A recent broadcast of Today With Hoda & Jenna kicked off with a long discussion about limiting kids’ use of cell phones in today’s day and age.
After Hoda Kotb spoke about a school that saw positive results in its student body when they banned cell phones, Jenna Bush Hager commented, “What I don’t understand, as a former teacher and as a mother, is why when a principal or a head of school reads that do they not think [to ban cell phones]?” She noted that she often forgets things she’s read or talked about once she gets on her phone, which concerns her.
“I’m 42, I didn’t have cell phones growing up. How can we expect our kids?” she added.
Kotb then made a shocking comparison, noting that even limiting your child’s screen time may not be enough.
“We’ve talked about this, it’s the equivalent of telling your kid, ‘You can only have half a drag of this cigarette,'” she told Bush Hager. “Whatever it is that’s going in is not good.”
But Bush Hager noted that it is still possible to “unring the bell,” which Kotb agreed with, noting, “It’s like before we knew that seatbelts were safe. Well, they didn’t use seatbelts before, but now we know.”
Bush Hager then used her own daughter, Mila, as an example.
“I have told her real statistics and also stories about people who have been sad about social media, I’ve read her studies, and she said to me, ‘I actually don’t want TikTok,'” Bush Hager said. Kotb gave her co-host a high-five for that. “She said it yesterday. And believe me, she’s not trying to please me.”
The Today co-hosts recently discussed bringing back the old reality show Wife Swap, in which mothers with different parenting styles would switch families. Bush Hager had the bright idea as she and Kotb were venting about their children.
“I have an idea I think we should send my children to your house and your children to mine, like you know that old show, and see what happens,” Bush Hager told her co-host. “Because Mila would come back all whipped into shape. She wouldn’t call me Jenner or worser things.”
We would certainly watch that!
Today with Hoda and Jenna airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.