When 7 Little Johnstons premiered in March 2015, Liz Johnston was 13 years old. On September 8, 2026, she became a mom for the second time. Between those two dates, all five Johnston kids grew up on camera. Season 18 premieres Tuesday, November 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TLC — here are their five biggest growing-up moments, ranked.
No. 5: Emma’s First Job — and the Jewelry Business She Built
Emma Johnston spent years as the baby of the family. Then, as a high school junior in Season 14, she walked into a local boutique and landed her first real job. It was not even her first business: she had launched her handmade jewelry line, Emma’s Rings ‘n Things, back in 2019, when she was still in middle school. Since then: a solo flight to adventure camp, graduation in 2024, a 21st birthday this year. It ranks fifth only because it is a beginning, not a finish line.
No. 4: Alex Graduates and Builds a Life With Allie
Alex Johnston has never chased the spotlight, and his growing-up moments land quietly. He graduated high school in 2024 alongside Emma, and he has spent the years since building something steady with his girlfriend, Allie Smith. In October 2026, Allie earned the American FFA Degree, a top honor in the youth agriculture organization, as the family celebrated her. According to TV Season & Spoilers, Alex hopes to get engaged to Allie next year and eventually work on her family’s farm. No drama — just a young man mapping out a future.
No. 3: Jonah’s Comeback — Health Scare to Finance Manager
No Johnston kid has had further to climb than Jonah. Years after his Delta 8 health scare shook the whole family, the eldest Johnston rebuilt himself into a working car salesman — then kept going, earning his Finance Manager Training certification and holding down a real career. A steady paycheck after a public low matters more than any trailer moment. It stops at No. 3 because of what the Season 18 trailer puts front and center: Jonah is still living at home, and he and girlfriend Ashley have been together for seven years with no progress toward marriage or moving in together, according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup. The comeback is real. The finish line is still unwritten.
No. 2: Anna Buys a House at 22
In February 2023, Anna Johnston did something none of her siblings had done: she bought a house. At 22, with money from her own bracelet business, Fizz4Passion, she became the first Johnston kid to own a home — and her mom Amber celebrated it on social media with the hashtag #annagotacrib. When Anna gave her family a tour, her brothers Jonah and Alex called her a “trailblazer.” It ranks second, not first, because of what came after: Anna stepped away from the show after Season 16 to protect her mental health, and she will not appear in Season 18. A house bought with her own earnings is a milestone no family tension can take back — it just carries a bittersweet note now.
No. 1: Liz and Brice — From Prom Date to Family of Four
Nothing else comes close. Liz Johnston was the first Johnston child to move out into her own house, back in Season 9. Then came daughter Leighton on November 3, 2023, a wedding to Brice Bolden on November 8, 2025, and son Coleman on September 8, 2026 — a family of four, built from a 2019 prom date. Season 18 follows Liz’s second pregnancy on screen, and the stakes are high: as a little person, Liz must deliver by C-section under general anesthesia, a fear she voices on camera, with Brice unsure what to do if something goes wrong. Eleven years ago she was 13 in the premiere episode. Now her siblings measure themselves against her.
YOU MAY LIKEEverything We Know About 7 Little Johnstons Season 18 — Wedding Bells, New Homes, and One Big Question MarkSo did we get the order right — or did Anna buying a house at 22 deserve the top spot over Liz’s wedding and baby Coleman? Should Jonah’s comeback rank higher than Alex’s quiet climb? Tell us which Johnston growing-up moment made you proudest, and which one we ranked too low.
