TLC reality show 7 Little Johnstons has captivated the world since its debut in 2015.
The show features a family of seven that calls themselves "the real life seven dwarfs."
Here are some things you might not know about this incredible family.
Some romances just seem like they were written in the stars. Amber and Trent have a long history
behind them, and they've stuck together through thick and thin. Amber was still
in high school when they met at a meeting for Little People of America. She told The Mirror,
"Trent was my first relationship, we soon became best friends and we knew we'd get married."
"We met that night on a Friday night, and she fell in love with me instantly."
For two and a half years, they kept their relationship going long distance, until Amber
went off to college and moved closer to Trent. They've been together for more than 20 years,
and their inspiring relationship is kept strong with hard work. Amber told Good Housekeeping,
"We honestly have always — in all of the challenges that we have faced and continue
to face — been a team. We know that a relationship, parenting, and marriage
is a constant work in progress. With both of us feeling that and knowing that, we don't give up."
"Amen to that, sister."
While Trent grew up with family members who were also little people,
Amber was the only little person in her family. Growing up as the only
person with achondroplasia in a family of five might sound a little bit isolating,
but Amber said that she always had her family's support. She told People,
"I was the only little person in a family of average people, but my parents raised me the
same as my siblings. Plus, I'm the oldest, so even though I was smaller, I was always in charge!"
Amber's parents had a similar approach to parenting as Trent's parents
in that they didn't let their child's stature affect their upbringing. Trent explained,
"I grew up in an all-little-people family. [But] we didn't have a 'Woe is me'
attitude. My parents raised us just like every other parent would raise their child."
Pregnancy can be a stressful time for anyone, but, for Amber, it was also quite dangerous.
Both of her biological children, Jonah and Elizabeth, had to be delivered by C-section,
according to the Mirror. Jonah spent a long time in an incubator before he could be brought home.
Her second pregnancy — with Elizabeth — was even more of a nightmare for her.
Throughout the pregnancy, Amber's hips would routinely dislocate. At one point,
her circumference was greater than her height; At 48 inches tall, she measured 51 inches around.
The grueling pregnancy is why the Johnstons ultimately decided to turn to adoption to
grow their family. They were afraid of how rough a third pregnancy would be on Amber's body, and they
decided not to put her through the process again. Since they still wanted more children and knew
that little people are often put up for adoption, they knew that they would be able to achieve their
dream of having a big family while also helping children who were little people find a home.
The Johnstons decided to adopt internationally, as they believed that children put up for adoption
in other countries who had achondroplasia would have a lower quality of life in places where the
condition is not as accepted or understood. Anna was adopted from Russia when she was 4
years old. She was followed by Alex, who was adopted at 6 months from South Korea,
and then Emma, who was adopted at the age of 5 from China after she was abandoned by her family.
Alex was young enough that the adoption process went fairly smoothly,
but Amber told People that it took Anna longer to adjust since she, quote, "wasn't used to men."
When the couple adopted Emma, they flew to China to bring her home. Amber admitted,
"She had a meltdown when we left the orphanage, but as soon as we got home she fit right in."
It's clear that both Trent and Amber had parents who wanted the best for their kids
and raised them to be confident and self-reliant — their upbringing
is reflected in their can-do attitudes. Amber told People,
"We have no problem taking on obstacles that probably 5-foot and 6-and-a-half-foot tall people
would be like, 'Hell no. I'm not going to do that.' We don't let size get in the way."
The couple rarely asks anyone else for help,
preferring to do everything on their own. Trent explained,
"Amber and I do everything ourselves. There has been one or two times we had to ask a
neighbor for help to tote something in the house but that's about it."
Their determination to be independent is just part of what makes Trent and Amber such a
relatable couple — and it's also what helps make 7 Little Johnstons such a compelling TV show.
While the Johnstons could have furniture custom-made for their size,
they prefer to use average-sized furniture. This can be a little bit difficult sometimes,
but they think it's important for the kids not to be too comfortable — even in their
own home. Their counters are also at an average height, and, if they can't reach
something, they use stools or ladders. In an interview with Barbara Walters, Amber said,
"We strive to raise our children in the world that's not built for them."
While the kids have said that they would prefer smaller furniture, Amber said,
"[I think] they'll appreciate it in the long run."
At the end of the day, Amber and Trent just want their kids to be able to cope in the world
and to be able to manage any obstacles they encounter. As Trent told People,
"Once they walk out this door, no part of this world is built for them."
Being a celebrity or appearing on a reality show inevitably means that people become invested in
your life and want to know more. Since the Johnstons have been allowing the world into
their home for years, many viewers feel like they're experts on Amber and Trent's marriage.
A lot of fans have speculated that the couple may have hit a rough patch, and they're not totally
wrong. Just before the premiere of the show's fifth season, Amber told Good Housekeeping,
"We not only hit a big mark with the kids and all of them having their own personalities,
but it's definitely put a heavy strain on Trent and I. We're
at a very challenging mark in our family dynamics at home."
In spite of this, they swear they are stronger
than ever and that a divorce is not in their plans. Amber added,
"We'll figure it out. We always do."
While 7 Little Johnstons isn't the only reality show that depicts the lives of little people,
the Johnstons think that theirs is different from everything else on TV.
Little People, Big World is set on a farm. Another show, The Little Couple,
features a doctor. Amber told Good Housekeeping that the family watches these shows,
and called them "great," but added that they aren't exactly relatable for everyone. She said,
"Not everybody lives on [a] big farm. Not everybody is a doctor."
The Johnstons strive to show fans what the average day is like in their household,
proving that they're just your average family. Amber explained,
"Because there are so many shows about little people, people are clearly fascinated with
how we live. Being able to show some of our struggles will be relatable to viewers because
it's not just that we're struggling because we're 4 feet tall; we're struggling to raise
teenagers or in our marriage. They are things that everybody can relate to, no matter what."
There's no doubt that fame is different from conventional life, but the Johnstons resolved
from the beginning not to let the show change their lifestyle. Amber told Good Housekeeping,
"If all we're doing is vacationing, eating at restaurants, or having parties,
that's not super relatable because I don't know too many people who actually
live like that. We're comfortable showing and sharing our real life."
The Johnstons have also vowed not to get caught up in a celebrity lifestyle,
or to allow their kids to do so. Amber told People,
"Life still has to be everyday normal life for the kids. My kids are not going to walk
away from this or start behaving in a manner like, 'I'm on TV so I don't have to do this.'"
Trent jokingly added,
"Our heads are already big enough. We don't need them any bigger."
Like all parents, Amber and Trent struggle to keep their household running smoothly.
One thing that makes it tricky is that their five children are only a few years apart.
Having five kids is already a challenge, but having five teenagers all living under the
same roof can be even more difficult. The couple told Monsters and Critics that the teenage years
are "100 percent" their "least favorite" part of parenting. How do they keep things together
with five teens and a filming schedule? It all comes down to organization. Amber explained,
"I feel our household is kept fairly organized. One thing Trent and I have always strived to make
sure is that each kid is individual. They each have their own likes [and] dislikes,
interests, friends, etc. Therefore, our house is busy, stressful at times, but fun!!"
People can be cruel, especially when confronted with someone who they perceive to be different.
The world isn't always kind to the Johnstons, but they don't let it get to them.
Trent and Amber are raising their kids to know how to handle people who treat them differently
because they're little people. As they told Monsters and Critics,
"Discrimination is absolutely a real issue. It's
not a matter of dealing with it, it's a matter of overcoming it!"
Of course, overcoming discrimination is easier said than done,
so they have a strategy in place to be able to do this. Amber explained,
"Trent and I encourage the kids to set high standards, face the facts,
achieve goals, and do not get discouraged. It's up
to you to educate [...] and prove you CAN and WILL do whatever is necessary."
Part of handling discrimination is not letting cruel comments get to you. Amber and Trent
stress the importance of having a thick skin to their kids. Amber told Good Housekeeping,
"Our kids, Trent, and myself have dealt with scrutiny, name calling,
and discrimination our whole lives. In the grand scheme of things, we have very thick skin
and we have to because otherwise we'd just be people who curl up in a corner and never go out."
In an interview with Barbara Walters, the kids said that they are often bullied and stared at
in public. Jonah said that this makes him feel, quote, "more frustrated than sad."
"I don't think they would want us to stare at them."
Elizabeth said that bullying for her started in the third grade, with her classmates teasing
her about her size. But instead of yelling at her bullies or crying, she adopted a different tactic.
"I just say, 'That's how God made me. That's how he loves me."
The Johnstons are thinking big when it comes to their show. They recognize that showing the world
that little people are ordinary people can do a lot to normalize them in the eyes of society.
They want people to not just be able to relate to them,
but to also change how they look at little people. Amber told Fox News,
"Our goal in this show is social acceptance.
We want society to look at us as people — as human beings — and people with differences;
don't look at us like an object. [...] This is not about being on TV. This is about sharing our story
and spreading awareness regarding dwarfism, showing viewers we've lived a real life."
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