Shawn Johnson East Says Experiencing the Olympics With Her Family 'Is Better Than Any Gold Medal'
The Olympic gymnast gets real about being a parent of three, what dinner time is really like, and dishes on the 2024 Games.
Shawn Johnson on Family and Olympics
In this video, Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson sits down with Parents to discuss the joys and challenges in raising her three kids. Plus, Shawn talks about sharing both her olympic past and present with both her children and her husband in anticipation of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottIt's been 16 years since Shawn Johnson East won one gold and three silver medals in gymnastics for Team USA at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing."I've been telling people I remember being at the Olympics in 2008 thinking this is the epitome of success and joy in my life," Johnson East tells Parents.But when Johnson East heads to Paris next month to cover the 2024 Summer Games for Yahoo, it'll not only be the first Olympics she attends with her husband Andrew East, but also their three children Drew (4), Jett (2), and Bear (6 months)."I'm going back with my husband and kids, and it feels so much better—like this is better than any gold medal," Johnson East adds.She says she and Andrew met after she had retired from gymnastics, so she didn't get to share any part of her career with him.
Shawn Johnson East / Parents
"I think there is something really special about the Olympics that are so unique, and they're so grand," says Johnson East. "It was such a big pivotal part of my life that my husband didn't get to experience. To be able to kind of share that with him feels special. And being able to share that part of my life with my kids a little bit seems pretty cool."Johnson East says her daughter Drew does understand that her Mommy did gymnastics and is asking more questions. For the first time a few weeks ago, Johnson East says Drew asked to "watch mommy's gymnastics," which she says was a little weird.Traveling overseas to Paris with three kids in tow sounds like quite an undertaking. But Johnson East says they've been traveling with them since a very young age. She says Bear's first trip was when he was about 5 weeks old so they are used to flying.Shawn and Andrew East are also making sure athletes competing at the Olympics have help with childcare. They've started the Moment Makers Foundation and kicked it off with a grant for athletes who need assistance."What if I was competing this year, and we had our kids? And then it hit me that there are a lot of competing athletes who do have children," Johnson East says about how they came up with the idea for the grant. "And the logistics of that, in my mind, I was like if this is ever some sort of barrier for them to compete, or to feel comfortable, or to feel at all confident in their performance. I would hate that for them."
FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
Life Parenting Three Kids Under 4The last time Parents spoke with Shawn Johnson East, she was parenting two kids under 2 and guest starring on Blippi. Since then, Bear has joined their family. While Johnson East says one more does feel like a lot more, she feels like their family is complete."I can't even picture our family anymore without our third," she says. "He's the most perfect angel child addition to our family. But I will say three kids is a lot. Three kids is like, I never feel like I'm under control. And I guess it's just how it will be. But it's amazing."Johnson East says people did warn them about having three kids."I feel like it was pretty split. People are either like three will put you over the edge or three is just another. And I think because our kids are also so close, which is exactly how we wanted it. We want them to be close in age and close to each other," she adds.When asked what her kids do that makes her laugh, Johnson East says "everything" but especially listening to Jett string together words that don't always make sense. But he's learning, she says."I don't even know where he picked it up from because we don't use this term, but he says 'dang it' a lot. And I try not to give it attention because I don't want him to think it's funny, but it's like a thing right now," Johnson East explains.As for Drew, she's super into princesses, ice skating, and art."She's the ultimate girly girl. All she wants to do is do her makeup and have me braid her hair. And she wants to wear a new dress and try on mommy's heels," she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shawn Johnson East (@shawnjohnson)
Meal Time As A Family of FiveJohnson East has teamed up with Barilla Protein+ Pasta to celebrate "everyday athletes." These are people like caregivers, student-athletes, and other active folks who need the energy of an athlete in their lives. For Johnson East, those everyday athletes in her life are her kids."My 4-year-old and 2-year-old, they're just wild. They do everything. My 2-year-old son is in love with motorcycles. And yes, real [kid] motorcycles. And he drives one and it is the death of me. My daughter loves ice skating, and they're just active," she says.She said she was struggling to get protein into their diets and since they love pasta this partnership was a no-brainer for her. You'd think with three kids under 4 years old, dinner time would be chaos. But she says they do sit down for a family meal six days a week."I would say my 4- and 2-year-olds will last a solid five to 10 minutes at a table. And then they go play and my husband and I get 10 more minutes," says Johnson East.
Barilla Protein+®
2024 Paris Olympic GamesI could not interview Shawn Johnson East without talking about the upcoming Olympic games. She says she's really excited to watch the opening ceremony on the Seine River. But she's also excited to watch gymnastics in person."The last time I got to watch Olympic gymnastics in the arena was in 2016 in Brazil, and there's nothing like it," says Johnson East. "Obviously, it's sentimental to me thinking back to 2008, but watching these girls actually live out their dream is really powerful."There is one athlete that truly stands out in this Olympic cycle. But Johnson East couches her answer just a bit on whether she's a sure bet for the team. (The U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials has not yet happened at the time of writing.)"I think Simone Biles is the greatest athlete in the history of gymnastics. I don't think anybody will do this again, like she does. She has nothing to prove. I would love to see her on the team. But I think, you know, no pressure on her," she says.During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, we all watched as Biles withdrew from competition for her own safety and mental health. Since then she's made her mental health a priority."Putting her mental health first though and seeing how she's kind of paved that path for I think a lot of people is really special and really important," explains Johnson East. "There's this idea within Olympic sports that these athletes are machines, they are not human beings, they operate on a different level, which is true. But at the end of the day, they are humans and words can get to them and pressure can get to them. And prioritizing your mental health, as well as your physical health is just as important."We saw 2012 Olympic All-Around Champion Gabby Douglas try to make a comeback to the 2024 Games but it unfortunately fell short. She says she has an eye toward Los Angeles in 2028. But I ended our interview by asking Johnson East if she ever thought about making a comeback to the sport she loves."Do I miss it? Yeah, I think I'll always miss it. It was and is a passion of my life. That being said, no, I don't think I could have done a comeback. My career ended. And it was supposed to end," she says.
Barilla Protein+®
Bonus 17-Minute Workout From ShawnAs part of the collaboration with Barilla Protein+, Shawn Johnson East also helped create a 17-minute workout perfect for busy parents. (A nod to the 17 grams of protein found in a serving of the pasta.)"What we did for the 17 minutes is I chose 17 movements and did a minute of each," Johnson East explains. "That's a really easy way for anybody to do it, or grab five movements and do it three times each. Just something simple."Bodyweight good morningsAir squatsAlternate front lungesRight leg lunge pulse (45 seconds)Left leg lunge pulse (45 seconds)Glute bridge and pulse out with a resistance bandRight side fire hydrant with a resistance band (45 seconds)Left side fire hydrant with a resistance band (45 seconds)Forward bear crawl with a resistance bandReverse bear crawl with a resistance bandAlternate triceps pushbacks with a resistance band (30 seconds/arm)Left row with a resistance bandRight row with a resistance bandOverhead straight arm pulses with a resistance bandLying leg upsLying alternate toe taps Plank hold
For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings