“Fall Asleep on My Chest”: Shaquille O’Neal Held the Responsibility of Calming His Children Down When They Were Babies

Shaquille O’Neal was an intimidating presence on the court during his prime. But he also had a baritone voice and a tranquil demeanor off the hardwood. The Diesel once shared how his serenity was put to good use when his children were young and wouldn’t settle down.

Shaq revealed in his 2011 book, Shaq Uncut: My Story, how his presence alone was enough to calm his kids, adding that all he needed to do was have his young ones lay on his chest.

“When all of my kids were young, I loved to lie on the couch and let them fall asleep on my chest,” the Big Fella wrote in his memoir.

Shaq talked about how effortless it was for him to make the babies sleep. In fact, his method was such a hit that he used to get calls when he was outside to come and put the kids to sleep. O’Neal took great pride in his ability to be a calming presence for his kids.

“I did such a good job of calming those little babies down that I’d be out at the gym working or doing some business and I’d get a phone call saying, “Come home, the baby won’t fall asleep!”

His special calming methods were in high demand, indeed. Shaq always made sure to put his family first, leaving workouts and even business meetings to take care of his children.

It wasn’t just Shaq who was a calming presence for his children too. In fact, they played a big role in making sure ‘The Hulk’ went back to Bruce Banner as soon as he got home.

Shaq’s children helped him calm down too

Despite being 7 feet tall and built the way he was, Shaquille O’Neal did not consider his stature to be his superpower. In fact, as a player, Shaq considered anger to be his special weapon. Not only did his anger reflect on the court, but it could also be felt at home.

“After a bad game, especially if it was my fault, missed my free throws, I’d go crazy,” Shaq shared in an interview in 2022. “I’d tear the house up. I was the Hulk.” 

However, all that changed when he had children. Being a father of six, Shaq knew he could not bring the Hulk home, and seeing his children helped him turn back into Bruce Banner pretty quickly.

“As soon as I saw my children’s faces, I could transform. You come home, and they don’t care about any of that. Forty points? It’s ‘Hey, Daddy!’ Two points? ‘Hey, Daddy!'”

For most of his playing career, Shaq was the leader of the team, and hence the responsibilities fell on his shoulders. Shaq heard all the blame when his team lost, and channeled it into rage. While players and coaches could not find a way to stop the Hulk, all it took was the loving faces of his little ones to calm him down.

The same applies to date. Even though Shaq’s children have all grown up now, but just being in their presence brings out a softer Dr. O’Neal.