Where Do Jon and Kate Gosselin Stand with Each of Their 8 Kids? Inside the Family Dynamics
Where Do Jon and Kate Gosselin Stand with Each of Their 8 Kids? Inside the Family Dynamics
Samantha StutsmanFri, June 19, 2026 at 10:30 AM UTC
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Jon Gosselin on Oct. 15, 2024, in West Hollywood, Calif.; Kate Gosselin on June 12, 2019, in Universal City, Calif.Credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty; Noel Vasquez/Getty -
Kate Gosselin, Jon Gosselin and their eight children were the stars of the TLC series Jon & Kate Plus 8
Kate filed for divorce from Jon in 2009
Some of the siblings have remained close to Kate, while others have aligned with Jon
Nearly two decades after their highly publicized divorce, Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin remain at the center of a deeply divided family dynamic.
The former Jon & Kate Plus 8 stars rose to fame while documenting life with their eight children — twins Cara and Mady and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel. But in the years since their 2009 split, the family has become increasingly fractured, with estrangements and public disputes playing out in the media.
While several of the children have remained close to Kate, others have forged stronger bonds with Jon. Hannah and Collin famously moved in with their father as teenagers, while Jon has said he is estranged from most of his other children. Tensions have also emerged among the siblings, with some publicly speaking about their relationships — or lack thereof — over the years.
"I don't talk to my siblings, and I very much wish that we did and that they knew who I actually was because we don't know each other at all," Collin said on TikTok in August 2025, referring to everyone but Hannah.
As the Gosselin kids have grown into adulthood and begun forging their own paths, the family dynamics have continued to evolve. Here's where Jon and Kate stand with each of their eight children today.
Mady and Cara haven't talked to their dad in over a decade
Kate Gosselin and her daughters Mady and Cara on June 11, 2019 in New York City.Credit: MediaPunch/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Cara and Mady lived with Kate following their parents' divorce and have largely stayed out of the public eye. In 2023, Jon told The Sun that he had not spoken to his twin daughters in many years.
"The last time I spoke to Mady and Cara was 2014. I periodically text Mady and Cara to see if I get a response, and at this point, I've never heard from them," he said at the time.
While the twins have remained close with most of their siblings, Mady has publicly defended her mother amid the family's ongoing conflicts and has spoken candidly about her fractured relationship with her younger brother Collin.
After Collin appeared on Dark Side of the 2000s in July 2023 and discussed feeling isolated from his siblings, Mady issued a rare public statement in support of Kate.
She revealed that she no longer speaks to Collin and alleged that he had "physically threatened" her and other family members. Mady also claimed he had displayed "hateful and even violent behavior" and said there was "no further conversation to be had about rebuilding relationships" after what she described as incidents involving physical violence and hate speech.
Collin is estranged from his mom after claiming Kate abused him
Collin Gosselin in June 2023.Credit: Collin Gosselin/Instagram
Collin's relationship with both of his parents has been among the most publicly contentious in the Gosselin family.
In 2016, Kate revealed that she had enrolled then-12-year-old Collin in a live-in program, telling PEOPLE that he had "special needs" and was learning skills to help him navigate daily life. Two years later, Jon was awarded custody of Collin, who subsequently moved in with his father and sister Hannah.
Since then, Collin has spoken openly about his strained relationship with Kate. In a 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said they did not have much of a relationship before he entered the program and that their bond deteriorated further afterward. Over the years, he has made several abuse allegations against his mother, which Kate has denied, and the two remain estranged.
Collin's relationship with Jon has also faced challenges. In 2020, he accused his father of physical abuse following an altercation, though Jon denied the allegations, and no charges were filed.
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In June 2026, Collin announced his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, which he said would detail his experiences growing up in the famous family.
"Writing this book forced me to revisit some of the hardest moments of my life, but it also gave me something I've been searching for for a long time: my voice," Collin wrote on Instagram.
That same month, Collin paid tribute to Jon's former longtime girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, calling her his "real mom" in a birthday message shared on Instagram.
"She is the strongest woman I know, who stepped in at the toughest part of my life and CHOSE to be a mother to me," he wrote. "Happy birthday to my wonderful, hardworking, passionate, and I could go on. To my real mom, I love you so much."
Hannah's relationship with Kate is "stable"
Hannah Gosselin in October 2024.Credit: Hannah Gosselin/Instagram
Hannah spent most of her childhood living with her seven siblings, but by 2018, she was residing full-time with Jon. Reflecting on the decision during an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2022, Hannah said she remained on good terms with both of her parents despite the change in living arrangements.
"My relationship with my mom is pretty stable," she said. "We text each other and call each other on an average basis."
Hannah also explained why she chose to move in with her father, saying, "It was a difficult decision leaving my siblings. I did not want to be separated from them or even live in a different household than them ... I chose to live with my dad. I feel like I just made the choice for myself. I have always been closer with my dad."
After moving in with Jon, Hannah was later joined by her brother Collin. She graduated from high school in June 2023, and both Jon and Kate attended her commencement ceremony. Hannah has remained especially close to her father, attending his 2025 wedding to Stephanie Lebo alongside Collin.
Then, in November 2025, Mady reunited with her sister Hannah in New York City, marking a rare public appearance together after the sisters spent much of their childhood living in separate households.
"I love coming across my girls dancing in the streets on TikTok," Kate wrote in the comments.
Aaden, Joel, Alexis and Leah do not communicate with Jon
Kate Gosselin's kids.Credit: Kate Gosselin/Instagram
Alexis, Aaden, Leah and Joel have largely stayed out of the spotlight as adults. All four remained in Kate's household following her divorce from Jon and appear to have maintained close relationships with their mother and one another.
Jon has said he is estranged from all four children and has not had active relationships with them for years. In April 2023, he claimed to The Sun that tensions between him and Kate contributed to the divide.
Following his engagement to his now-wife, Stephanie Lebo, Jon told Entertainment Tonight in 2024 that he would "definitely" invite all his kids to the wedding. Ultimately, only Collin and Hannah were in attendance.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
