Chip and Joanna Gaines Don't Allow Their Kids on Social Media Until Summer Before College: 'It's a Challenge'

Chip and Joanna Gaines' kids are going to have to wait a while until they get on social media.

While appearing on Today with Hoda & Jenna, the HGTV couple spoke with co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager about letting their kids on social media. The couple is parents to five kids —  Drake, 19, Ella, 17, Duke, 16, Emmie, 14, and Crew, 5.

"One of the things we all agree with is that we’re careful when it comes to cellphones and social media with our kids. What is y’all's stance? Just help us raise our children," Bush Hager jokes.

"Our house rule is you get social media the summer before you go to college. So we have that time. So 18. We have that time to kind of work through that whole…" Joanna, 46, responds, trailing off.

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"But it’s a challenge! I mean, you can tell these kids want it before that. It’s not like it’s this agreed place to where we’ve all decided at roughly 18 and they’re like, ‘Oh thank goodness. I didn’t want it to begin with.’ They want it at 12, 13, 14," adds Chip, 49.

Agreeing with her husband, Joanna says that while her kids want to be on social media, they aren't asking on a regular basis to be on the apps.

"They’ve kind of been quiet about it. Like I’d say, I haven’t said anything to them but I’d say for the last year, no one’s asked for it," Joanna shares. "I think they just know the heart behind it. Which is hard, I think because all their other friends have it. But I’m like, you have some other things.” 

Continuing, the mom of five says that they explain to their kids that although they aren't allowed to have social media, they all have other perks that other families might not have.

"I think for us, it’s kind of one of those things where we can say, 'You have these other things that are really great. Our life is a little different and we care about this specific thing,'" Joanna says.

"Especially for my girls, as they’re 14 and almost 17. Just that’s the age where a lot of things mentally, you’re influenced by and so for me, it’s just, I don’t know.”

Over the weekend, Joanna celebrated as her son Duke turned 16. The mom of five shared a sweet video on Instagram showing her decorating her dining room table for her son's birthday, putting up large balloons, a "Happy Birthday" sign and placing presents on the table.

The proud mom then revealed that Duke passed his driving test, sharing a photo of the teenager signing some paperwork while Chip snapped a selfie.

The video concluded with Joanna waving the newly minted driver back home as she stood in the driveway. "Third time doing this and it still makes mama cry. #16," Joanna captioned the clip.