Jenna Bush Hager Reveals the Important Message She’s Told Daughter Mila, 10, About Sex
The mom of three used Jenny Han's 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' to discuss sex with her older daughter
Jenna Bush Hager is sharing how she approaches some complicated topics with her kids.
On Thursday's episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the mom of three, 42, shared that she recently discussed the topic of sex with her 10-year-old daughter Mila, using Jenny Han's book The Summer I Turned Pretty as a way to navigate into the conversation.
"It’s so interesting, I feel like conversations about sex have changed since we were little. Mila’s in 5th grade and one of the things people have been surprised about is that I let her read this book series called The Summer I Turned Pretty by my queen, Jenny Han — who is an incredible writer for young adults," Bush Hager began.
"[Mila’s] obviously not a young adult, she’s a kid. But I think people are like, ‘You didn’t censor? You let her?’ And first of all, I feel like everybody should just do them," she continued.
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"Second of all, this is what I believe. I believe I would so much rather my kids learn about sex or drinking or whatever it is through books than through YouTube. I would so much rather my kids read something and get to come to their mom’s bedside and be like, ‘Hey mom, I didn’t quite get this,’ and me be able to help lead the conversation than her having influencers do that for her."
Co-host Hoda Kotb, 59, agreed with her friend, adding, "Good girl. Preach! I like this. This is good," she said.
"That’s what I believe and I’m a daughter of a librarian, so, that’s what we’re having," Bush Hager added.
As they went on to discuss the idea of banning books, Bush Hager and Kotb agreed that there are worse things that kids can find on the Internet.
"And then we can have wonderful conversations? I mean, Judy Blume was my guidance when it comes to, ‘What do I do in my own house?’ " Bush Hager explained. "And by the way, not everything is… I know Mila, I know what is appropriate for her, and it’s not appropriate for everybody and I get it."
"Like, I’m not dictating everybody should read everything. That’s not the way it is. And I’m not letting her read everything," she added. "But anyway, one of the things that I have had the opportunity to talk to her about via this book is about sex."
"And it’s so very different than when we were little. And the thing I say to her is ‘You are the chooser. If something doesn’t feel right to you, don’t do it,' " the mom of three shared.
Kotb praised Bush Hager for having the complex conversation with her daughter, saying that often girls choose to be pleaser because they "don't want to rock the boat."
"I don’t know, thank you, Jenny Han, for guiding my sex talks," Bush Hager said, agreeing with Kotb that girls should know that they get to decide when the time is right for them to become sexually active.
Bush Hager shares her three kids — Mila, Poppy, 8, and son Hal, 4 — with husband Henry Hager.
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