Jenna Bush Hager‘s mother and twin sister joined her on Today With Jenna & Friends Tuesday for a touching segment to celebrate the publication of the new book she wrote with her sister, I Loved You First.
Barbara Bush Pierce (who is currently guest hosting Today with her twin sister) and former First Lady Laura Bush were discussing the joys of motherhood with Bush Hager when they touched upon the more difficult teen stages.
“I think what’s so fun is that every stage is so wild,” Jenna said.
“And what stage is two 13-year-old girls?” Laura asked, prompting them all to laugh.
Jenna attempted to defend herself and her sister by claiming, “We were pleasant!” But Laura continued, “That’s when daddy would say, ‘I’m always gonna love you no matter what. Stop trying to make me not love you.’”
Jenna and Barbara agreed. “Teens can be tricky,” Jenna said, as Barbara added, “We were spicy.”
At the start of the episode, the twins shared their new cover story for People magazine and reflected on how far they’ve come since the last time they graced the cover when their father was still in the White House.
“It’s not our first time on the cover of People magazine,” Barbara pointed out.
Jenna wasted no time in sharing a photo of the June 2001 issue that showed the sisters after they were arrested for underaged drinking. “Oops! They did it again,” the cover reads. “Caught trying to sneak a drink, Barbara and Jenna face ‘disappointed’ parents.”
Jenna was busted twice for underage drinking when her father was president. After her second arrest, the White House described the incident as a “private family matter” and declined to comment. But the sisters were still subjected to a whirlwind of public scrutiny. She has long said her parents allowed her and her sister the chance to live their own lives.
In an interview with People, Jenna said “the absolute best blessing” her parents gave her and her sister was “the freedom just to be ourselves and to make mistakes.”
Today with Jenna and Hoda airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.
