'Kendra on Top' star Hank Baskett on family, fatherhood and more
"Kendra on Top" star Hank Baskett talked to Celebrity Baby Scoop about his family, fatherhood and more. Credit: Celebrity Baby Scoop
"Kendra On Top" star Hank Baskett is “honored and blessed” to host the 1st Annual Every Thing For Dads Convention on March 15 in Sarasota, Fla. The convention will be the launch of a long-term grassroots movement designed to raise awareness of the increasing need for dads to be involved in parenting and for their role to respected and recognized in the parenting process.
The proud papa opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about happy family life with wife Kendra Wilkinson and their 4-year-old “LEGO fanatic” son Little Hank. The former NFL star, 31, chats about possible baby names for their daughter-on-the-way, his “old school” relationship with Kendra, and their “complete” family once baby number two arrives.
Q. You are co-hosting the first annual Every Thing for Dads Convention. Tell us about the event.
I’m extremely honored and blessed to host the first-ever Every Thing for Dads Convention. You look at all the dads out there in the world and I was speechless when I found out I get to host the first one. When I told my dad, he reacted the same way. My definition of success whenever I die is going to be based on how I was described as a husband and a father. I live my life for my family, my son, and soon-to-be-born daughter. It’s an honor, because this type of award is not one you can just buy. The opportunity to host this is not something you can pay for; it’s earning the respect of your fellow fathers and peers. In my eyes, it’s probably one of the most prestigious awards that I’ve ever been given.
Q. How has fatherhood changed you?
First off, I get to be a kid again. I get to live vicariously through Hank. We’re building LEGOS all the time. I was a LEGO fanatic when I was a kid. When you have a child, it makes you appreciate the little things every day. You see things as your child is developing, especially at a younger age, that you don’t remember when you were a kid. It gives me a feeling of joy that little Hank is learning how to kick, learning how to throw, learning how to build, and has awe in his eyes every day he does something good. It gives me so much joy whenever Kendra and I are there to share it with him. When he says to you, ‘Look Papa at what I built!’ and when you see how proud he is, it makes you realize that as adults, people put too much emphasis on everything we have to do during the day.
Q. You and Kendra are expecting a girl this year. Congratulations! How has this pregnancy been for you and Kendra?
It’s been amazing. This was a little harder for her but also a little bit easier. During the first pregnancy, I was still in the NFL and we were traveling across the country nonstop. Having her house and building her camp in one spot has been amazing. It’s so much easier for the both of us and there’s so much that gets taken out of the decision from the first pregnancy. Overall, it’s been a blessing and it is great that Hank is old enough to understand that he’s going to have a baby sister and he gets to help and be involved. It’s just amazing to incorporate him as much as possible.
Q. Is Little Hank excited to become a big brother? How did he react to the news?
At first, he said, 'OK, I’m having a brother or sister.’ He was excited. Now, he’s really excited because we ask him what things he likes and what he wants to do with his baby sister. I also get to raise him now the way my father raised me — to always take care of your mom and take care of your sister. He is so excited to be a big brother and he knows he gets to help protect this little sister.
Q. Do you think you’ll be a different kind of dad with your daughter?
Oh, I told Kendra that all the loving and hugs I give her are going to be cut in half, because my little girl is going to have me wrapped around her little finger and I know it.
Q. Do you have any names picked out for your baby girl?
We’re all over the place. We’ve thrown out names like Jayden, Taylor, Addison, and Ashton. It’s been all over the place and we’re trying to narrow it down, but you know little things happen while we research baby names and whatnot. We want to raise a little tomboy but we want her to be our little princess on the other side. Jayden is one of the first names we thought of, and we thought of that a while back.
Q. What is Little Hank into these days? Could you tell us about his personality and hobbies?
Oh, he’s such a sweet kid. This little kid just makes your heart melt like butter. He says, ‘Hey Daddy, I picked a rose out front. I’m going to give you and my baby sister a flower every day.’ This made Kendra say, ‘Awe, you’re sweeter than your dad.’ Which made me say, ‘No, dad has been teaching him right [laughs].’ He loves to build and loves LEGOs. He creates these magnetic shapes and I’m so impressed that every day he can build bigger and better. It makes me think, ‘Wow! We have a little architect on our hands.
Q. Does he like football like his dad?
He likes all sports and he just started his first soccer practice. He is also trying to dribble a basketball around. I’m very, very impressed at how good he is. We have a little athlete on our hands! He can also throw a football now.
Q. You and Kendra seem like a solid couple. What is the secret to your success?
Communication. If we have something on our minds, we don’t hold back from sharing it.
Q. What is up next for you?
Right now, my foundation partnered with a company called Gaems. We are making the first-ever portable gaming environment, and with that we will do gaming events. In New York, we did a direct play for helping sick children in hospitals. I also have my charity golf event, the Hank Baskett Classic, coming up on May 4th and 5th down at Trump National in Rancho Palos Verdes [in California]. This will be its third year. I’m going to also do a bike ride with some veterans in Dallas in March. I’m just trying to be all over the place.
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