Jenna Bush Hager Reveals Why Her Son Hal Burst Into Tears When She FaceTimed Him on First Day at New School

Mar. 15, 2025

Jenna Bush Hager and son Hal.Photo:Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Jenna Bush Hageraccidentally made her son cry on his first day of school.On the Tuesday, Sept. 3 episode ofToday with Hoda and Jenna,the co-host and mom of three, 42, shared with guest host Shienelle Jones why her sonHal, 5, burst into tears on his first day at his new school.“Guess what I just did,” Bush Hager said to Jones. “For some reason, I thought it was a good idea to FaceTime with the teacher.“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.Jenna Bush Hager and son hal.Jenna Bush Hager Instagram"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.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Jenna Bush Hager Celebrates Easter with Her Three Kids.Jenna Bush Hager/InstagramThe news anchor shares her 5-year-old son, as well as daughters Mila, 11, and Poppy, 9, with her husbandHenry Hager,On the Aug. 21 episode ofToday, Bush Hager spoke more about Hal, dishing how he gets his “styling” wardrobe for free.“I love a hand-me-down,” she admitted, adding that “Hand-me-down’s a weird word.““I have a friend who is an over-shopper and I will not say her name on television,” she explained, “But her son is a few years older than Hal, and every two months I receive a package in the mail for Hal.“Bush Hager even shared that Hal “rarely” gets new clothing, but she assured viewers that it doesn’t deter him from “styling.““Hal has very rarely worn something new,” she said. “That man is styling — Styling for free!”

Jenna Bush Hageraccidentally made her son cry on his first day of school.

On the Tuesday, Sept. 3 episode ofToday with Hoda and Jenna,the co-host and mom of three, 42, shared with guest host Shienelle Jones why her sonHal, 5, burst into tears on his first day at his new school.

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

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.

Jenna Bush Hager and son hal.Jenna Bush Hager Instagram

“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.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Jenna Bush Hager Celebrates Easter with Her Three Kids.Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram

Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram

The news anchor shares her 5-year-old son, as well as daughters Mila, 11, and Poppy, 9, with her husbandHenry Hager,

On the Aug. 21 episode ofToday, Bush Hager spoke more about Hal, dishing how he gets his “styling” wardrobe for free.

“I love a hand-me-down,” she admitted, adding that “Hand-me-down’s a weird word.”

“I have a friend who is an over-shopper and I will not say her name on television,” she explained, “But her son is a few years older than Hal, and every two months I receive a package in the mail for Hal.”

Bush Hager even shared that Hal “rarely” gets new clothing, but she assured viewers that it doesn’t deter him from “styling.”

“Hal has very rarely worn something new,” she said. “That man is styling — Styling for free!”

source: people.com