Jenna Bush Hager Says Her Mother, Laura, Played a Special Role in How She’s Raising Her Daughters
Jenna Bush Hager recently opened up about how her mother, Laura Bush, influenced her life.
Jenna especially channels her mother in parenting her daughters, Mila and Poppy, because Laura also raised two girls close in age.
Jenna also thinks of her grandma when she’s feeling lost or confused as a mother.
Jenna Bush Hager is a level-headed mom because she learned from the best: her mom, former first lady Laura Bush. “My mom isn’t one for dispensing advice, really,” Jenna told Southern Living for her April cover story. “My mother led by example.”
“She has a grace about her,” the Today with Hoda & Jenna co-host added. “She’s unflappable, so even in the midst of trying times, she’s been the rock, the steady force that has kept our family calm in moments that were unspeakably turbulent.” That’s what Jenna aims to do in raising her three children, daughters Mila, 7, and Poppy, 4, and son Hal, who is 9 months old.
She especially channels her mother in parenting Mila and Poppy, because Laura also raised two girls close in age. “My mother never once compared my sister, Barbara, and me, and I try hard not to compare my girls. If they are sad, scared, or confused, we let them feel those feelings and encourage them to talk about them with us,” she shared. “We tell them that being who they are is great and makes their dad and me so proud and happy.”
Laura had the power to keep their home calm without ever saying a word. “Nobody was ever tense. Nobody was walking on eggshells,” Jenna said. “What she always conveyed is that we have the power to create the kind of home we want our kids to remember.” Jenna tries to keep that in mind as she spends more time than ever with her kids while quarantined at home due to the coronavirus, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes, mistakes are unavoidable, and that’s okay.
“There was this one day I raised my voice, I was down on myself for the way I was acting towards Henry, honestly, the way I was acting towards the kids,” she shared with her Today colleagues on March 25. But the kids quickly reminded her to have some self-sympathy. “They were like, ‘This is the best! We get mommy and daddy at home for dinner every night!’ And I was so hard on myself,” she said. “I just thought, our kids just want us and even not in our perfect ways.”
In addition to her mom, Jenna also thinks of her grandma when she’s feeling lost or confused as a mother. “[My grandma] says humor helps. That’s what I’ve been trying to do,” she said. “Laugh with my girlfriends on Zoom, and laugh with Henry over the funny things that happen on a daily basis and trying not to cry over dirty dishes and spilled milk because life is just too short.”
Amen to that.
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