Former gymnast Shawn Johnson East is returning to the Olympics, this time as a spectator with her husband and three young children.
The 32-year-old, famous for winning four medals – including gold on the balance beam at the 2008 Beijing Games – is now a mother of three whose travels look a little different these days.
“I've always said that when you set your expectations for traveling with kids, it's work, it usually goes really well,” she said. Travel + Leisure In a recent interview, I think people struggle with traveling with kids when they think, 'Oh, I couldn't relax on the plane.' That's not going to happen with kids!”
His keys to preparation? Films, toys, activities and the awareness that children also “want to see new things”.
“They want to go with mommy and daddy, they want to play and they want to do all these things,” she said.
Shawn Johnson
Window or hallway?
Window
What are your favorite Olympic Games you've ever attended?
London (in 2012). It was an accessible and easy city to get around. And I met my brother-in-law at the London Olympics. He set me up on a blind date with my husband.
A special item you can't travel without
As a mom, are there any that still belong to me? I was going to say my children's blankets, because if we forget that, my life is at stake.
Tip to overcome jet lag?
I think you have to keep moving. When we did the Greek Islands cruise, the time change worked perfectly. On the way there, I don't know how, but our kids slept better than ever. On the way back, our kids were up at 2 a.m. for a week. By 4 a.m. every day, we were at the park, had breakfast, and were ready to start our lives. I would say remember that it's a phase. It's not permanent. So when you're frustrated, it's not going to stay that way forever. Just try to embrace it. Do things. It's a fun time.
My favorite gymnastics stuntWatch all of Simone's great tricks.
Johnson, who has already traveled to Paris with her husband — former NFL player Andrew East, whom she met at the London 2012 Games — will attend the Games with her family and also visit some kid-friendly attractions, including Disneyland, she told T+L.
“We could try to see some art, but I can't imagine my kids liking that,” she said, noting that she will also be at the games as part of her job with Yahoo Sports.
She usually knows how to keep her kids—daughter Drew, 4, son Jett, 2, and son Barrett, just a few months old—occupied in a new place. Her best advice for traveling with three kids under 5? Find the best playgrounds wherever you’re going, and pack plenty of activities for the flight, including coloring books, movies, snacks, and nonstick play dough.
She also tries not to be too scheduled. They plan accommodations but don’t schedule rigid activities because of the unpredictability of traveling with kids. She said they keep a list of activities, restaurants and sights, which allows them to be flexible from day to day.
Johnson and East, who currently live in Nashville, have already taken their young children on numerous trips, including annual mission trips and a cruise to the Greek islands from Israel.
And just because they're traveling doesn't mean they're giving up their everyday lifestyle, including healthy eating. While her daughter may have just discovered croissants (a French staple, of course), healthy eating is a big part of her family's lifestyle, which is why the Dancing with the stars champion recently teamed up with Barilla Protein+® Pasta.
As a mom of young kids who only ate pasta, she was desperate for a little extra protein. When she received the high-protein pasta—with 17 grams of protein per 100g serving—in a PR box, she was thrilled and even happier when her kids loved it.
Courtesy of Barilla
“I was like, ‘This is awesome.’ Now we have big pasta nights every Saturday, and it’s so much healthier, which I love,” she told T+L.
And while she may swap pasta for a baguette in Paris, Johnson is eager to see what the 2024 U.S. team has in store for her.
“All the big events, of course,” she replied when asked which events she was particularly looking forward to. “Basketball, swimming, athletics, but also horse riding, taekwondo, table tennis, jousting, all of them!”
