Ta-Nehisi Coates Quotes

My kids, they take a lot from me and I always come from an intellectual place. Like intellectually, not emotionally, and most people come from an emotional place and it's unfortunate.

I think our jobs as parents is to raise our children with empathy - to figure out who this little character is, almost from birth, and then guide them to fulfill their best potential.

Sometimes when family members least deserve love, they need it most. Love is not appropriately expressed in threats, accusations, expressions of disappointment, or retaliation. Real love takes time, patience, help, and continuing performances.

Be patient with the boys - you are dealing with soul-stuff.

Dad was the pitching coach, while Mom was the emotional supporter. Her unconditional love was great, and she wanted what was best for me. It was more about what she did than what she said, and she made sure I was the best I could be.

This part of being a man, changing the way we parent, happens only when we want it to. It changes because we are determined for it to change; and the motive for changing often comes out of wanting to be the kind of parent we didn't have.

Having family responsibilities and concerns just has to make you a more understanding person.

You cannot catch a child's spirit by running after it; you must stand still and for love it will soon itself return.

I think that the greatest lesson I learned from my father is just having compassion towards people.

You learn how to take care of people from the women in your life.

I got a lot of empathy from my mother growing up, and I think it prevented me from ever really just writing people off.

The biggest lesson I've learned from my children is to look in the mirror at myself, not at them. I've realized that everything I've done has had an impact on them. We have to understand that they are like little paparazzi. They take our picture when we don't want them to and then they show it to us in their behavior.

No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.

You have to see, kid by kid, what their needs are and what kind of parent you need to be for them.

I try to parent equally, but I think little girls are a little more sensitive.

I think what children need is love, security, stability, consistency, and kindness.

Teach my children to love! They'll learn to hate on their own.

It is impossible to treat a child too well. Children are spoiled by being ignored too much or by harshness, not by kindness.

My wife has taught me about unconditional love. When there's a conflict, there's never a thought that we won't work it out.

I realise that I have made quite a few of the same mistakes with my kids that my dad made: not so much in trying to determine their lives for them but in terms of trying to discipline them.

My father's special gift? I think for one it was his gentleness. The way that he could offer a heart in any given situation.

Steph's such a good dad for girls. He's super attentive, and he's, like, not too manly to get down on the floor and play with them and have a tea party.

Fatherhood has changed me, I've become more patient.

You can't go into parenthood as a battle wearing armour. It doesn't work that way.

Love knows how to forgive. Love cannot hurt and cannot be violent.