Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade are sharing some of their parenting tips and say that they teach their 4-year-old daughter Kaavia James confidence with music and affirmations.
The 50-year-old actress and 41-year-old retired NBA star shared some parenting tips in a recent issue of Parents magazine, where they revealed that Kaavia leads a dance party each morning before going to school. The couple uses lyrics from the song “I Look Good” by rapper Chalie Boy to boost their little girl’s confidence and get her day going.
“We want her to feel joy walking out the door,” Union said, adding that she also plays “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack as well as “Walking on Sunshine” from the British band Katrina and the Waves for her little girl.
Wade noted that the couple has learned a lot from parenting his older children; 16-year-old daughter Zaya, 21-year-old son Zaire, 9-year-old son Xavier, and his 21-year-old nephew, Dahveon.
“I want to keep evolving. It’s a learning curve,” shared Wade. He went on to share that he makes it a priority to let his daughter know she’s beautiful.
“I make sure she knows that her skin, eyes, nose, and lips are beautiful. Because if it doesn’t come from me, the man in her life, what can someone else tell her that she’s going to believe? I want her to believe what I know is true,” Wade continued, adding that the couple encourages positivity within their children.
“We are pushing positivity inside our kids every day because outside of these doors, they’re gonna get beat down and beat up. It’s our job to lift them. I pick up Kaav like Simba and walk around, saying, ‘Princess Kaavia,’ and get everybody to clap. I want her to feel like she’s a princess.”
“We center Blackness,” added Union. “As opposed to treating it as something that needs to be explained. We are wonderful because of who we are. We taught her this affirmation that’s from a hip-hop song and it says, ‘oh my mama/ on my hood/ I look fly/ I look good.’ And that’s how we end the day,” she said of the Chalie Boy song.
Union has previously shared her positive parenting affirmations on social media. Back in March, the “Bad Boys II” actress shared a video on Instagram of herself and her daughter exchanging affirmations in front of the mirror.
“Tell me what do you love about your hair?” Union asked Kaavia who replied, “OK, I love my beautiful hair.”
Fans reacted to the couple’s positive affirmation including one fan who wrote, “I love the way you guys are with Kaavia raising such a confident little girl.”
A second individual wrote, “That’s what I’m talking about baby, she knows the assignment!!!!”
Union currently stars in the Netflix film “The Perfect Find,” and Wade will soon be hosting a new game show called “The Cube” on TBS. As for Kaavia, the girl will soon be back in school.
