Maci Bookout Reveals How Son Bentley, Now 13, Feels About Being On Teen Mom: The Next Chapter (Exclusive)

And while Maci is clearly content appearing in front of the camera — he’ll later star in Teen Mom OG and MTV’s newest series Teen Mom: The Next Chapter — the same can be said for Bently as he entered his teens occurs years?

That’s just one of the questions TooFab asked the reality star as she discussed the biggest difference between the new show and previous iterations, how she navigates her son wanting to join social media, and her feelings towards Jenelle Evans , which returns briefly to the franchise earlier this season.

What makes Next Chapter different when it comes to filming or does it feel very similar to Teen Mom OG?

Filming feels very similar. I think one of the biggest changes for me that I appreciate is that it shows more of the girls and our relationships and how we’re actually friends in front of and behind the camera.

So instead of just seeing a girls strip, you actually see us regularly communicating and sharing things with each other like real friends do, it’s like long distance friendships instead. Also, of course, the cast is much bigger, so it’s not just 4-5 girls anymore and that means our group chat is crazy all the time. So that’s definitely a difference.

Group chat resumed?

Oh yeah I had to mute it while doing interviews today. Sometimes I can’t keep up, everyone talks at once.

How much of what’s on the show surprises you? The Cheyenne shooting came as a shock to viewers, but have you all talked about it or are you learning something too?

There are definitely some things I’m learning from watching, especially about the newer cast members that I haven’t been on a regular season show with before. For the most part, with Amber, Catelynn, and Cheyenne, we know everything about each other beforehand, sometimes even before we film about it. I’m usually never surprised when it comes to their experiences or stories.

How does Bentley feel on the show now and how has his relationship with the series changed over time as he comes to understand what Teen Mom is, his friends understand what the show is, is that ever changing?

I’ll say, I think it always stays the same, in a way, that since he was born on TV and he’s been on TV his whole life, and even the crew, the cameramen, they’re just family now. I think it will always keep that normality for him. But I also think I’m surprised by this and could be wrong, in a year I could say you totally misread that, but I think in today’s world with social media and influencers I actually feel like him more and more Appreciation for the platform and the work it takes to make a TV show and the courage it takes for someone like me to show my life and courage for him because he shared a lot of things on the show Has.

Like I said a year from now I could say yes I was wrong he actually hates it and we’re done but from all the conversations and things we talk about and things that come to my mind I think that he appreciates it as much as he can. It still bugs him at times, but he knows he doesn’t have to film or carry a mic if he doesn’t want to, and always has, and the production always did a good job of letting the kids — no matter what Big or small, old, young – if you don’t want to film, don’t film and that’s it and it’s okay.

The trailer shows you have some concerns he’s on social media. How difficult is it for you to deal with, knowing that just because he’s on the show, he’s a public figure?

It’s super tricky. I have no idea what I’m doing. Neither does Taylor. Even when I started this show, there was no Instagram, there was no TikTok. Really, only people who had a really good internet connection could access YouTube. Smartphones just became a thing. So outside of MySpace, social media was never really a factor growing up and going through my teenage years, so we have no idea what we’re doing.

There is no ‘My parents did this, so I want to do this’ or ‘My parents did this and I want to do it differently’. There’s no reference so it’s definitely difficult, but I feel like as long as our conversation stays open and I make sure this is a safe space, I don’t have any bad feelings other than obvious fears that would come with any child if You’re on TV or not… we ride the wave together. No promises.

Jenelle came back briefly, only Briana and Jade saw her. Would you have wanted to see them or – I know some of your other cast members were okay with not being a part of it.

I’m really not trying to be rude, but I’m ok if I’m not a part of it too. But not for a specific reason. Mainly because Jenelle and I only met a couple of times, I think.

It’s not like we were friends and something happened or even worked together because we were in different line-ups all the time. So I feel like I don’t even have a dog in this race, never had. it’s ok for me I do not care [laughs]. At least it doesn’t change my life.