TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager are over it, from bored kids to school portraits and unsorted laundry.
In a hilarious continuation of their “Mama’s Done” list, a segment dedicated to parenting gripes, the co-hosts of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna read the best viewer-submitted complaints on May 8.
Here are some of the best parenting grievances, as posted to Instagram:
- “I’m done with, ‘I’m bored, there’s nothing to do.’ Kids, you have a full Toys R Us in this house. I’ll show you bored!”
- “This mama is done with doing your laundry unless you check your own pockets, unroll your socks from that gross little inside-out ball, separate your underwear from your peeled-off pants and put everything IN the laundry hamper!”
- “I am done with being forced to spend $200 on the back-to-school photo package. My youngest always seemed to appear in pain and my middle daughter, unbeknownst to me, would change her outfit into her own creation. She once turned her school photo into a beach scene with a bathing suit and arm floaters. She was seven! Mama’s done.”
- “I’m done with carrying ALL THE THINGS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE. I’m not a pack mule. I’m done. Everyone needs to use their own arms.”
The co-hosts were in full agreement with Instagram viewers.
“‘Mama, can you hold my backpack? Can you hold my water bottle?’” said Hoda. “They have nothing in their hands!”
According to Jenna, her 4-year-old son Hal hands her his used tissue or napkin. “And I’m like, ‘Hey dude, I’m not a garbage pail — put that in the trash can,’” she said.
“They love it!” Hoda agreed. “They’re like, ‘I’m done with this.’”
Jenna and her husband Hal Hager have three children, Mila, 11, and Poppy, 8, and son Hal, 4. Hoda and her ex-partner Joel Schiffman co-parent daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 4.
On the subject of bored kids, Hoda added, “Don’t you hate, ‘I’m bored?’ ... it’s like, ‘What?’”
Jenna shared a memory of growing up with her mom, former first lady Laura Bush.
“You know what my mom used to say? ‘Bored people are boring’ ... She means, ‘Go find something ... don’t harass me,’” said Jenna. “Let’s just send our kids outside when they’re bored, if you can ... Or, you know what? Put them to work ... 'Hey, you want to be bored? Come help me clean out my closet.'”
“Clean your room!” Hoda chimed in.
And yeah, everyone is done with laundry.
“You know what?" said Jenna. “Just don’t do their laundry for a week and see what happens. Strike!”
Hoda did appreciate the 7-year-old’s take on school photos. “She’s got a creative daughter,” she said of the impromptu “beach scene.”
“She’s going to be a director!” said Hoda. Jenna added, “You’re going to be happy you have that photo.”