Jenna Bush Hager Jokes Son Hal 'Looks Miserable' in Photos Before First Day at New School: 'It's Going to Be Fine'

Mar. 15, 2025

Jenna Bush Hager, son Hal Hager.Photo:Eugene Gologursky/Getty; NBC

Eugene Gologursky/Getty; NBC

Jenna Bush Hager’sson Hal had some mixed feelings before his first day of school.On the Wednesday, Sept. 4 episode ofToday with Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager, 42, shared that her three kids had their first day of school this week. She shares her daughters Poppy, 9, and Mila, 11, as well as son Henry “Hal,” 5, with husbandHenry Hager.“Can I just give a little shout-out, it’s my kids' first day today,” Bush Hager says before photos of her kids appear on the screen behind her. “And can we just see because Hal Hager has the first day at the big school. And first of all, does it not look like he’s either my father in a 5-year-old body or being held captive?““He’s like, ‘Should I go? Should I not go? Should I go? Should I not go?’ I told him, ‘It’s okay.’ I told them all, I was like, ‘You guys, I went to a public high school from a tiny private middle school with a thousand kids in my freshman class,' " the proud mom continues.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Hal Hager.NBC"Because Mila was like, ‘How am I going to find 6th grade, I have to walk around, how am I going to find my class?' I was like.. ‘I’m telling you, I walked in, my knees were shaking.’ Hal was like, ‘You were?’ Because it’s okay to be nervous!“Her costarHoda Kotbthen chimed in to say that one of the “best parenting things” that parents can do is reiterate that it’s okay to be scared or nervous.“Because I had the habit of, ‘It’s going to be fine! You know why? Because you’re going to make new friends!” Kotb said. “And your kid is like, ‘You’re not hearing me. I’m feeling a little funky.’““And sometimes they don’t even say it. Hal’s face was like, I could just tell… he wouldn’t say he’s nervous but I could feel it on him. And it’s okay. It’s okay,” Bush Hager affirmed.Bush Hager then shared photos of her three kids on their first day, which showed Hal displaying several worried looks. Each kid held up a sign that read which grade they were going into — 3rd for Poppy, 6th for Mila and pre-K for Hal.“By the way, Hal is so cute with that sign,” Kotb said. “He looks miserable, but it’s going to be fine,” added Bush Hager.Jenna Bush Hager’s kids on the first day of school.NBCEarlier this week onToday with Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager shared that she’daccidentally made her son cryon his first day of school.“Guess what I just did,” Bush Hager said to guest host Shienelle Jones. “For some reason, I thought it was a good idea to FaceTime with the teacher.““This morning?” Jones asked.Bush Hager replied, “Yes, with Hal going into his first day at his new school. Guess what that cost? Tears! So even if you’re not there like us…“Jones finished her sentence, validating her co-host, saying, “…you just have to swim into it and lean into it and know that you’re the best.““Exactly,” Bush Hager agreed.

Jenna Bush Hager’sson Hal had some mixed feelings before his first day of school.

On the Wednesday, Sept. 4 episode ofToday with Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager, 42, shared that her three kids had their first day of school this week. She shares her daughters Poppy, 9, and Mila, 11, as well as son Henry “Hal,” 5, with husbandHenry Hager.

“Can I just give a little shout-out, it’s my kids' first day today,” Bush Hager says before photos of her kids appear on the screen behind her. “And can we just see because Hal Hager has the first day at the big school. And first of all, does it not look like he’s either my father in a 5-year-old body or being held captive?”

“He’s like, ‘Should I go? Should I not go? Should I go? Should I not go?’ I told him, ‘It’s okay.’ I told them all, I was like, ‘You guys, I went to a public high school from a tiny private middle school with a thousand kids in my freshman class,' " the proud mom continues.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Hal Hager.NBC

NBC

“Because Mila was like, ‘How am I going to find 6th grade, I have to walk around, how am I going to find my class?' I was like.. ‘I’m telling you, I walked in, my knees were shaking.’ Hal was like, ‘You were?’ Because it’s okay to be nervous!”

Her costarHoda Kotbthen chimed in to say that one of the “best parenting things” that parents can do is reiterate that it’s okay to be scared or nervous.

“Because I had the habit of, ‘It’s going to be fine! You know why? Because you’re going to make new friends!” Kotb said. “And your kid is like, ‘You’re not hearing me. I’m feeling a little funky.’”

“And sometimes they don’t even say it. Hal’s face was like, I could just tell… he wouldn’t say he’s nervous but I could feel it on him. And it’s okay. It’s okay,” Bush Hager affirmed.

Bush Hager then shared photos of her three kids on their first day, which showed Hal displaying several worried looks. Each kid held up a sign that read which grade they were going into — 3rd for Poppy, 6th for Mila and pre-K for Hal.

“By the way, Hal is so cute with that sign,” Kotb said. “He looks miserable, but it’s going to be fine,” added Bush Hager.

Jenna Bush Hager’s kids on the first day of school.NBC

Earlier this week onToday with Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager shared that she’daccidentally made her son cryon his first day of school.

“Guess what I just did,” Bush Hager said to guest host Shienelle Jones. “For some reason, I thought it was a good idea to FaceTime with the teacher.”

“This morning?” Jones asked.

Bush Hager replied, “Yes, with Hal going into his first day at his new school. Guess what that cost? Tears! So even if you’re not there like us…”

Jones finished her sentence, validating her co-host, saying, “…you just have to swim into it and lean into it and know that you’re the best.”

“Exactly,” Bush Hager agreed.

source: people.com