SHAWN JOHNSON EAST REFLECTS ON "FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT" OF BRINGING HER KIDS TO THE 2024 OLYMPICS
Sixteen years after Shawn Johnson East won a gold medal on beam at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, she's coming back for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Things look a little different for Shawn these days, who is covering the Games as a correspondent for Yahoo Sports. The mom of three is bringing her kids, Drew, Jett and Barrett, as well as her husband, former NFL player Andrew East, along for the ride.
"I have never been to the Olympics with my husband and our kids," Shawn told Good Housekeeping when asked what she's most looking forward to about Paris. "We've never gotten to go to a Games together, and I think being able to go back to the Olympics as a full family is this really cool, really special full-circle moment."
For her kids, ages 4, 2 and 6 months, the best part of the trip will take place outside of the Olympic Stadium. "At the Olympics, my kids are most excited about Disneyland Paris, which is comical," Shawn says. As for the Olympics themselves, that remains to be seen.
"They're very curious. We watch a lot of sports on TV at home, introducing them to different things. I think they'll go to an event and enjoy it for about 10 minutes," Shawn laughs.
With Andrew, Shawn hopes that "being able to show him [the Olympics] from my point of view" will be a special experience for them both. Shawn also shared some behind-the-scenes intel from her own Olympics, when asked about her favorite memory of 2008.
"I remember the gymnastics team sitting in our apartment in the Olympic Village, and we were having a gummy bears war. Chucking them at each other, eating them. I love that memory because it truly shows how young we were. We were kids, we were babies," she recalls.
"A lot of people think we're grown adults, but I was 16 years old and I missed my mom and dad and I missed home. I had never done laundry before," Shawn added. "It's really interesting now as a 32-year-old mom to think back. I was truly just a baby, and it was such a naive, beautiful experience."
These days, Shawn's fitness routine consists mainly of HIIT workouts, or high intensity interval training. "A lot of weights, a lot of kettlebells, short circuits. I love it. I love lifting weights, that's what makes me feel strong and good," she shares. As for her must-have gym bag item? Resistance bands. "I feel like it's the easiest thing to travel with and get a resistance training in."
And a must-have item in her diaper bag? "Diapers," she says with a laugh. "Wipes. Mom of three, there's really nothing else you take anymore. With my first kid I took everything, now we don't need anything but a diaper."
Shawn, who is partnering with Barilla Protein+ Pasta to celebrate "everyday athletes," also reveals that her kids are "obsessed" with "butter noodles," a dish she actually makes with olive oil, garlic powder and salt. "Because it has so much protein in it, I now feel so confident and comfortable giving this to them whenever they want, because it is balanced," she adds.
As many fans know, Shawn doesn't shy away from detailing her own experiences as a parent and partner. She and Andrew speak candidly about relationships and family on their podcast, Couple Things with Shawn and Andrew. The pair regularly showcase silly and serious moments on social media, occasionally featuring their kids. But when Shawn points out the best parenting advice she's ever received, she makes it clear that she doesn't believe there is a single "right" way to raise kids. "Every parent parents differently, and that's OK," she says.
As a retired gymnast and former NFL player, Shawn and Andrew are fully supportive of their kids' athletic interests. "Right now, our kids love sports. They love being active, which makes sense; we're very active," she says. "My daughter is in love with ice skating right now. My son is in love with motorcycles." While Shawn admits that it's scary to see her 2-year-old son riding motorcycles, she's using it as a lesson. "I've learned with all three kids, it's so important to foster their passions. Most parents hold their kids back — I even hold my kids back on things because I get nervous. But seeing his abilities and his curiosity and seeing what happens when I encourage him... I have to bite my tongue, put a full face helmet on him and he just thrives."
Above all, her number one piece of advice is to "prioritize your life." After having three kids, she shares, "it was really evident that family is our biggest priority. But sometimes work took the priority instead, and we just had to fix it... We spend the majority of our time with our kids, which is what we want."
Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Best Bedding Awards: Pillows