Sheinelle Jones Says She Was Purposefully Keeping Her 3 Kids Out of the Public Eye Before They Surprised Her on Live TV
Sheinelle Jones Says She Was Purposefully Keeping Her 3 Kids Out of the Public Eye Before They Surprised Her on Live TV
Kayla GrantWed, April 15, 2026 at 6:54 PM UTC
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Sheinelle JonesCredit: Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com/Shutterstock -
While co-hosting Today with Jenna and Sheinelle, Sheinelle Jones shared that she intentionally kept her kids out of the spotlight to protect their privacy
The daytime talk show host shares her three children with her late husband Uche Ojeh
On a recent episode of the talk show, Jones' three children surprised her for the release of her new book
Sheinelle Jones is sharing why she kept her children away from the spotlight.
While co-hosting Today with Jenna and Sheinelle, the doting mom of three, 47, revealed that she intentionally kept her three kids out of the spotlight until they surprised her on the show this week. Jones shares that she's a "mama bear" and "very protective" over her children, but it was "one of the most special moments of my life."
"The truth of the matter is, honestly, I'm a mama bear, a mama lion," she said. "I'm very protective of them, so the pictures over the last year and a half that I've released or we show, they're little."
"So yesterday when they walked out, it was like, 'Oh!' And even for me, it was like, 'Look at these boys. They're turning into young men,' " she continued. "And Clara was so sweet. It was just one of the most special moments of my life."
Sheinelle Jones being surprised by her kids on 'Today with Jenna and Sheinelle'Credit: NBC
Jones shared more about the moment, noting that she saw how proud her kids were of her for finishing the book after everything they've been through as a family.
"We've just been through so much, and I could see in their faces that they're proud of me," she said. "You know, as moms, we don't really get that."
"The night before, Clara was annoyed because — I forgot what I did — oh, I was at an event, and she was at dance class, and we got our wires crossed, and let me tell you something, when you're the last one to leave dance class," she said, trailing off at the end before continuing her thought. "So I was in time out. I was in trouble. So, I saw her yesterday, I was like, 'Am I not in trouble?'"
Jones welcomed her three children with her late husband, Uche Ojeh, who died at 45 in May 2025, after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer called Glioblastoma. The proud mom and Ojeh wed in 2007 and had their son, Kayin, in August 2009. Twins Clara and Uche joined the family in July 2012.
In April 2026 — four months after she was named Bush Hager's Today show co-host — her kids surprised her on the set while she was proudly promoting the release of her book, Through Mom's Eyes. Jones broke down in tears as they presented her with flowers and expressed how proud they are of her.
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"Words can’t even describe it. I’m so happy for you, Mom," Kayin told his mom. "You’ve worked on this since quarantine. We’ve had the ups and downs. I mean, I remember when you lost your computer, it broke even … We’ve obviously gone through so much and I’m so happy for you."
Uche Jr. added, "I feel like her compassion and kindness to everybody she’s around just has such a great effect on everybody."
Sheinelle Jones and her kids, Kayin, Clara and Uche, on April 27, 2023 on 'Today'.Credit: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty
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Her daughter then gave the new book her stamp of approval, noting that she's read it.
"It’s good!" the preteen shared. "I remember I was on the plane, and it was in her bag, and there were no TVs on the flight, her phone was dead. And I was like, ‘I want to read your book.’ So I read it and I actually really liked it. It was so good."
Back in January, the mom of three also shared a special moment with her children when she graced the cover of PEOPLE. She spoke with Bush Hager about how her kids reacted to seeing their mom on the cover.
"So last night I sat them down. I'm like 'guys, I have to tell you something,' " she told Bush Hager, adding that she didn't want her children to randomly see the coverage on their way to school in the morning. "They were like, 'Let's see it. Let's see it.' And I showed it to them, and my little guy's like, 'You look good, mom.'"
Jones continued, "And, then they flip through it, and when they see 'facing loss and fighting for joy' again, my hope is that they'll do the same thing."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
