Jenna Bush Hager Reveals Why She Missed Her Kids’ First Day of School

Jenna Bush Hager opted out of an important milestone in her kids' lives.

During the Thursday, September 4, episode of TODAY With Jenna & Friends, the talk show host, 43, revealed she missed her children's first day of school because she was interviewing the parents of Camp Mystic victims.

The Texas native was upset she was absent from her family's exciting day but made sure to get the scoop afterward.

Bush Hager's kids — Mila, 13, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5 — marked the start of 7th grade, 4th grade and Kindergarten with an adorable snapshot holding signs.

"They had such a good day. I think, sometimes...we can't be at everything. To miss the first day is hard," she admitted. "But the other thing is kids are so resilient. Humans are so resilient. I called, and I'm like, 'Hey, how was the first day?' And Hal was like, 'It was so different than pre-K. Kindergarten is so much harder.'"

When Bush Hager spoke to Mila, she was already complaining about homework.

"Those kids are alright," the mom said.

Bush Hager skipped her kids' first day of school to sit down with seven Camp Mystic families who lost their children in the tragic floods on July 4.

"It was a beautiful conversation about loss and love, but also, there's glimmers of hope," she explained. "These families have come together and mobilized in two months. It's two months to the day since July 4. And a bill passed yesterday in Texas to keep camps safe. They did that. It's amazing to watch people in the midst and the depths of their grief worrying about others and coming together to do something."

The host praised the parents for showing others that "change is possible."

"Sometimes, we think, 'Gosh, our world is so polarized. It's so divided. We can't get anything done.' The truth is, when people come together, change can happen, and it's pretty remarkable," Bush Hager said.

The media personality grew up in Texas, and her mother, Laura Bush, was a drama counselor at Camp Mystic. The 43-year-old personally knows some of the people who lost their kids in this summer's tragic event.

"I know some of them really well. One of my best friends and his wife lost a daughter. I was at their wedding," she recalled. "Some friends that I went to high school with, a girl that I went to 3rd grade church with. I showed up, and one of the fathers, I was like, 'You look familiar.' He was like, 'We were in college together.' I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I remember you.'"

The TV star loves how "Texans support each other" and believes her two-hour conversation with the victims was "helpful" and "moving."