Kate and Jon Gosselin's 8 Kids: Everything to Know

Get to know Kate and Jon Gosselin’s eight children: Mady, Cara, Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel

Kate Gosselin and Jon Gosselin are famously the parents of eight children.

They first became parents in October 2000 when they welcomed twin girls, Mady and Cara, 23. Four years later, they expanded their household with the arrival of sextuplets: Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel, 19. Their unique family dynamics were the basis for their TLC show Jon & Kate Plus 8 (later renamed Kate Plus 8), which ran from 2007 to 2017 and followed the pair as they raised their eight children in Pennsylvania.

In June 2009, Kate filed for divorce following cheating allegations surrounding Jon. The pair hoped to remain amicable for the sake of their children.

"My dream and my hope is that we can share holidays and birthdays and, for the kids, have it be peaceful," Kate told PEOPLE in July 2009. "All of those times that we can pull together and drop our issues at the door, it just benefits our kids."

Jon echoed the same sentiment in a statement following the divorce filing. "Our kids are still my number one priority," he said. "I love them and want to make sure they stay happy, healthy and safe. My job is being the best, most supportive and loving father that I can be to my kids, and not being married to Kate doesn't change that."

However, after finalizing their divorce in December 2009, Kate and Jon engaged in a long and difficult custody battle. Kate received primary custody of all eight children, although, by 2022, Hannah and Collin were living with Jon full time, while the other six kids had little to no contact with their father.

Kate has called herself a "very protective parent" but has also said she looked forward to taking on a different role. "I did my uptight parenting thing," she told PEOPLE in August 2016. "I can't wait to be the grandparent who is older and wiser, and who is able to swoop in and out, and offer advice and be more laid-back."

In 2023, all eight of the Gosselin kids had milestone graduation ceremonies; Mady and Cara graduated from their respective colleges, and the sextuplets graduated from high school.

However, Jon told PEOPLE in June that he only attended one of the ceremonies.

Here's everything to know about Kate Gosselin and Jon Gosselin's eight kids, Mady, Cara, Collin, Hannah, Leah, Alexis, Aaden and Joel.

Madelyn "Mady" Kate Gosselin, 23

Kate gave birth to twin girls, Madelyn "Mady" Kate and Cara Nicole, on Oct. 8, 2000, in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Mady and her twin sister spent the beginning of their childhood out of the spotlight, as they were 6 years old when Jon & Kate Plus 8 first aired in April 2007. During the height of the TLC show's popularity, Mady became known for her outbursts, which Kate told PEOPLE were a reaction to the chaos the divorce caused in their family and the media.

The mom of eight added that forming an "us-against-the-world" bond with the twins helped them all heal. "Cara listening, Mady and I talking — it helped the three of us get through the ugliness," she said in 2014. "Things that happened with my divorce were hurtful, and there were many tears, but we got through it. They really are trying to work with me, even now when they have emotional moments."

While the twins and Jon don't have a close relationship, in 2014, Mady told PEOPLE how much she appreciated Kate. "My mom is fantastic," she said. "She's a better parent than anyone realizes."

In 2018, the twins celebrated their 18th birthday with a cake and customized M&M candies. Kate posted a tribute to her girls on Instagram and wrote, "Despite the many turbulent times you've had to deal with so far in life, you have emerged as wise, level headed, reasonable, forgiving, loving, kind and absolutely brilliant ADULTS!"

Two years before she left for college, Mady told PEOPLE that she had plans to be an actress. "I would love to perform in some way," she said. "And I feel like I could write some sort of memoir already."

After graduating high school in May 2019, Mady moved to upstate New York to attend Syracuse University. As the more active twin on social media, she has shared glimpses into her dorm and her life as a college student.

In January 2022, Mady also opened up about her childhood struggle to embrace her identity in honor of Korean American Day.

"Having grown up 50/50 (white and korean), I was hyper aware of my ethnicity from a young age, but the transition from awareness to shame was a slow progression that I didn't notice happening until I was much older," she wrote in the caption. "So I want to make it known that I'm so proud to celebrate being korean-american today ... I'm also proud that I make a kick ass kimchi!!"

Mady graduated from Syracuse University in May 2023, sharing a recap of her four years at the university on TikTok.

Cara Nicole Gosselin, 23

Cara Nicole is Mady's fraternal twin sister and is known as the more reserved of the two.

The twins have been featured on multiple PEOPLE covers over the years, but they had their first twins-only cover with Kate in January 2014. In the cover story, then-13-year-old Cara shared that she thought her parents' divorce was one of the more ordinary things to happen in her very public life.

"I feel like it made us more normal in some ways," Cara said. "We realized just because there are more of us doesn't mean that we don't have the same feelings that everyone has. We're not that different than anyone else."

Even with the downsides of fame and her quieter nature, Cara wasn't opposed to making a return to reality TV. "We'd love to do it again," Cara told PEOPLE at the time. "We miss the crew, the people we saw every day. It was fun."

Although the twins were close, Kate told PEOPLE in 2019 her eldest girls always "agreed" that they wouldn't attend the same college. "Their ambitions are so different that they really felt there's not one college that would fully answer what each of them wanted," she said.

"Mady and Cara really steered the ship in terms of applying to colleges; they knew what they wanted, and I trusted them," she added. "That same feeling is going to have to carry me through my fears now when I think about them going off on their own, fending for themselves, being alone for the first time."

At 16 years old, Cara told PEOPLE she had big plans for her future. "I want to go far away," she revealed. "And I want to be a doctor." After graduating high school, Cara attended Fordham University in New York City.

Unlike her twin, Cara largely keeps off social media, but she's not completely out of the public eye. She and Mady supported their mom and her show Kate Plus Date; they appeared on the new series and accompanied Kate to promotional interviews in 2019.

Cara studied mathematics and economics at Fordham University and graduated in May 2023, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Alexis Faith Gosselin, 19

Kate and Jon welcomed sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel on May 10, 2004, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. CBS News reported that Alexis Faith was the first of the six to be born, weighing in at 2 lbs., 11.5 oz.

One of three girls, Alexis is an avid animal lover. She told PEOPLE in August 2016 that her most cherished memory from filming Kate Plus 8 was visiting a wildlife park for an episode. "I'm definitely going to work with animals someday," she said.

In 2014, the Gosselins adopted a black-capped parakeet named Zorro — and Alexis grew particularly fond of him. In June 2019, Kate shared photos of her daughter and Zorro on Instagram, calling the pair "the best of friends."

In addition to animals, Alexis also loves Vegemite, a thick and salty spread from Australia. She became obsessed with the condiment after a trip down under with her family in 2011.

"My kids insist upon having Vegemite on toast so thank God for Amazon!" Kate captioned a screenshot of her online order in 2017. "I've lost track of how many times Alexis has asked me recently to order more! I finally remembered!!"

Hannah Joy Gosselin, 19

Hannah Joy is the second oldest girl of the sextuplets, born on May 10, 2004, and weighing 2 lbs., 11 oz.

Hannah primarily grew up with her seven other siblings. By 2018, she was living full-time with Jon and, later, her brother Collin. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight for her 18th birthday, Hannah said that, despite her living situation, she was on good terms with both of her parents.

"My relationship with my mom is pretty stable," she said. "We text each other and call each other on an average basis."

Hannah added: "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."

While Hannah didn't celebrate her 18th birthday with the other five sextuplets, she said she still kept in contact with her siblings. "It's a big day for all of us," she told the outlet. "As soon as I woke up, they had texted me happy birthday and I sent them a happy birthday text back."

In August 2018, Jon posted a tribute to Hannah on Instagram, praising her for starting over at a new school away from her brothers and sisters.

"Congrats Hannah on your first day of school, proud of you. I admire your bravery starting fresh!!!" he wrote in the caption. "I Love you very much and we have worked really hard to get here. Dedication has really paid off. I'm so happy you integrated yourself into the community, you made friends all summer and now you will grow and graduate with them."

In May 2022, Hannah's friends supported her at the launch event for her beauty brand, Gosselin Girl Beauty. The vegan and cruelty-free beauty line included serums, bath bombs and cosmetic bags.

"I'm so excited to announce the launch of my new beauty brand @gosselingirlbeauty💙," she wrote on Instagram. "Skin care as a teenager can really be a challenge, luckily my all natural products have made this time a whole lot easier, and I know they will do the same for you."

Hannah graduated from high school in June 2023, celebrating the milestone on Instagram. Both Jon and Kate attended her ceremony.

"Hannah invited Kate and ... we saw each other, but there was a whole football field between us,” Jon told PEOPLE of his run-in with his ex-wife. “I talked to Hannah and Collin before graduation to make sure that it was gonna be cordial."

Aaden Jonathan Gosselin, 19

Aaden Jonathan was the third sextuplet born on May 10, 2004, and weighed 2 lbs., 7.5 oz.

Similar to his sister Alexis, Aaden has a love for animals. Kate has often documented his special bond with his dog, a German shepherd named Mak, on Instagram. In 2017, Kate shared that Aaden asked for presents for his dog on his own birthday. "And, yes, Mak gets presents at EVERY holiday now, at Aaden's request," she wrote.

In a tribute on Instagram later that year, Kate said Aaden's love for his dog was something special. "His love of HIS dog, Mak, especially melts my heart every single day," she wrote, also describing him as loving, kind and thoughtful.

Aaden was the last sextuplet to have his braces removed, going officially braces-free in July 2020. To celebrate the orthodontic milestone, Kate baked him a cake decorated with a smiling face with glasses made out of candy.

Collin Thomas Gosselin, 19

Collin Thomas is another of Kate and Jon's sextuplets born on May 10, 2004. The second of the three boys, he weighed in at 3 lbs., 0.5 oz.

In August 2016, Kate told PEOPLE that she had sent then-12-year-old Collin to a live-in "program that is helping him learn the skills he needs to be the best him he can be."

"Collin has special needs," Kate told PEOPLE. "[There's] a fairly fluid diagnosis of what those needs are, but he needs to learn certain strategies to help him deal with things ... We miss him so much, so it's been hard because there is a huge hole in our family without him here. But it comforts us to know he's where he needs to be right now, and I can feel good about that."

Collin eventually left the program. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in November 2022, he revealed that he "didn't have a relationship" with his mother after his stint at the live-in program.

"Even before [being] there, I don't think we had much of a relationship and I think that just kept tearing it even more down," he added. "It's unfortunate that we didn't have a relationship. I think every son wants to have a relationship with their mom. But I'm doing very well."

Collin also said it "would be ideal" to have a relationship with Kate — and his relationship with his father has also been rocky at times. In September 2020, he accused his father of physical abuse, but Jon denied the claims, and no charges were ever filed.

The then-18-year-old also told Entertainment Tonight that he was making big plans for his future — including a possible return to the screen. He shared that reality TV "doesn't interest" him, but he has aspirations to someday become an actor. Additionally, Collin was planning to enlist in the military in spring 2023.

Following his high school graduation in 2023, Collin shared photos from the ceremony on Instagram and thanked his sister Hannah, dad Jon, and Jon's ex-girlfriend Colleen Conrad — whom he called "my motivator for being successful in this world" — in the caption.

The following month, Hannah spoke about Collin in a clip previewing Vice TV’s docuseries Dark Side of the 2000s. In the video, Hannah revealed that, when they were children, Collin was "separated” from his siblings, noting, “He would not get to come outside and play with us. He would eat dinner at different times than us.”

Collin also spoke in the clip, saying that "my misbehaving was no different from my siblings.”

He spoke about how his mother "was going through a lot of things," adding: "I want to think that she needed someone to take out her anger and frustration on, and it was just kind of me. I was in the way and I was there. So, she chose me.”

Shortly after the clip was released, Collin's estranged sister Mady alleged that he "physically threatened" her in the past.

"I will never allow someone who has exhibited hateful and even violent behavior toward others based on their racial identity, gender identity, or religious beliefs to be in my life," she wrote on Instagram. "Kindness, tolerance, love, and acceptance are core values in my life and I refuse to compromise them for ANYONE, even my brother Collin, who has unfortunately made his opinions very clear in private."

Collin and Hannah's bombshell accusations also prompted Kate to respond.

"My son Collin, whom I love with all my heart, has received multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years," she told PEOPLE in a statement. "Collin's distorted perception of reality is one of the many issues that he has always struggled with. All parent-child relationships are complex, but when mental illness is involved, it is incredibly complicated and painful, let alone easy for others on the outside to understand."

Kate continued: "All measures that were taken in our home were at the explicit recommendation of his pediatric psychiatrist and/or his team of specialists. Unfortunately, I believe Collin remains a very troubled young man who continues to need a lot of help. What his sister Mady posted on social media recently is completely accurate and I deeply appreciate her bravery in doing so."

Two weeks later, Conrad, who dated Jon for seven years, defended Collin in an Instagram post.

“These statements were made by family members who have been estranged from his life since he was 12,” she wrote, referring to Mady and Kate's comments about Collin. “Collin is not only someone I love dearly but has also been a significant figure in my family’s life. He is currently at boot camp for the Marines and he's unable to defend himself.”

Leah Hope Gosselin, 19

Leah Hope is among Kate and Jon's sextuplets, born on May 10, 2004. She weighed 2 lbs., 14.8 oz. at birth.

In November 2017, Kate documented Leah getting her braces off on Instagram. Similar to her siblings who had braces, she celebrated with a smiley face-adorned cake with lots of chewy candy — which Kate called a "Gosselin tradition."

The most petite of the sextuplets, Leah told PEOPLE in August 2016 that it wasn't fun "being the smallest always" because her small feet meant she couldn't easily swap shoes with her sisters.

As she's grown older, Leah has developed a love for cooking. A few of her culinary adventures can be seen on her mom's Instagram, including a flag cake she baked for the Fourth of July in 2019 and the results of her and her sisters' meal prep.

Joel Kevin Gosselin, 19

Joel Kevin was the last of Kate and Jon's sextuplets to be born on May 10, 2004, and weighed 2 lbs., 9.7 oz.

Joel's life has been kept relatively private since Kate Plus 8's final season in 2017. Kate has shared shots of him dressing up with his siblings for Halloween, shopping for Christmas trees and, of course, celebrating his first day without braces.

Joel also has a reputation as a prankster. For the sextuplets' 13th birthday, Kate put together a camping party for her kids. In a clip from Kate Plus 8, Joel and Aaden hatched a plan to scare their sisters with air horns.

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