Jenna Bush Hager Recalls Hurtful Comments and Says Her Body Is a 'Beautiful Thing' After Three Kids

Jenna Bush Hager opened up about hurtful comments and the kinds of people who make them in a discussion with Hoda Kotb

Jenna Bush Hager loves her body today, but that doesn't mean she's been immune to hurtful comments in the past.

While chatting about Ariana Grande addressing recent comments about her body in a rare, three-minute confessional, the Today co-host, 41, admitted to being hurt by comments about her body.

"It's so interesting because people really do hit you right where it hurts. I had a boyfriend in 7th grade who broke up with me after we went swimming together, after he saw me in a bathing suit," the mom of three recalled.

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"I feel like even sometimes now when I feel great — I have three kids, three C-sections, I feel really in my body, and I think of it as a beautiful thing — I'll walk in a pool and have a moment."

As the two hosts discussed people who make rude comments both online and in person, the children's book author agreed that it was important to them both as moms to have "loving children."

"All we want is loving children. We don't need the star kid, the this, the that. We want kids that are kind," she said, to which Kotb, 58, agreed. "The way you do that is model it, and there was a church service this weekend on Easter and they spoke about my grandfather. I had never heard this story, but I read it to my kids last night."

The story recalled the former president running an obstacle course at his day school, where he was among the fastest when he stopped to help a student who wasn't as athletically inclined.

"George stopped running, leaned down to free Bennett, costing him his precious time in the race itself. George and Bennett crossed the finish line together. Bennett tied Bush. He said it was the highlight of his life."

When asked why he did what he did years later, the late politician said it was "simply the right thing to do."

"I read it to my kids, I don't know if that's what you're supposed to do, but I want them to be the person who always helps someone out of a barrel," Bush Hager said.

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