If you’ve been watching MTV since 2009, you basically feel like you helped raise Bentley Edwards. It’s a weird phenomenon. We saw Maci Bookout—then just a teenager from Chattanooga with a back-to-school ponytail—navigate one of the most stressful teen pregnancies on television. Fast forward over a decade, and the Maci Teen Mom kids aren't just little toddlers running around in the background of a shouting match anymore. They’re actual humans with personalities, sports schedules, and some pretty public growing pains.
Keeping track of the Bookout-McKinney household is a lot. Between the wrestling tournaments, the PCOS advocacy, and the constant navigation of co-parenting with Ryan Edwards, Maci has a lot on her plate. Honestly, it’s impressive she hasn't lost her mind.
The kids—Bentley, Jayde, and Maverick—are the heartbeat of her story. But their lives are complicated. Being a "legacy" kid on a reality show means your awkward phases are documented for millions. It means your relationship with your dad is a plot point.
Bentley Edwards: Growing Up Under the Microscope
Bentley Guy Edwards is the one who started it all. Born October 27, 2008, he is now officially a teenager, which feels impossible to those of us who remember him in a crib. Bentley has always been the "calm" one. Even as a kid, he seemed to possess this weirdly mature emotional intelligence, probably because he spent years watching his mom deal with his father’s addiction struggles.
He's a massive athlete. Baseball was his first love, but wrestling has become a huge part of his identity lately. We’ve watched him go through the grueling process of "cutting weight," which actually sparked some controversy online. People were worried Maci was pushing him too hard, but if you look at the footage, Bentley seems to be the one driving that boat. He’s competitive. He wants to win.
The Relationship with Ryan
It’s the elephant in the room. Bentley’s relationship with his father, Ryan Edwards, has been a rollercoaster of "will-they-won't-they" therapy sessions and long periods of silence. For a long time, Bentley chose not to see his dad. That’s a heavy weight for a kid. Recently, things have shifted slightly as Ryan has gone through various stints in rehab and legal trouble.
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Maci has been criticized both for "keeping them apart" and for "forcing a relationship." You can't win in the court of public opinion. The reality? Bentley is old enough to make his own calls now. He’s navigating boundaries that most adults can’t even handle. He's tall, he's quiet, and he's clearly the glue of the Maci Teen Mom kids dynamic.
Jayde Carter: The McKinney Firecracker
Then came Jayde. Born May 29, 2015, Jayde Carter McKinney is Maci’s first child with her husband, Taylor McKinney. If Bentley is the calm, Jayde is the storm. But like, a cute, sassy storm.
She has this incredibly big personality that immediately changed the energy of the house. You can tell she looks up to Bentley, but she also has no problem putting him in his place. Jayde is heavily involved in cheerleading and sports, following in that "athletic Tennessee family" vibe they have going on.
Why Jayde Matters to the Brand
Jayde was the proof that Maci could have the "white picket fence" life she always wanted. After years of struggling with Ryan’s inconsistency, Taylor came into the picture, and Jayde was the first step in building their "new" normal. She represents the shift from "Teen Mom" to "Established Adult."
She's also a mini-me of Maci. The red hair, the grit—it’s all there. Watching her grow up has been a lot less stressful for fans because she doesn't have the same heavy "broken home" narrative that trailed Bentley’s early years. She just gets to be a kid.
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Maverick Reed: The Surprise Ending
Maverick was a surprise. A big one. Born May 31, 2016—barely a year after Jayde—Maverick Reed McKinney rounded out the crew. Maci has been open about the fact that she didn't expect to get pregnant so quickly after Jayde, especially with her PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) diagnosis.
Maverick is often the one you see in the background of Instagram posts making a funny face or wearing a backwards hat. He’s the "baby" of the family, though he and Jayde are so close in age they’re practically twins.
- Personality: Playful, a bit of a jokester.
- Interests: Whatever his big brother is doing.
- Dynamic: He’s the bridge. He keeps things light when the "Teen Mom" drama gets too heavy.
The chaos of having two toddlers at once was a major storyline for a couple of seasons. It tested Maci and Taylor’s marriage, but they came out the other side. Maverick is now a school-aged kid, and seeing him alongside the other Maci Teen Mom kids shows just how much time has passed.
The "Things I Know Now" Perspective
Being a parent in the public eye is a nightmare. Doing it for 15 years? That's a specific kind of exhaustion. Maci has made mistakes—every parent does—but her kids seem remarkably grounded.
One thing people get wrong is thinking these kids are "spoiled" by MTV money. While they certainly have a higher standard of living than Maci did in that first tiny apartment, the McKinney household is run like a tight ship. There are chores. There are grades. There is a lot of "go outside and play."
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The Impact of Reality TV on the Kids
We have to talk about the ethics of it. Bentley didn't sign up for this. Jayde and Maverick were born into it. As the Maci Teen Mom kids get older, they have more say in what is filmed. You might notice Bentley isn't on screen as much as he used to be. That’s intentional.
Maci has mentioned in interviews that they have "check-ins" about filming. If a kid doesn't want the cameras in their room, the cameras don't go in. That's a boundary that wasn't always respected in the early days of reality TV, but the industry is changing.
What Most People Get Wrong About the McKinney Family
A lot of viewers think the drama with Ryan is the only thing happening. It’s not. The reality of the Maci Teen Mom kids is mostly just... normal stuff. It’s laundry. It’s TTM (Things That Matter) clothing line meetings. It’s arguing over who didn't put their shoes away.
The "Teen Mom" label is almost a misnomer at this point. Maci is a businesswoman in her 30s. Taylor is a present, active father and stepfather. The kids are thriving because, despite the cameras, their parents have prioritized a stable home base.
Real Talk: The PCOS Factor
Maci’s health has also played a role in how she raises her kids. She’s been very vocal about PCOS to educate her daughter and other young women. She wants her kids to understand health, advocacy, and the importance of speaking up. This isn't just "celebrity" fluff; it's a core part of their family identity.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Bookout-McKinney Journey
If you’re looking to keep up with the family without falling for clickbait tabloids, here’s how to do it:
- Follow the TTM Lifestyle: Maci and Taylor’s clothing brand often features the kids in a natural environment. It’s less scripted than the show.
- Watch for Bentley’s Milestones: He’s at an age where his personal achievements (wrestling, school) are becoming the primary focus rather than his family drama.
- Prioritize Official Sources: Maci is very protective of her kids' privacy on TikTok and Instagram. If it didn't come from her or Taylor, take it with a grain of salt.
- Respect the Boundaries: As Bentley enters his mid-teens, expect him to fade from the spotlight. This is a sign of healthy parenting, not a "feud."
The story of the Maci Teen Mom kids is far from over, but it has shifted. It’s no longer a story about a teen girl struggling to survive; it’s a story about a blended family trying to thrive in a very weird, very public world. They’ve managed to turn a "statistic" into a pretty solid success story, one wrestling match and cheer competition at a time.