Joanna Gaines is discovering just how bittersweet it is when kids hit a major milestone as teenagers. Four of her and Chip Gaines‘ five kids are now driving — and it’s such a huge reminder about how quickly time passes.
Joanna Gaines Says All Her Teenagers All Driving
In a January 2025 interview with People, the former HGTV “Fixer Upper” star talked about how Drake, 19, Ella, 18, Duke, 16, and Emmie, 15, are moving into the older teen era.
“All four of my older kids are driving now!” Gaines said.
She confessed that she keeps an eye on her young drivers. “I stalk them on the app Life360!” Gaines admitted. “It tells you how fast they’re going.”
Before long, the four older kids will be moving out of their home, but Chip and Joanna still have their youngest, 6-year-old Crew to keep them feeling young. “My older kids are at that age where they’re kind of starting the exit,” Gaines explained.
With Duke currently in college and Ella starting in the fall, their house will be a little emptier in the near future. “I feel like it all went so fast,” she said. “Having Crew makes me feel younger, and really anchors me. It’s been such a gift.”
While she can’t slow down time, Gaines noted that she can make the rest of those teen years with her kids more meaningful.
“Knowing that [the older kids] will be gone in the next few years, I’ve made a conscious decision to create micro-moments, to feel in the now with our family, just be really more intentional with our time together,” Gaines explained.
She added, “And hopefully, try and slow it all down a bit!”
Joanna Gaines Marvels at Kids Becoming ‘Wonderful Human Beings’
The Magnolia empire owner shared that she couldn’t be more proud of all of her children, but sees the teenagers growing into fine young adults who now enjoy spending time together.
“They’re just turning into these wonderful human beings,” she shared.
Gaines added, “My favorite thing is seeing them hanging out in a restaurant together as friends. Because when they were younger I was always monitoring their fights, and now they’re dear friends, which is so cool.”
The former HGTV star also shared how Crew is a reminder to stop and take in the world around you.
“He’s always looking out the window, the first to notice something. He has this childlike faith like, ‘If I just look, I’ll find something,'” she noted. “A lot of us have that when we’re younger, but then I feel like we stop expecting wonder, because we’re so busy. And he’s just inspired me to live like he does.”
Gaines added, “Even though things are still really busy, my spirit feels more grounded.”
Comments
Joanna Gaines Reveals Her Kids’ Major Milestones Are Bittersweet: ‘It All Went So Fast’