JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div class=widget>
    <div class=panel>panel1</div>
    <div class=panel>panel2
        <div class=widget>
            <div class=panel>panel1</div>
            <div class=panel>panel2</div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

JavaScript

var panels = $("div.widget > .panel");
alert(panels.length); // returns 2

var panels = $("div.widget").children(".panel");
alert(panels.length); // returns 2