Hoda Kotb’s Heartwarming First-Day-of-School Snap with Daughters Leaves Fans Smiling

Quick Smiles:

• Former Today host Hoda Kotb marks a joyful milestone as her daughters start 4th and 2nd grade.
• Co-parents Hoda and Joel Schiffman stand together, showing kids that family love endures every season.
• Hoda’s choice to step back from morning television now lets her witness precious everyday moments she once missed.

With backpacks freshly packed and smiles shining, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine Kotb headed off for their first day of school on September 8, 2026. Hoda Kotb posted a tender family snapshot on Instagram that instantly lifted spirits across social media.

“It’s here! First day of school. 4th and 2nd grade! Whaaaatttt?” Hoda wrote.

The girls stood between their proud parents, dressed in bright new outfits and radiating equal parts excitement and the bittersweet end-of-summer blues. Both Hoda and Joel Schiffman joined the send-off, proving that teamwork still defines their parenting journey.

“It’s really cool to just realize that there’s so much more to life,” she says. “I wasn’t able to bear witness to my kids’ daily lives because of what I was doing. I got to see Haley sing ‘What a Wonderful World’ at 9:15 a.m. — I would have missed that. I used to think life was the big things, but it really is all the stuff that happens in between,” Hoda told People.

Since stepping away from the Today show in January 2025, Hoda has embraced the quieter rhythms of home life. The extra hours have been especially meaningful as she helps Hope manage Type 1 diabetes, diagnosed in 2023.

“She is a happy, healthy, rambunctious, amazing kid, and we have to watch her. Diabetes is a part of her, but not all of her. I hope it shapes her but never defines her,” Hoda said.

Fans quickly filled the comments with gratitude for the wholesome scene.

“Both of you taking the girls to school no matter what the situation may be, will be something the girls will forever remember,” a fan wrote.

This person agreed, writing, “It’s so great to see you and Joel doing all these special things together.

Source