Kathie Lee Gifford Shares the One Parenting Lesson She Taught Her Kids That They’re Instilling in Their Own Children

Kathie Lee Gifford’s grandchildren are following in her footsteps in the best way possible.

During the Wednesday, Jan. 21 episode of Making Space with Hoda Kotb, the former Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee host, 72, opened up about her life as a grandmother. She revealed that her grandchildren, whose ages range from 4 months to 3 years old, are learning an invaluable lesson that she instilled in her now-adult children, Cassidy, 32, and Cody, 35, when they were kids.

“Yesterday I was out to lunch. Cody’s little boy Frankie is 3½, and little Ford just turned 2, and all the waitstaff comes by, and they both put out their hands out to everybody to go, ‘Nice to meet you!’ ” she recalled while imitating their handshake.

When host Hoda Kotb, 61, noted that the little one’s manners are something she remembers from Gifford’s own children, the proud mom of two added her grandkids have gone “beyond that” now. She explained that they are showing even more traits, such as making eye contact and wishing people well.

Gifford is a grandmother of five. Her son Cody welcomed three children, Faith, 4 months, Ford, 2, and Frankie, 3, with his wife Erika Brown, while her daughter Cassidy is a mother to daughter Rosie May, 6 months, and son Finn, 2, with her husband Ben Wierda.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Gifford shared that “one of the most joyful things in my life” is witnessing her children become parents.

“I think that’s one of the most joyful things in my life is watching my children be such amazing parents,” she said, before referring to her late husband, Frank Gifford. “If Frank and I did anything right, it would be that.”

After news broke that the former Today host’s daughter Cassidy welcomed her second baby, Gifford told PEOPLE she’s excited to have a new little girl in the family, especially since she’s Gifford’s first granddaughter.

“Babies are the last great miracle left in life. They never cease to amaze you, astound you and delight you,” Gifford said at the time. “I am so in love already with this precious little girl!”

“I can’t even believe I am saying the word ‘girl’ cause I got so used to ‘boys,’ and I love our boys, but this girl is gonna rule the roost. She is going to rule the whole world,” she continued. “She is drop-dead beautiful like her mommy and as sweet as can be.”

“I love to tell people that this is the first time in history that a baby has been born bigger than her mother,” Gifford explained. “Cassidy is 5’ 3½” and the baby was 9 lbs 3 oz. It’s just unbelievable. She is as gorgeous and sweet as Cassidy. She is so happy because she is so healthy and so loved.”

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Last July, Gifford opened up to PEOPLE about her special relationship with her grandsons.

“I’m just so grateful for them. They’re precious and they give me a purpose to get up every morning when everything else is just not the same for me,” Gifford told PEOPLE. “Life is just so different and I just try to find joy when I can find it.”

“And the only place I can really find it is in the Word of God and in my grandsons,” she continued.