‘Today’: Al Roker’s Family Hit by Significant Life Change

Al Roker and his family are adjusting to a significant life change. The Today Show personality’s youngest son, Nick, is leaving home to attend college, according to Hello Magazine. This decision paves the way for Roker and his wife Deborah Roberts to be empty-nesters, with the house to themselves. Roker decided to use his status to seek advice on the topic from President Barack Obama himself. 

Roker and Roberts are parents to two children — daughter Leila, 23, and son Nick, 19. The weatherman also has a daughter, Courtney, 25, whom he shares with ex-wife Alice Bell. According to Hello Magazine, Leila has been living in Paris for the past several years. Now, their son Nick is set to move out to attend college. While in Washington D.C. to interview Obama for a Today Show special, he got some advice from the president, who is dealing with a similar situation with his two daughters, Malia and Sasha, whom he shares with Michelle Obama. 

Roker and Obama got to explore Virginia’s Great Falls National Park, during which the topic turned to their children. The Today Show personality asked the president, “Our son Nick is getting ready to go to college, he’s about to leave. You’ve been through it, do you have any tips for us as far as empty nesting?” Naturally, Obama had some excellent advice for Roker and didn’t mince words as he said, “First tip is, you are going to weep copiously when you drop Nick off at college, but you can’t let him see you cry, so you drop him off, and then you quickly leave, and then you cry in the car.”

Obama also tackled the topic with a bit of humor, suggesting,  “Try to bribe them with nice trips… so that they show up.” He took a more serious turn as he shared advice from wife Michelle, saying, “Our job as parents is to teach our kids not to need us. It hurts, but when you see them as accomplished, confident, kind, thoughtful, responsible people, you’ve done your job.”

Roker has posted numerous snaps from his discussion with Obama, which will air on Monday on the NBC program. He even posted a snap of himself, the president, and the crew who captured their chat. Alongside the photo, which was taken amid their hike at Great Falls National Park, Roker wrote, “These are the talented folks who lifted me up so that I sounded halfway intelligent in my conversation with President @barackobama on Monday.”