Giada De Laurentiis and her ex-husband, Todd Thompson, were all smiles while reuniting to celebrate daughter Jade’s college journey.
“Celebrating our girl yesterday before we send her off … we are sooo proud of you @jademarie_dlt — it’s time to go to college! 😭❤️,” De Laurentiis, 55, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 9.
De Laurentiis also shared a photo of her and Thompson standing on either side of Jade, 18, in front of a beach. In one image, De Laurentiis planted a kiss on Jade’s cheek as the teenager looked at the camera and smiled. De Laurentiis uploaded another image of the inside of the celebration, which featured silver balloons that read, “Jade.”
In a separate video, De Laurentiis was seen giving a speech to the attendees before embracing Thompson and Jade in a “group hug.”
De Laurentiis and Thompson welcomed their daughter, Jade, in 2008 before splitting in 2024. Last month, De Laurentiis opened up about spending time with her daughter before she heads to college.
“To be honest, I have really sad days, and then I have really happy days,” De Laurentiis exclusively shared with Us in July. “I’ve spent most of my summer hanging out with her because I’m trying to hold on. I think there’s part of me that’s like, ‘This is an exciting new chapter for her and for me,’ but it’s also sad that a 20-year span of being a mother is over.”
While De Laurentiis will stay in touch with her daughter online, she reflected on Jade being across the country in New York City while attending college at NYU.
“Yes, she can call me, but it’s much further [than California],” De Laurentiis said. “It’s OK, but I don’t think people talk about how it affects you, especially as a mother. It’s almost like your purpose is done. It’s weird.”
De Laurentiis shared that she believes parents need time to “mourn,” adding that distractions can help, but she still has “moments.”
“Just this 4th of July, there were moments where I was really sad,” she recalled. “I just looked at her. I’m like, ‘Oh, my God. I don’t know that I’ll have these moments like this again.’ She’ll probably have a boyfriend and friends and she’ll be off.”
De Laurentiis added that she has leaned on other parents and is comforted by the idea that she’s not alone while navigating her emotions.
“A lot of moms have said it’s kind of like when you have the first child,” she said. “It’s a shock to the system. … A lot of people have said it’s just another chapter. You’ve got to look at it as you have more freedom, too, at this point. She has more freedom, but so do you.”
