Even at 4, Savannah Guthrie's daughter Vale doesn't want to miss a single moment of fun.
The TODAY anchor shared with People a story about why Vale was so reluctant about heading to preschool recently.
“I tried to ask her, ‘Well, why do you not want to go to school?’ She said, ‘I want to stay home with you and Charley and Daddy,’" Savannah said.
Turns out, Vale feared leaving home because she didn't want to miss out on any fun that her 21-month-old brother, Charley, might have in her absence.
“She had total FOMO," Savannah said, using the acronym for the social condition "fear of missing out." "She thought that this whole party was going on without her while she’s off at school.”
But Vale was convincingly reassured that her brother would be attending preschool, too, while both of their parents would be hard at work.
“I’m like, ‘Nobody will be here. You’re not missing anything.’ Then she felt better about it,” said Savannah, who is about to publish her second children’s book, “Princesses Save the World.”
Although it took some time for Vale to move past feeling like Charley "was moving in on her territory,” she now has become very protective of her little brother, Savannah said.
“If there’s something small — a little Lego piece on the floor — she’ll be like, ‘Mommy, this piece is too small. Charley could choke on it,’” Savannah said. “I feel like she’s turning into the big sister I always knew she could be.”