After Teen Mom star Jenelle Evans revealed that her son Jace was living with his dad Andrew Lewis in Florida, she shared an update on where he’s living as he begins the 11th grade.
Jenelle Evans is focusing on her family.
Two months after the Teen Mom alum announced that her eldest son Jace Evans was living with his dad Andrew Lewis in Florida, she revealed that the teenager has moved back in with her in North Carolina.
"Jace, he's doing good, he's back at home, he's not living with his father," Jenelle told People in an interview published July 18. "He'll be starting 11th grade. And he's just been, you know, he's been getting into skateboarding recently, so that's his thing."
The reality star, who added that he had been home "for a few months now," couldn't help but reflect on the 15-year-old's growth.
"It's really crazy because you see the transition from a little boy to a young man, and he'll be 16 in August, and it's just really crazy," Janelle continued. "It just flies by so quick. So I'm just really cherishing every moment I can before he turns 18 and decides to leave."
The latest update comes after Jenelle—who is also mom to Kaiser, 11, from a previous relationship, and daughter Ensley, 8, with ex David Eason—previously shared that Jace moved in with Andrew due to ongoing behavioral problems.
"Jace is now staying with his father but also his grandmother on his other side, whom he has not seen since he was a baby," Jenelle explained on TikTok in May. "You guys are looking at it as a negative situation, but everyone behind closed doors is looking at it as a positive thing for him."
She admitted that her son's mental health struggles—which include his ADHD diagnosis, major depressive disorder and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)—have been a concern in her household.
"With defiant disorder, it's very hard to deal with," she said. "Kids act out on purpose because they want attention. They have no remorse. They have no empathy for what they did."
InstagramAlthough it's been an issue that Jenelle and her mom Barbara Evans have dealt with for years, they didn't want to "put it in front of the media" to protect Jace's privacy. She added, "Now we've gotten to the point where it's happened too many times, multiple incidents for years and years and years. Something had to be done."
Jenelle asserted that it wasn't an easy decision to come to.
"Separating the chaos to protect my two younger kids is very important, also for him to protect himself," she emphasized. "When you're co-parenting, if both sides of the family can come together to help solve these issues before they turn into adults and really get themselves in trouble—it's really important."
"You can say all you want," she continued. "You can say I'm not taking care of my kids. Being a mother is doing the best interest for your child and I am doing the best interest for my child."
