Hoda Kotb Reveals Her Response After Her 6-Year-Old Daughter Asked to Wear a Crop Top

Hoda Kotb found herself thrown for a loop by 6-year-old daughter Haley’s surprising wardrobe request. During Monday’s episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, Kotb shared with co-host Jenna Bush Hager how she was able to handle her little girl’s recent request at wearing a crop top. 

“So Haley wants to wear a mid-drift. She asked me about a mid-drift,” said Kotb, who is also mom to 3-year-old daughter Hope. Bush Hager asked in response, “A crop top? She said, ‘Can I wear a crop top?’” to which Kotb explained, “She was walking down the street and she goes, ‘Hi, Mom,’ and she pulled [her shirt] up halfway. I go, ‘What are you doing?’ She’s like, ‘Nothing,’ and she’s giggling out of her mind.” 

When Bush Hager pointed out that crop tops are popular with teens and young adults, Kotb noted that she didn’t think Haley knew anyone in that age group on whom to base her style. “It’s weird! You want your kids to feel good in your own skin, but isn’t that a weird thing!” she admitted. When asked how she eventually responded, Kotb answered, “I said no. No, we’re not doing that.’”

“You know, I often wrestle with making your kid in charge or in control and then saying no,” she continued. “We always do the, ‘Do you want blueberries or raspberries? Do you want to wear pink or red, you pick! See, you can choose! See you have some control!’ Then I wonder, what are we doing? Even though that’s what parenting is now, sometimes you wonder if you have one choice…sometimes it has gotta be no, don’t you think?”

Kotb has shared her motherhood journey with fans since adopting Haley in 2017. Recently, the NBC personality opened up about that adoption process during the Just B with Bethenny Frankel podcast, remembering the moment she got the text from the woman at her adoption agency that would change her life forever. 

“I saw her name, I hung up the phone, I took a yellow pad out, and I wrote, ’11:55. This is the moment everything changes,’ I knew it,” she recalled. “And I took a deep breath and dialed the number, and I said, ‘Ashley?’ and she said two words to me. She said, ‘She’s here.’” Kotb continued through tears, “I don’t know what birth feels like, and I bet it was amazing, but this was really close. I remember that feeling like it was yesterday.”