Shawn Johnson East, an Olympic gymnast, has had her fair share of challenges. She’s spent years willingly hurling her body onto a four-inch beam, suspended four feet in the air. Yet, she admits that parenting three young children is a whole new level of tough.
She’s juggling the needs of three kids under the age of five. In an exclusive interview with E! News, she confessed, “The hardest part? Catering to their attention needs.” She doesn’t say this for dramatic effect. She genuinely wants to give each of her three kids quality time. But, with three kids, time is a precious commodity that often has to be divided.
Shawn and her husband, Andrew East, have been married for nearly eight years. They’re doing their best to give individual attention to their four-year-old daughter, Drew, and their sons, Jett, 2, and Bear, 3 months. But it’s not always easy. “It’s sometimes sad,” she admits. “Drew wants attention, but I’m giving it to Jett. Or Jett wants it, but I’m giving it to Bear.”
She’s hopeful, though. “I know it will average itself out,” she says. But, for now, they’re still figuring out the logistics. It’s a balancing act, and they’re learning as they go.