If you’ve been refreshing your feed for Kendra Duggar news lately, you already know the drill. It’s a lot of waiting. A lot of squinting at the background of other people’s Instagram stories. Honestly, it's kinda wild how the woman once dubbed "the next Michelle Duggar" basically vanished from the internet the second the cameras stopped rolling.
But just because Joseph and Kendra aren't posting "Link in bio!" every five minutes doesn't mean things aren't happening. In fact, for a family that built a brand on being seen, their silence in 2026 is actually the loudest thing about them.
The Secret Expansion: How Many Kids Does Kendra Have Now?
Let’s get the big question out of the way. How many kids are currently running around that Arkansas cabin?
Official records—if you count "official" as the last time they actually posted on their own Instagram in 2021—list three: Garrett, Addison, and Brooklyn. But if you’ve been following the eagle-eyed "snarkers" and family bloggers, you know the count is likely higher.
Multiple sightings and "slip-ups" in family videos (shoutout to Jessa Seewald’s YouTube channel, which is basically the primary source for Duggar intel these days) have confirmed the existence of a fourth child. Rumor has it his name is Justus, born in 2022.
And then there's the 2025-2026 chatter.
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During the big Duggar family beach trip in late 2025, fans were convinced they saw a bump. It’s a cycle. Kendra gets spotted, the internet debates the fabric of her shirt, and six months later, Jim Bob mentions he has 40-something grandkids. Currently, the "confirmed" count for Jim Bob and Michelle is 39, but with Jana (Duggar) Wissmann and Abbie Duggar both due in early 2026, that number is a moving target.
Kendra is 27. She’s already had at least four children. If she’s following the "as many as God allows" path she talked about in those early Counting On interviews, she is technically ahead of Michelle’s original pace.
Why Did JoKen Go Dark?
It’s easy to forget that Joseph and Kendra were once the golden couple of the TLC era. They were young, they were smiley, and they didn't have the baggage of the older siblings.
Then 2021 happened.
The Josh Duggar arrest and subsequent trial didn't just end the show; it seemed to break the spell for several family members. While some siblings like Jinger and Jill leaned into the spotlight to tell their own "disentangling" stories, Joe and Kendra took the opposite exit. They didn't write a memoir. They didn't start a podcast. They just... stopped.
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You’ve gotta wonder if it was a conscious "protection of the peace" move. Joseph works in real estate—he actually finished his broker's license a while back—and they seem perfectly content building houses and staying off the grid. Honestly, it’s probably the healthiest thing a Duggar has ever done.
The Caldwell Connection and the House Drama
You can't talk about Kendra without talking about the Caldwells. For a while, the drama wasn't even about the Duggars; it was about Kendra’s parents, Paul and Christina.
There was that whole weird situation where Joseph built a house, intended for his growing family, but then his in-laws moved in instead. Imagine building your dream home and then your mom and dad say, "Thanks, we'll take the keys!" Reports suggest there was a falling out between Jim Bob and Paul Caldwell (who was the family's pastor for a time), which led to a bit of a housing shuffle.
Currently, Joe and Kendra are believed to still be living in a relatively modest cabin on the Duggar property. It’s a two-bedroom spot. With four—maybe five—kids, that’s a lot of bunk beds.
What Most People Get Wrong About Kendra
There’s this narrative that Kendra is just a "Stepford" figure, always giggling, always nodding. But if you look at the glimpses we get of her now, there’s a grit there.
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She’s managing a household that is growing at an exponential rate without a camera crew or a TLC paycheck. Unlike some of her sisters-in-law, she isn't chasing sponsorships. You won't see her shilling hair vitamins or "modest" swimwear.
There’s a level of authenticity in her disappearance. She’s living the life she was raised to want, but she’s doing it without the performance.
The 2026 Outlook: What’s Next?
So, what should you actually expect for the rest of 2026?
- The "Background" Sighting: Keep an eye on Jana’s YouTube or Joy-Anna’s Instagram stories. Kendra usually pops up during the big "Sister Nights" or family reunions.
- The Grandkid Count: When Jana gives birth in January 2026, the family will likely post a "Grand Duggar" update. That is usually when the "secret" babies get a name-drop or a blurry photo.
- Real Estate Moves: Joseph is becoming quite the businessman in Northwest Arkansas. Their "news" is more likely to show up in property tax records than on People Magazine covers.
The Reality of the "Quiet" Life
It’s sort of a paradox. The more Kendra hides, the more people want to know. But maybe that’s the point. In a world where every "influencer" mom is burning out trying to curate the perfect aesthetic, Kendra Duggar is just... being a mom.
She’s out of the "beige" loop of social media and into the actual dirt of raising a family. Whether you agree with the lifestyle or not, you have to admit: staying private in that family is the ultimate power move.
If you’re looking for a definitive "pregnancy announcement," don't hold your breath for a grid post. The best way to stay updated is to watch the family's vlogs for a glimpse of a car seat in the background of a suburban. That’s the 2026 version of a press release for Joseph and Kendra.
For those trying to keep the family tree straight, the most helpful thing to do is follow the "secondary" accounts like Jessa or Joy, who tend to be the family's unofficial historians. Just don't expect Kendra to start her own TikTok anytime soon. That ship hasn't just sailed; it’s been dismantled and used to build a very sturdy, very private fence.