Advice from Super Bowl 2014 Champion Michael Robinson: 'Talk To Your Kids Every Day'

Michael Robinson, Super Bowl Champion 2014 of the Seattle Seahawks, is the proud father to four kids. He recently caught up with parenting expert Daddy Nickell for My Life As A Dad, the popular new web series that delves into the lives of celebrity and professional athlete dads.

During the interview, the NFL star chats about how he celebrated his Super Bowl 2014 win with his kids. He also shares his top advice for new NFL players who are about to become a father.

Daddy Nickell: How did you celebrate winning Super Bowl 2014 with your kids?

Michael Robinson: “Because it was in New York and we were expecting bad weather, I didn’t bring them all out there. They were in Richmond, Virginia with their grandparents. They all got in front of the TV and watched it. When I got home, they were so excited…they thought that I was actually bringing confetti home with me! That was very exciting for them. They told me about everything that went on in the game…they talked about Percy and Russell Wilson and said, ‘I saw you daddy, you caught a pass!’ It was so great to share that moment with them.”

Daddy Nickell: How is the one-year-old doing?

Michael Robinson: “My one-year-old actually came to New York with me! She wasn’t one at the time, but she was about to be one. I had the chance to see her right after the game. Being able to see my kid after being out on the field, going to war with my teammates, and battling it out kind of neutralizes me. She isn’t worried about whether I made the right block or whether I am going to beat the Saints in the first round of the play-offs—she’s just worried about seeing daddy. I think that was probably the best moment of my life.”

Daddy Nickell: What is your advice for young NFL players who are about to become a father?

Michael Robinson: “Football is a stressful sport, and sometimes it’s hard to keep all of the stresses associated with football on the field. Sometimes the stresses do come home with you, because as soon as you turn on the TV there is ESPN, NFL Network, and other news channels talking about it. Also, you go on social media and they are talking about it. It’s kind of hard to get it out of your system. If you come home and take the approach of ‘Here I am,’ your life will be a lot better. You won’t worry about the stresses so much because you will be so concerned about how your kids’ day was.

I have a four-year-old son who will be five in November. He tells me about preschool every single day. That’s one thing I would advise to new fathers: talk to your kids every day and see what is going on. He tells me each letter and the numbers he is learning every day. He also reads my shirts sometimes. My ten-year-old has to also tell me a current event every day.  I don’t care if he catches it on the Internet or while he is in school or reading the newspaper, or if he asks the teacher to be informed.

My six-year-old girl is the same way—when she goes to her Kindergarten class, I say, ‘Tell daddy something!’ I would advise all NFL fathers to talk to their kids and be there and be present with them. Try to keep all the football worries out of the picture during this time.”

My Life As A Dad (mylifeasadad.com) is the first show of its kind to delve into the lives of celebrity and professional athlete dads to get their answers to important questions, such as how they feel about being a dad, their parenting philosophies, how they balance their family life with their professional life and, in some cases, how they relate their unique upbringing to being a dad today. The series features interviews with the likes Dancing with the Stars winner J.R. Martinez, NBA star Chris Paul, TV Host AJ Calloway, 2014 Super Bowl Champion Michael Robinson, and many more! You can subscribe to MLAAD on YouTube and follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/MLAADad) and Twitter (twitter.com/MLAADShow).