The TV hosts lifted the lid on the simple at-home tricks they rely on to make the back-to-school rush a little less chaotic.
"Today" show hosts Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager have lifted the lid on the simple at-home tricks they rely on to make the back-to-school rush a little less chaotic—even while they are busy at the NBC studio filming.
The "Today With Jenna & Sheinelle" co-hosts, who are each raising three children while juggling their demanding early-morning TV schedules, revealed that preparation is key when it comes to getting their families out the door on time.
In a new interview with Parents magazine, the media personalities conceded that they have had to remain flexible as far as their end-of-summer rituals are concerned, adding that their back-to-school prep has evolved as their children have gotten older.
However, for Bush Hager, 44, who shares daughters Mila, 13, and Poppy, 10, as well as son Hal, 7, with husband Henry Hager, one thing that has remained consistent is their pre-school ritual.
The night before classes begin, her family gathers for a special dinner—either at their six-bedroom Connecticut home or at a restaurant—where they discuss what they are looking forward to in the year ahead.
"Today" show hosts Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager have lifted the lid on the simple at-home tricks they rely on to make the back-to-school rush a little less chaotic. (Gary Gershoff/Getty Images) "We have dinner the night before where we sit together and we kind of talk about our intentions for the year," she said, noting that she tries not to make the conversation feel overly formal or put pressure on her children.
She also said she attempts to eliminate as many last-minute decisions as possible by having her children prepare their clothes and belongings in advance.
"There are hacks that we do, like laying out their clothes every night, not just the day before school starts, and getting their sports stuff in their backpack," she told Parents.
Rather than embarking on a major shopping spree for new supplies and outfits, Bush Hager said she now focuses on small organizational steps that can make mornings run more smoothly.
Jones, 48, who resides in upstate New York, has adopted a similar strategy in her own home—but takes her preparation even further.
The mom of three uses clothing or shoe cubbies to organize her children's outfits ahead of time, a trick that has become particularly helpful because her job means she isn't always at home when they are getting ready for school.
Jones said the family begins on Sunday nights by laying out outfits for at least the first three days of the week before regrouping on Wednesday to prepare for the remaining days.
"If you can at least do a few days at a time, at the beginning of the week or the end of the week, then [it takes] the guesswork out in the morning," she explained.
The routine could prove particularly useful this year as Jones' three children with her late husband, Uche Ojeh, are all heading to high school. Her eldest son, Kayin, 16, is entering his junior year, while 13-year-old twins Clara and Uche Jr. are starting as freshmen.
Jones conceded that this milestone occasion has been slightly bittersweet, noting that the traditions she once cherished have fallen away as her kids have become teenagers.
The "Today With Jenna & Sheinelle" co-hosts, who are each raising three children while juggling their demanding early-morning TV schedules, revealed that preparation is key when it comes to getting their families out the door on time. (Instagram/Jenna Bush Hager) 
For Bush Hager, 44, who shares daughters Mila, 13, and Poppy, 10, as well as son Hal, 7, with husband Henry Hager, one thing that has remained consistent is their pre-school ritual. (Instagram/Jenna Bush Hager) She recalled once taking pride in making first-day-of-school signs for them, but admitted that three high schoolers are unlikely to pose with homemade signs this year.
And with her children all now attending high school, Jones said it will come with a new set of challenges.
“I have some comfort because for my incoming ninth graders, they’re twins, and so I know they have a built-in friend. But it is a new school where you may not know a lot of people. So I find myself, just as they probably are, quietly a bit anxious," Jones said.
This year also marks a new chapter for the whole family, who have moved to a new home, leaving behind the property that served as Jones and Ojeh's marital abode for nearly 10 years.
Jones, who lost her husband to cancer in May 2025, lifted the lid on the moving process just a few months ago, telling Hager: "I'm moving. The kids are going to a new school, so we're moving. I have been going through boxes and boxes and boxes in our basement."
She has not yet revealed where she and her family are moving to, nor has she shared whether she plans to list her Livingston Manor property, which she and Ojeh purchased for $725,000 in 2017. Realtor.com® now estimates it is worth closer to $2.3 million.
Records show that the 10-bedroom abode has yet to be put on the market and is still registered under Jones' and her husband's names.
In her interview with Parents, the media personality also reflected on the rituals she took part in while growing up—and how things have changed.
“I remember my sister and I, the night before school, in elementary, we would set out our outfits for the first day, and we would get the fresh smelling trapper keepers and fresh pencils,” she explained. “I used to love filling my backpack with all the new spiral notebooks and stuff like that, and I will say it’s a little different now.”
She added, "Sometimes, it’s just like they’re back [to school], but the pressure isn’t there as much. Now I say that, and I don’t know what high school will bring. Maybe the boys will care a little bit more. We really are stepping into new territory in my family.”
"Today" show hosts Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager have lifted the lid on the simple at-home tricks they rely on to make the back-to-school rush a little less chaotic. (Sheinellejones/instagram) 
For Jones, some of the traditions she once cherished have fallen away as her kids have become teenagers. (Instagram) Both women admitted that they are learning to adjust their routines as their children enter new stages of life—all while finding ways to balance their careers with the milestones they don't want to miss.
The pair said that can sometimes mean rearranging their work schedules so they can be there for important occasions like the first day of school.
Bush Hager also revealed that the changing years have prompted her to reconsider another aspect of parenting in the public eye: how much of her children's lives she shares.
She recalled once reading a homesick letter from Mila on television, only for her daughter to tell her afterward that the private note had embarrassed her.
The moment forced Bush Hager to reconsider whether certain stories belonged to her to share publicly or should remain within the family.
“I think both of us put the privacy of our children and the happiness of our children above anything that has to do with television,” said Bush Hager.
That same protective instinct has influenced her approach to technology.
Bush Hager and her husband held off on giving Mila a cellphone until eighth grade despite years of requests from their daughter.
Jones admitted that, with hindsight, she wishes she had taken a similar approach with her own children, saying she now recognizes how difficult it can be to pull back once kids become accustomed to having devices.
Despite the pressures of raising children while working on live television, the co-hosts said they ultimately try to focus less on being present for every moment and more on making the time they do have with their children count.
“We both love our job. You wouldn’t do a job like this, with the hours that it entails, if we weren’t really enjoying our work. A lot of parents can relate to this,” said Bush Hager.
“There are things that we will miss, and it’s a sacrifice. But it’s also a sacrifice to have three kids who we love. I sacrifice work stuff too, and so does Sheinelle. That said, I think both of us do a really good job of being present when we’re with our kids, like really intentional about the way we spend our time.”