Mom-Of-5 Joanna Gaines Reveals She Has Learned from Her Parenting Regrets

HGTV star Joanna Gaines' motherhood journey bares some regrets, which she learned through her journey of raising five kids with her fellow star spouse, Chip Gaines.

Reality power couple Joanna and Chip Gaines have come a long way together, and as they attained success, the pair birthed five children. However, the couple's parenthood journey was not an easy ride.

In Joanna's case, the star mom had learned the hard way from her regrets in her early motherhood life. However, these regrets birthed some lessons she cherished later. Here's a look through her motherhood journey.

JOANNA AND CHIP GAINES LOVE STORY

"Fixer Upper" couple Joanna and Chip Gaines have been together for over two decades, but their love story did not come without some humble beginnings. The pair first met in 2001 in Texas.

Technically, Chip first saw Joanna's photo in her dad's store and knew she was "the one." Years later, he would tell Pop Sugar in an interview that he knew he would marry her.

Chip saw Joanna's photo before making her acquaintance, but he was determined to meet her in person. So he started taking his pickup truck to Firestone in hopes of meeting Joanna.

Chip recalled how his pals would make fun of his truck due to its faulty brakes that got fixed all the time, but he did not mind. So when they finally met, Chip recognized Joanna from the commercials in her dad's shop, and they sat and talked for 30 minutes.

That short conversation did work some magic because the two planned for their first date right after. Chip had called her the next day and asked her out. So the couple went for their first date and sat on the porch of a restaurant "housed in a historic mansion."

In an excerpt from their memory, "The Magnolia Story," Joanna shared that Chip had been late for the date, but that did not ruin it. Instead, that was the start of a great relationship culminating in a proposal in 2003.

The day Chip proposed to his future wife, he had told her they were going to a private concert. Instead, he took her to the shopping center in town, where their family members were waiting.

After getting down on one knee to ask him to be his wife, the pair headed to a jewelry store, where the owner, Billy Holder, designed a ring for Joanna.

On May 31, 2003, Chip and Joanna Gaines were united in holy matrimony. According to Chip, the venue was a historic mansion similar to where they had their first date.

THEIR SUCCESS STORY

Chip and Joanna did not start their lives as a wealthy couple. They scraped together their life savings to start a small business. Joanna shared in their memoir that they were broke, but Chip would often have a wad of cash in his pocket from time to time.

When they got married, Chip started by flipping mansions as a living, but Joanna's parents were not so pleased. Chip once said about his father-in-law:

"Her dad spent the first two years of our marriage asking me if I was going to get a job. I was like, 'I have a job and I like it.'"

The Gaineses did not relent on building stable finance for themselves and their family, and they kept working hard. As a result, their store, Magnolia Market, launched five months after their wedding.

The turning point came in 2012 when TV producer Katie Neff reached out to Joanna. Neff had seen the working mom's design blog and thought about starting a reality show. Joanna informed her spouse about Neff, but Chip was skeptical and felt the call was a scam.

However, Joanna stuck to her gut feeling that the call from Neff could not be a sac. So she contacted the lady, and a year later, the show 'Fixer Upper' made its TV debut on HGTV.

BECOMING HOUSEHOLD NAMES

The TV show had many successes, as did Chip and Joanna in other aspects of the business. They currently run a construction business, a home essentials megastore, and a home essentials brand.

These raked in a hefty net worth for Joanna and her husband, keeping them busy. But, while the two worked hard to keep their business running, Joanna struggled with being a working mom.

JOANNA'S MOTHERHOOD JOURNEY

When Chip and Joanna started a family, it had been in their struggling years and transition to wealth. Joanna is mom to five children, and while her first are all grown, the last child is way younger.

Once speaking to Jenna Bush Hager, Joanna opened up on her motherhood journey and how it impacted her. She stated the years she raised her first four children were "a whirlwind."

She stated that her former approach to motherhood was all about getting through it. However, she learned better years after having all five kids. The star noted she even learned so much more through her youngest daughter. However, Joanna also shared one of her regrets:

"One of my regrets is that I don't remember things from the other four. It was such a crazy time. Now it's the little moments that stop me in my tracks because that's what life is all about.

In her ''Magnolia Journal," Joanna shared another regret, noting that she should have been less introverted and got out of her comfort zone. Joanna stated how she used to be by the sidelines but gradually changed the narrative.

WHO ARE JOANNA'S KIDS?

Jonna and Chip Gaines' first child, Drake, was born in 2004, and at 18, Drake is an avid sports lover with his eyes set on football. Drake Gaines was reportedly named after the Drake Hotel In New York City, where his parents honeymooned.

His immediate younger sibling is Ella Rose, born in 2006. Joanna once revealed that Ella was the kid most like her. The teen loves interior designing and often helps her mom with home fixtures before big reveals.

Gaines' third child, Duke, is also into sports. The youngster, born in 2008, loves baseball and is looking to own a farm truck in the future. In addition, he and his immediate younger sister Emmie have ambitions of selling branded fruits.

Emmie Kay was born in 2010, and she is also like her mom. Not as much as Ella because she enjoys staying more in the kitchen and getting adventurous with chocolate chips. Emmie is also a plant enthusiast.

The youngest child is Crew, and he was born in 2018. He is pretty much too young to decide what he wants to do. However, the little one is in the exploring stage where he enjoys watching mommy on TV, sock fishing, harvesting fruits, and lounging by the beach.

JOANNA'S THOUGHTS ON MOTHERHOOD

Joanna related that motherhood was "everything" to her in her interview with Bush Hager. She explained its essence, noting that the motivation woke her up every morning. She explained:

"Motherhood means everything to me. Everything else in my life can go away, but that's my thing. That's what wakes me up. It's my heart – these kids."

Once speaking with People, Joanna shared the dynamics of how her motherhood lifestyle changed as a mom in her forties compared to her younger days. The TV star stated:

"I kid with people, 'If you ever want to feel young again, have a baby at 40.' It's brought this whole new thing for me where I'm a lot more laid-back. People joke that I'm the 'Fun Jo' now."

Despite enjoying her life as a mom, Joanna does understand and has experienced the challenging side. She stated that through all the care lavished on children, parents should find the time for themselves and enjoy what they love.