Hoda Kotb Reflects on Childhood Moves as She Prepares Daughters Haley and Hope to Relocate for a New School

"It was a challenging adjustment," she said of moving to Nigeria in the fourth grade

Hoda Kotb is opening up about how her family's journey is helping her adapt to change.

In this week's episode of her podcast, Making Space, the Today co-anchor shared insights into how she's been preparing her two daughters — Haley Joy, 7, and Hope Catherine, 4 — for a significant move.

"My kids and I are gearing up to relocate to a new area for a different school, and it got me thinking about my own experiences growing up and how frequently we moved," Kotb, 59, said while speaking to her guest, Arthur Brooks.

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Related: Hoda Kotb Shares Photos from 'Beautiful' Beach Vacation with Daughters Haley and Hope: 'Magical Nights'

Reflecting on her own childhood, Kotb revealed to the author that she, too, had experienced frequent moves, which motivated her to impart similar lessons to her children. "I remember when my parents relocated us to Nigeria when I was in fourth grade, it was a shock. The language was unfamiliar, everyone seemed different, and it was a challenging adjustment. And then again in sixth grade," she shared.

"It’s interesting because now, as an adult, the stories I share are about how I persevered or coped. Yet, as I prepare my children, I feel this instinct to shield them from experiences they might actually benefit from," she continued.

Brooks, who also serves as a faculty member at Harvard Business School, advised Kotb on how to support her daughters through the transition by encouraging them to imagine themselves as longtime residents of their new location. He also suggested practical steps, such as arranging private gatherings at her home to facilitate meeting new people.

"It's a total game-changer because it accelerates the adjustment process," Brooks remarked.

Related: Hoda Kotb's Daughters 'Have No Idea' How Famous She Is: They Ask 'How Do They Know You?' (Exclusive)

Earlier in the month while attending the Hudson River Park Friends 8th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon in New York City, the journalist told PEOPLE more about her relationship with her daughters.

During the conversation, she shared how her daughters don’t understand why she gets recognized in public. “They do ask me often, ‘How do they know you?’ because we're walking and somebody will ask a question. And I go, ‘I don't know, probably the grocery,’ ” Kotb said.

“[They ask,] ‘How does that lady know your name? That lady knew my name!’ I go, ‘Probably because you met her in Kidville,' " she added, explaining that her daughters also “have no idea” that she works on television, “but they do know it's Mommy's office.”

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