Amber Johnston Opened Up About Her Marriage, Parenting and the Show

In anticipation for the upcoming 7 Little Johnstons premiere, mom Amber Johnston opened the @Team7LJ's Instagram stories to any and all questions from viewers. Some asked about parenting and family life, while others wanted to know the details of filming, her marriage, adoption and more. Amber kept it honest and filled them in on everything.

Amber On Trent and Marriage

How long have you been married and how many kids did you want in the beginning?

Twenty-one years, and no specific number.

Do you and your husband ever fall out?

Assuming this means fight?... We disagree, we fuss. We’re two stubborn individuals, but we work things out and come to agree. Also, therapy is a great tool!

Can you give marriage advice [to] someone who just got married?

Absolutely. Always remember the two of you are a work in progress! You will always be changing, growing, and you must stay committed to working at it together.

How long did you date before you got married?

Four years!

Where does Trent’s nickname come from?

A stud like him… has to have a bedroom name. No, seriously it’s what I put him in my phone as!

Amber On Parenting

What advice do you have for raising children with dwarfism?

Raise them to be independent, strong, confident and successful citizens in society!

How do you keep things so organized? I have seven kids and it’s a struggle!

I can’t handle clutter, chaos or being late. I don’t know that there’s a magic solution. Less is better when it comes to material things. Instill in the kids to stay on top of work, [and] do not procrastinate. Keep organization throughout!

Is Elizabeth moving away for college?

Not 100% sure yet! She’s already in college now and will be transferring in the summer.

Which one of your kids has had the least amount of operations?

Emma! Zero as of today, but her legs are significantly bowing as she has gone through growth spurts.

At one time, Emma started speech therapy. Has she continued and gained confidence?

Yes! She continues speech [therapy] and is making great progress!

How was the adoption process? What was the most difficult part?

WAITING.

Amber On Filming 7 Little Johnstons

If there is one episode that you could “take back” or redo, what would it be?

Not a single one… we film life!

How much of the show is scripted, if at all?

Not one single line! And we feel like it’s pretty evident in our episodes. We’re not actors, just a family sharing, educating and providing good entertainment!

What’s it like to have a crew recording you all day?

They truly are our second family! It’s a job that the crew and our family work very hard at to keep it real and authentic.

Do you think your TV show reflects how all the family members are in real life?

Yes! Folks have to realize [that] hours of filming have to be cut down to 44 minutes to make one episode. Friends and family would agree, what you see on TV is really who we are!

Have your kids ever said, “I don’t want to be on camera today!”

Nope! We have always treated filming the show as a family job. We teach our kids how important being dependable, committed and working hard is! Now, do they grumble sometimes? Sure. But they know the expectations! Kinda like kids going to school.

To hear more from Amber, tune in to the 7 Little Johnstons season seven premiere on Tuesday, March 31 at 10/9c.