EXCLUSIVEGold Medalist Shawn Johnson East Admits Balancing 3 Kids and Work Is 'Hard' — Especially During an Olympic Year
Shawn Johnson East may not be competing in the 2024 Olympic Games, but she'll be right on the sidelines providing some expert commentary.
Plus — her husband, Andrew East, their daughter, Drew, 4, and their sons, Jett, 3, and Barrett, 7 months, are all going to be right there with her!
Shawn Johnson East shares three kids with her husband, Andrew.
"I can't believe it's here. I am glad I'm not a competing athlete because I'm nervous and I have nothing [as important] to do," Shawn quips during an exclusive chat with OK! about her partnership with Dairy Queen in support of the ice cream company's campaign with Children's Miracle Network. "I'm working for Yahoo Sports in a social deliverable way. So I'll be doing analytical reviews after the fact."
On July 25, just one day before the Olympics officially begin, all participating U.S. Dairy Queen locations will be donating $1 or more to local children’s hospitals through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for every Blizzard treat sold on Miracle Treat Day.
Shawn Johnson is partnering with Dairy Queen to support their campaign with Children's Miracle Network.
"I absolutely love this partnership. I love working with DQ and seeing their partnership with Children's Miracle Network. I've worked with Children's Miracle Network on the other side for many, many years and know just how beneficial the partnership is," she explains, noting the two companies together have raised "over $180 million toward Children's Miracle Network, which is amazing."
"I've traveled to different hospitals and seen how beneficial the fundraising is. So things like Miracle Treat Day is a no brainer. Who doesn't wanna go to DQ and get a blizzard treat?" says Shawn — who promised to let her children enjoy some ice cream on the special occasion.
Being able to blend her work and home lives is likely helpful for Shawn — who most recently welcomed her baby boy Barrett in December 2023.
The retired gymnast admits balancing work and three kids is "hard — especially in an Olympic year, it's really hard because I feel like we're a lot busier than normal."
For every Blizzard Treat sold at participating Dairy Queens on July 25, $1 or more will be donated to local children’s hospitals through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Shawn reflects: "But we work really hard to find a balance and to make sure that when things start feeling out of whack, we say no, we take time off. We turn things down. Our babies are our life and we just want to protect that."
"That's the reason why we're taking our kids with us to Paris," Shawn shares. "Because we were going to work and we can't be gone that long from them. So they're going with and they're going to see their first Olympics."
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Shawn and Andrew's three little ones are "most excited about Disneyland, Paris," however.
Shawn, on the other hand, is "really excited to see her "USA gymnastics girls."
2008 gold medalist Shawn Johnson East is headed to the Olympics as a commentator this year.
"[Watching] Simone [Biles] go and have this redemptive year after Tokyo, especially with everything she's worked through and worked on is amazing — and she's still the greatest of all time. She always has been, of course," expresses Shawn of what she is most looking forward to. "Seeing Suni Lee's health journey and the way she was told she might never compete again and now she's back on the Olympic team. Jade Carey is a repeating Olympian, Jordan Chiles is a repeating Olympian."
"Hezly Rivera — so young and cute and amazing and a strong competitor," Shawn gushes. "I'm just really excited to see all of them and how their journeys play out at the Olympics. I think it'll be really special."
Shawn additionally plans to spend time with one of the USA gymnastic team's head coaches Alicia Sacramone Quinn, who was also on the 2008 gold medal-winning Olympic team, and their fellow former teammate Nastia Liukin.
While it will be a memorable vacation for her family, the mom-of-three is admittedly "terrified to take my kids abroad."
Shawn Johnson East admitted managing three kids is 'hard.'
"Are you kidding? My worst fear is that I'm gonna lose them in Paris," she says with a laugh.
Overall, "a lot of chaos" comes with having a trio of kids under the age of 5, "but it's amazing," Shawn insists. "I could not have imagine our life without three. But I will say three kids is a lot. It has been the hardest transition, but we're figuring it out."
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"Seeing how different" all of her babies are has been the most special part of motherhood for the 2008 Olympic gold medalist.
"It's so special and cool to see each one of them evolve into their own little person and their own little hobbies and their own little passions and personalities," she details. "It's the most rewarding thing as a parent to see them light up and become their own. It's been really cool."
Fans interested in learning more about DQ's partnership with Children's Miracle Network can download the DQ App to learn more and get reminders, so they don’t miss out on this fan-favorite event. Don’t forget to use #MiracleTreatDay on social media!
