From “Popsicle” to Jason Kelce: Jenna Bush Hager Shares the Surprising Lesson That Changed How She Parents.QN

Jenna Bush Hager grew up in one of the most famous homes in America — but if anyone expected strict rules and booming military commands inside the White House, they’d be wrong. The TODAY co-host recently opened up about what parenting looked like in her own childhood, and how that compares to life now with her three kids.

Jenna, now 43, was reacting to a moment from a recent episode of Kylie Kelce’s podcast, Not Gonna Lie, where retired NFL superstar Jason Kelce explained the way he gets his daughters to listen. Kelce — father to four young children — shared that when things get a little too chaotic, he snaps into a firm dad voice. All it takes, he said, is a stern, “Look at me. We’re all done with that behavior,” and the energy in the room changes instantly.

Even Kylie admitted that as soon as Jason demands eye contact, the girls freeze like they know exactly what that voice means. It’s the kind of parental command that carries instant authority — even when Jason is dressed in a costume from Frozen, as he was for that episode.

Jenna, listening to the clip, couldn’t help but laugh. The football legend looked anything but intimidating during that moment — yet his kids obey instantly. That level of parental power? She jokingly confessed she wishes she had even a fraction of it.

And then she revealed something unexpected: growing up, she never experienced that kind of strict discipline herself.

The daughter of former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, Jenna remembers her dad as a warm, funny, approachable parent — not someone who relied on stern lectures or booming orders. To her and her twin sister Barbara, he wasn’t the leader of the free world… he was “Popsicle.”

“He was the friendliest person in the room,” she said on-air. “Even if he tried to sound serious, we just wanted to hug him.” She laughed while demonstrating how their response to any rule was usually affection rather than fear.

Her co-host Dylan Dreyer contrasted that with her own upbringing — a father whose silence alone could correct behavior faster than any punishment. Dylan described the “look” that would send her straight to her room. Jenna? Not so much.

“We were always laughing instead,” she admitted. Strict parenting simply wasn’t part of her childhood story.

Jenna and her husband Henry Hager share three children: daughters Mila (12) and Poppy (10), and son Hal (7). While she adores them, she’s the first to admit that discipline is not her strongest skill.

“I can be firm if I have to,” she insisted with a smile, “but most of the time, if I tell the girls, ‘That’s it, bedtime!’ they just burst into giggles.” She added that Hal, in comparison, could practically tuck himself in and thank her for the privilege.

Her daughters, she joked, are “reincarnations” of her and Barbara — full of mischief and ready to test boundaries just for sport. Sometimes, Jenna said, she tries to play the authoritative parent role… but there are nights she throws her hands up and escapes to her own room, turning up a sound machine to block out their silliness.

Jenna did share one humorous strategy she’s started using: knowing when to walk away. Ignoring certain battles, she explained, might just help everyone settle down faster.

“If they want to laugh at me when I’m telling them to stop,” she joked, “well, I can just leave the room. They’ll get bored eventually!”

It’s a tactic she delivers with a wink — one that many parents watching likely understand all too well.

The more Jenna spoke, the more it became clear that while her upbringing may not have followed a traditional strict model, it left her with deep emotional security. George W. Bush, for all the weight of his responsibilities, made sure his daughters knew they were loved and supported.

He became president when Jenna and Barbara were still in college — a shift in their lives that brought intense public attention. Yet, even under that pressure, the family’s private dynamic remained built on humor and closeness.

In a 2017 interview, the twins famously shared that they call their father “Popsicle” because of his sweet and affectionate nature — a nickname that perfectly captures the energy of their childhood home.

As she raises her own children, Jenna is discovering a style that blends what she knows — a playful, emotionally open approach — with new techniques she’s picking up from fellow parents… even football legends in costume.

She also openly admits to those moments every mom has: the ones where patience runs thin and apologies follow later.

“I’ve definitely lost my cool a few times,” she confessed on air. “Parenting isn’t neat. But it’s full of love — loud, messy love.”

And if her daughters occasionally ignore her instructions? Well, they are Bush girls after all — spirited, opinionated, and not afraid of authority figures… even when the authority figure shares their last name.

Looking back, Jenna realizes that what her father lacked in stern discipline, he made up for in warmth and connection. And now, as she navigates motherhood, she hopes to give her kids the same sense of joy and belonging — with just a little more Jason Kelce-style seriousness sprinkled in when necessary.

“Maybe one day,” she teased, “I’ll master the strong dad voice too.”

Until then, she’s laughing through the chaos — just like her Popsicle taught her.