Hoda Kotb shared a deeply personal confession about her fears of being an older mom to her two daughters Haley, five, and Hope, three.
The Today show star, 57 – who adopted her kids with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman – revealed her worries about not being around long enough to see her children grow up as she admitted she often wonders "how much time" she has left with them.
WATCH: Inside Hoda Kotb's family life
"One of the scary parts about being an older mom is wondering how much time you have. That is a big thought and worry," she told her co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, this week. "You do the math a lot and that's something I don't like doing because it's scary."
Hoda did admit that a recent visit from her own mother, Sameha Kotb, left her feeling somewhat hopeful, explaining: "My mom came to visit me and I looked at her and I said, 'At least 30 years more. At least.'
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"That's 35 for Haley. That's 33 for Hope," she added, getting emotional. "But that makes me feel very full."
© NBCHoda became emotional while sharing her fears
Weighing up the pros and cons of her late arrival to motherhood, Hoda said: "As an older mom, I think there are a lot of other beautiful parts and challenges too. I see all the good parts about being an older mom.
"Like, I'm in my own skin, I know who I am, I've got much more patience and love and all that stuff. But along with that also comes the fact that you're an older mother.
"You can't help it — sometimes people will come up and say, 'Wait, you're their mother?' And it gives you this pause for a second. And your kids look around like, 'Huh? What are you talking about?' It's a tough thing to do."
© Photo: InstagramHoda shares her adopted children with ex-fiance Joel Schiffman
Hoda added: "I remember thinking, 'Why does that bother me? I'm not embarrassed to be [my age]. I'm happy I'm my age. It's the perfect storm of my life. Two kids, this time, this job.
"Someone was saying, 'It gets greatest later' — it does get greater later, but in between, there are these moments that you feel an ouch."
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