Seth Meyers has opened up about his experiences with “gentle parenting” styles.
The 50-year-old father of three joined co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on the Today show to discuss his new special, “Dad Man Walking.” In the stand-up special, which premieres October 26 on HBO and Max, Meyers candidly talks about his parenting philosophy and navigating marriage with wife Alexi Ashe, 41.
The couple, who were married in 2013, share three children: sons Ashe, eight, and Axel, five, and daughter Adelaide, two.
When asked how he chooses to parent, Meyers confessed that he’s unlike his own father Lawrence, who he described as a “drop the hammer,” or strict parent.
“Every time I ‘drop the hammer,’ my kids just think it’s funny,” he admitted, before explaining how he was “afraid” of his father.
Meyers recalled: “The other day I was driving, and my kid was in the backseat with his friend, and I was getting frustrated, and my son said this to his friend, ‘Oh, watch this my dad’s about to lose it, it’s hilarious.’”
To his children, Meyers is not scary at all. In fact, the Saturday Night Live alum believed it’s because we’re in a “different era” of parenting, in which it’s abnormal for kids to be terrified of their parents’ aggressive authority.
While he’s not a “drop the hammer” dad, the late night host went on to explain that he’s not necessarily succeeding in being a “gentle” father either.
“I’m just getting no results from my gentle parenting,” he said, noting that his kids give him “high marks” for his gentle parenting techniques.
Meyers also shared that he and his wife hand out “strikes,” or warnings to their children. However, the couple have yet to decide on a confirmed punishment, and instead they’ve come up with “soft consequences” for too many strikes.
“I think they’re good kids, and I’m just probably not a great parent,” Meyers joked.
Elsewhere during his Today appearance, the comedian revealed his wife of 11 years has “veto” power over any stand-up material for his show, especially if it involves her. Ashe also helps her husband with “tags” for his jokes, improving his commentary to make it more hilarious.
Meyers and Ashe first met at fellow comedian Chris Kattan’s wedding in 2008. By 2013, the two were engaged and tied the knot that same year.
Three years after their nuptials, the couple welcomed their first son Ashe two weeks earlier than expected. Meanwhile, Axel was delivered in the lobby of their apartment building. When Ashe found out she was pregnant with their third child Adelaide, the pair decided to plan for a home birth in order to avoid unforeseen surprises.
