How Joanna Gaines Feels About All Four of Her Teens Driving: ‘Wish I Could Slow Down Time’ (Exclusive)
The mom of five is shocked by how quickly her kids became young adults, but she's also happy at their blossoming friendship as they get older: 'It's so cool'
Cindy Ord/Getty; Chip Gaines/Instagram
Chip and Joanna Gaines and a throwback photo of their four oldest kidsJoanna Gaines knows all too well what every parent around the world knows: The kids, they grow up so fast!
"All four of my older kids are driving now!" Gaines, 46, told PEOPLE for a story in this week's print issue of her and Chip Gaines' older children Drake, 19, Ella, 18, Duke, 16 and Emmie, 15.
She says it's been difficult knowing that they'll all be out of the house before too long, but having her fifth child Crew, 6, has made life even sweeter.
"My older kids are at that age where they’re kind of starting the exit," she continues. Duke is already at college, and Ella will be starting in the fall. "I feel like it all went so fast. Having Crew makes me feel younger, and really anchors me. It’s been such a gift.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer , from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
She says she's also made a conscious decision to make sure she slows down herself.
"Knowing that [the older kids] will be gone in the next few years, I’ve made a conscious decision to create micro-moments, to feel in the now with our family, just be really more intentional with our time together," she says. "And hopefully, try and slow it all down a bit!"
She's also intentional about spending quality time with Crew. Her newest children's book The World Needs the Wonder You See (out Jan. 28) was inspired by their time enjoying the outdoors together.
For more on Joanna Gaines and her new book, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.
"I just love watching him and how he moves throughout his day," she says of her nature-loving boy.
"He’s always looking out the window, the first to notice something. He has this childlike faith like, 'If I just look, I’ll find something.' A lot of us have that when we’re younger, but then I feel like we stop expecting wonder, because we’re so busy. And he’s just inspired me to live like he does."
She adds, "Even though things are still really busy, my spirit feels more grounded."
As for how she handles the stress of having four kids behind the wheel of a car?
"I stalk them on the app Life360!" she says with a laugh. "It tells you how fast they're going."
But she says she's also embracing this new season in life.
"They’re just turning into these wonderful human beings," she says of her older kids becoming young adults. "My favorite thing is seeing them hanging out in a restaurant together as friends. Because when they were younger I was always monitoring their fights, and now they’re dear friends, which is so cool."
The World Needs the Wonder You See by Joanna Gaines comes out Jan. 28 from Tommy Nelson and is available now for preorder, wherever books are sold.
Read the original article on People
