Hoda Kotb is marking a major family milestone.
The former host of *Today* recently revealed how she and her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman, told their daughters, Haley, 8, and Hope, 6, that they are adopted. The couple welcomed Haley in 2017 and Hope in 2019.
Hoda recently shared how she explained adoption to her children. Appearing on Today on September 23rd, she said she wondered how to best tell them the story. She started by saying, ‘You weren’t born in my tummy, you were born in my heart,’ and her kids responded positively, saying, ‘Oh, OK.’
As her daughters are growing up, Hoda wanted to share more details about how they were born.
I realized I needed to explain where babies come from in a simple way,” she remembered. “So I told them, ‘You actually grew inside another person’s tummy.’
I’ve always loved how my mom explained our adoption to us. She told us we had a “birth mother angel” – someone God chose to carry us so she could give us to her, our *real* mom. It was such a beautiful way to put it, and it always made us feel so loved and special.
In her recently released book, *Jump and Find Joy: Embracing Change in Every Season of Life*, 61-year-old author shares her experiences as an adoptive mother, describing it as a leap of faith into parenthood.
Hoda has often shared details about being a mother. She previously explained that wanting to spend more time with her daughters was the main reason she left her morning show job at NBC earlier in the year.
She explained on *Today* last year that having children later in life made her want to dedicate more of her time to them. She believes we all have a limited amount of time, and she wants to spend as much of it as possible with her kids.
Indeed, Hoda admitted the decision was difficult—but her daughters are her biggest priority.
She shared that her time in broadcasting had been incredibly fulfilling, and she was looking forward to a new chapter in her life. She explained she wanted to dedicate more time to her daughters and mother, and while she would miss her audience dearly, she felt prepared and enthusiastic about what was next.
For a deeper look into Hoda’s bond with her girls, keep reading…
The founder of Joy 101 marked the start of the 2025-2026 school year by walking her daughters, Haley and Hope, to school.
Hoda marked her first morning off from *Today* by driving her daughters, Hope and Joy, to school herself.
“School drop!!! Let’s goooo!” the longtime NBC anchor captioned her Jan. 13, 2025 Instagram.
Now that Hoda Kotb has announced her departure from *Today*, she’s enjoying a first Halloween with her children in their new home in the New York suburbs.
Haley and Hope match in cheerleader costumes.
Hoda got emotional as Haley and Hope surprised her with an early Mother’s Day gift.
As a lifestyle expert, I’m all about creating meaningful moments, and Hoda Kotb’s birthday sounded absolutely perfect! She celebrated surrounded by her whole family – her siblings Hala and Adel, her adorable nieces Hannah and Ella, her mom Sami, her daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine, and her fiancé Joel Schiffman. She described it as exactly the kind of birthday she loves, and honestly, it looked like a dream!
Hodaenjoys a day with her daughters Haley Joyand Hope Catherinearound New York City together.
Halloween was a success again this year! Hoda and her daughter celebrated by dressing up as their Sesame Street characters.
In this adorable photo from Halloween 2019, the mom from *Today* is spending time with her mother, who is also Haley’s grandmother.
The host shared this pic of her and her little one at a Sesame Street party in Oct. 2019.
The daytime talk show host spends a day splashing around the beach in Aug. 2019.
Haley Joy looks cute as a button celebrating her mom’s 55th birthday this past August.
In May 2019, Kotb shared a photo on Instagram of her daughter Haley lovingly feeding her newborn baby, Hope.
Kathie Lee Gifford, a longtime friend and former co-host of Hoda on Today, met Hope in early May and the two seemed to hit it off immediately, sharing smiles throughout the day.
Last month, the 55-year-old TV personality posted a family photo on Instagram with the caption, “This is us xo.”
Hoda Kotb shared the wonderful news that she’s welcomed a baby girl named Hope! She surprised her colleagues at the *Today* show by revealing she had adopted her second child in a heartwarming on-air announcement.
The TV host marked Valentine’s Day by celebrating her daughter Haley’s second birthday. She expressed her joy on Instagram, writing, “So much love today.”
The beaming TV personality spent Christmas with her mother, sister and daughter.
Haley celebrated her second Halloween by twinning with her mom in matching bee costumes.
In August of 2018, the mother-daughter duo spent an autumn day together picking apples.
“I can’t believe I get to do this .. #grateful” she wrote on her 54th birthday.
For Mother’s Day, Hoda Kotb from Today shared an adorable photo with her one-year-old daughter, Haley, who was wearing a sweet t-shirt that said “mama.”
A cheerful mom shared a sweet selfie on Instagram early Mother’s Day, excitedly saying that taking photos in bed before sunrise is a lot of fun.
In March 2018, the Oklahoma native celebrated her partner Joel Schiffman’s 60th birthday with their daughter and a cake she made herself.
The TV host excitedly posted ‘Home!!!!’ on Instagram after finishing two weeks of coverage at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Before heading to Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics, the TV personality enjoyed some quality time with her daughter, who was sporting a USA beanie.
Hoda and her child enthusiastically supported the New Orleans Saints as they played against the Minnesota Vikings on January 14th.
The journalist shared a Christmas selfie with her mom, partner, and child, excitedly captioning it with “Santa, we’re ready!”
Hoda attended the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with her partner and their daughter on November 23rd.
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2025-09-24 19:17