Maci Bookout may be on a television show about the “reality” of being a teen mom, but she’s also aware her MTV paycheck has made life with son Bentley easier.

The Teen Mom star, who earns $60,000 per season, recently admitted, “Without the show, I would’ve had to have a full-time job and be in school full-time and rarely ever get to spend time with Bentley. It’s been difficult, but it’s also been a big blessing.”

The future cost of airing their lives on television remains to be seen, however. “I think there’ll come a time,” Maci Bookout continued of Bentley, “when he’ll be like, ‘Mom, we’re not normal! Why does everyone want to take my picture? Why does everyone know my name, but I don’t know them?’”

Recently the little guy celebrated his third birthday, and as per usual there was drama between the Teen Mom star and ex-boyfriend Ryan, who is Bentley’s father.

“Bentley’s birthday was pretty emotional in dealing with the custody stuff with Ryan,” Maci Bookout told Us Weekly on Monday. “Birthdays and holidays are the hardest because we have to share him.”

photo: Maci Bookout Instagram