Hoda Kotb’s bedtime ritual with her daughter is SO relatable

Some parents have a special song, or book, or prayer, or ritual. Hoda has a problem. She has accidentally made up the sweetest tradition, but one that’s seriously hard to top night after night. On Oct. 9, the mom of two including 4-year-old Hope told her co-host Jenna Bush Hager on her TODAY with Hoda &Jenna show, about how she liked to have “something special” before bed.

By that, her daughter means something special she’s never seen before, from one of her mom’s old bracelets, to a piece of gum, or a mug. “You’ve started a terrible thing,” Bush Hager jokes. Now, Hoda loves but regrets their new tradition as she scours her apartment for new trinkets to show up to bedtime with. A tall order.

“Every night it’s a lot of pressure!” Hoda jokes. Jenna can relate, calling her own kids smart and manipulative. They spitball about ways to get out of her new mama obligation, such as replacing the “thing” with a secret mantra or motto that’s special between them. “It doesn’t work. She wants to have something,” Hoda says. Luckily, her older daughter, Haley, hasn’t found out yet. Though she surely will as her little sister’s secret hits the news cycle. Then Hoda will be searching for two special things. #momoftheyear!

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Hoda Kotb’s family grew by two when she adopted her two daughters in 2017 and 2019, after her 2007 journey with breast cancer left her unable to conceive. “You don’t come from Mommy’s tummy, you came from my heart,” she has told them. Now, her sweet and ambitious bedtime parenting is leaving the rest of us wondering if we should up our game as we yell “don’t let the bedbugs bite!” and scurry out to binge our Netflix shows. Thanks Hoda!