can take up all your attention and energy during the day ... you make sure to have something at night," Bill explained in a chat with People. "It could be a glass of wine after you put the kids to bed, watching a TV show, making sure you give at least 10 to 15 minutes of your time to each other." We love to see it.
So no matter how hectic things get for Bill and Jen, it seems like making each other a priority is the secret to their happy and enduring marriage.