Jon, Kate, And Their 8 Children Share What Their Family Is Really Like Today

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Jon, Kate, And Their 8 Children Share What Their Family Is Really Like Today

TLC

I can still remember the first time I tuned in to Jon and Kate Plus 8.

The reality show followed the Gosselins and their extended family, made up of sextuplets and a set of twins.

They seemed like such a nice, wholesome family.

And it was interesting to follow the day to day struggles of parents raising six young children at once.

Jon and Kate Plus 8
The Gosselins in 2008.TLC

But, of course, the happy marriage dissolved in front of our eyes, and the show soon became just Kate Plus 8.

But viewers are still wondering just what happened, and what the Gosselin children are like today.

"Overnight he became a different person"

While it was obvious to viewers that Jon and Kate's marriage was on the rocks, there are rumors that the couple tried to stick it out for the sake of their show.

But just two years after Plus 8 premiered, the Gosselins finally called it quits.

In an interview with Extra, Kate laid all the blame for the split on her ex-husband.

Jon and Kate.
AP

"I really would have thought he'd have been here for the long haul," she explained.

"The weirdest thing is that overnight he became a different person."

While she was focused on her family, Kate says Jon was spending his money on cars and motorcycles.

She also blames him for staying out all night while she looked after the kids.

"People closest to me thought I was crazy and making it up. When they saw it for themselves, they were like, 'Whoa.' They saw the proof."

Since then, Jon and Kate have been co-parenting their children, but things haven't been easy.

Kate the "control freak"

Jon has spoken openly about the strict and demanding rules that Kate puts on both him and their children.

Jon is only allowed to see four of his children at once, and Kate has the final say over which ones visit him.

Jon Gosselin Instagram.
John poses with four of the sextuplets on New Year's Eve.JonGosselin / Instagram

Speaking to ET in 2016, Jon confessed he hadn't seen all eight of his children together "probably in three to four years."

He also complained about Kate's infamously strict house rules.

She had banned cell phones, and was reportedly patting down the kids after visits with Jon to make sure he hadn't given them one.

Jon also claims she puts household chores above their children's happiness.

"Their chores supersede their homework," he said.

"Their chores supersede any activity. Their chores even supersede my custody, so if they don't get their chores done, they're not coming to my house."

"Kidnapping" allegations

Jon and Kate police reports.
Police reports obtained by In Touch magazine.In Touch

Things got serious when Kate filed a police report against her ex-husband for "kidnapping" their daughter Hannah.

Jon had picked Hannah up from school without her mother's permission.

Kate also accused Jon of having a "suspicious relationship" with their daughter.

Meanwhile, Jon accused Kate of her own suspicious behavior over their "missing" son.

Where is Collin?

Fans were concerned for one of the Gosselin sextuplets, Collin, after he seemed to disappear from Kate's social media photos.

When Kate avoided questions about the boy's disappearance, Jon revealed that even he wasn't sure about his son's whereabouts.

Collin and Aaden Gosselin.
Collin (left) with his brother Aaden.TLC

Telling ET that he hadn't seen Collin in more than a year, Jon announced he was planning to take Kate to court to learn his whereabouts.

"I have an idea where he is but I don't really know where he is. [Kate] says that Collin is in a special school for special needs kids with behavioral problems" he explained.

In a Good Morning America interview, Kate still refused to explain, saying a court order prevented them from discussing the children.

"I've known all along where he is," she said. "But the world doesn't know and I'll leave it at that."

Collin finally reappeared on an episode of Kate Plus 8, but the episode left fans concerned about the Gosselin children.

"I love all my children,"

Obviously Jon is not happy about his side of the parenting agreement, but it does seem like he wants a better relationship with his children.

Jon Gosselin
JonGosselin / Instagram

"I'm a regular dad trying to spend as much time with my kids as possible," he said.

"I love all my children and hope they all know I'm there for them unconditionally."

But Jon's daughter, Mady, said she has no interest in spending time with him.

"This year I'm going to turn 16. I'm going to be learning to drive, taking the PSATs, thinking about college... so much is going on in my life," she said.

"And the last thing I have time for is a toxic relationship."

That's right, she said college. The Gosselin children are all teenagers now, and you may be stunned by how they look today.

Mady and Cara

The couple's older twins were only six years old when the reality show started, but they've already turned 17.

Mady and Cara Gosselin
kateplusmy8 - Instagram / TLC

As Mady said, the pair are getting ready for college, and Kate says she's dreading her "limited time left" with them.

The twins seemed frosty towards their mom in a famous Today interview where they both barely spoke, but they have nothing but good things to say about growing up on TV.

"A lot of people think that filming our show has damaged us, but it's only really helped," Kate said about their relationships.

The sextuplets

Kate Gosselin sextuplets.
Kate Gosselin and her children in their most recent publicity photo.TLC

Last year, the Gosselin sextuplets turned 13, officially making Jon and Kate the parents of eight teenagers.

Aaden, Alexis, Collin, Hannah, Joel, and Leah were one-year-old infants when we first met them, and now they're almost grown up.

Jon and Kate Plus 8
The sextuplets as babies.TLC

Kate reflected on the special milestone by sharing an Instagram photo of the teeny-tiny preemie diapers the children wore in 2004.

"Sitting in my room with the kids thinking back to almost 13 years ago," she said.

"I pulled put this extra small preemie diaper from the NICU. I've kept it in my bedside table drawer, whenever we moved...to always remind me of how far we've come!! The kids were awed!"

Do you think Jon and Kate have done a good job raising their eight kids?

[H/T: Extra, Today, In Touch, ET]

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