‘Teen Mom’s Leah Messer Breaks Down in Emotional ‘The Next Chapter’ Season Premiere

Teen Mom is celebrating its Sweet 16 this season of The Next Chapter as the kids we literally watched being born are going off to high school and getting cars — it’s making me feel so old. But are their parents ready for the new — and old challenges — that come with a high schooler? Spoiler-filled recap ahead for the Season 2B premiere of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter “A Whole New Era of Parenting.”

Leah’s Twins Take on High School

Let’s start with Leah Messer, she’s got not one but two kids heading to high school in the premiere! Yes, twins Aliannah “Ali” and Aleeah are ready to take the next big step in life together, and obviously it’s not easy for Leah, who says it feels like just the other day she was dropping them off at preschool.

Leah is especially struggling with how much to push Ali to use her wheelchair in school because her muscular dystrophy means that wearing herself out physically can actually harm her in the long run. But Ali just wants to be like her friends, which I get too. Aleeah, meanwhile, is looking forward to having a little bit of time away from her sister in a larger school, and I totally understand where she’s coming from as well.

The first day of school goes really well, and Ali manages herself in a way that works, but there’s a big breakdown between her and her mom Ali wants to go to the football game without bringing her chair at all. Ultimately, she storms off, and Leah has a total breakdown wondering how she’s supposed to find a balance with her daughter so that she can be social and make friends while staying safe.

Maci and Ryan Celebrate Bentley’s Sweet 16

Our other Teen Mom teen in this episode is Maci Bookout’s son Bentley. Maci wants to make sure his 16th birthday is an extra special one, because I swear, this kid has gone through it with his dad Ryan Edwards. It’s wild though to see how far Maci and Ryan have come with co-parenting though. Ryan and his pregnant girlfriend Amanda Conner even come over to Maci and her husband Taylor’s home for the first time this episode, which is a far cry from when Ryan threatened to shoot the place up.

They all work together to get Bentley this amazing truck as a birthday present, and it’s nice to see everyone getting along. It’s just nuts that Bentley is now the same age Maci was when she became a mom — and may he never know that life himself.

Cheyenne Reaches Out to Ashley

We’re also checking in with our newer Teen Mom stars this episode. Ashley Jones is going through it right now, because she’s taking care of her daughter Holly as a single mom amid her divorce from Bariki Smith. Bar is also in jail right now facing domestic violence and kidnapping charges after what we saw last season, but he pleaded not guilty, which means Ashley might have to testify against him in court.

And while Cheyenne Floyd and Ashley have had their differences in the past, Cheyenne, who is trying for another baby with husband Zach Davis, feels compelled to reach out to Ashley to see if she’d want to meet up for some support. But will Ashley want that help? We’ll just have to see.

This article was adapted from the latest episode of PopCulture Social Call, streaming weekdays on PopCulture.com’s YouTube channel. You can now watch this episode, which is embedded in the above article.