“They Got to Touch the Fire”: Shaquille O’Neal and Mike Tyson Reflect on Being Honest With Their Kids

Most people recognize Shaquille O’Neal as one of the greatest basketball players ever. Although he doesn’t reject that identity, there’s much more to the 7-foot-1 big man. Above all else, he is a father to six children. O’Neal spoke with legendary boxer Mike Tyson about the importance of honesty when it comes to being a parent.

No matter how long you prepare for parenthood, nothing compares to actually having a child. A lot of the parenting process involves trial and error. Every father wants to look perfect for his family, but that is an impossible feat.

Everyone has mistakes they wish they could erase, some bigger than others. O’Neal isn’t proud of some of his shortcomings, but he is too big a public figure to hide his past from his kids. He knew he had to address them honestly with his children.

“When I separated from my family for living my foolishness, especially the boys, I had to open up,” O’Neal revealed on The Big Podcast. “Hey, this is who I am. This is what I did. I never want you to be like me. I want you to learn from my mistakes.”

Tyson is in the same boat as O’Neal, having made many less-than-ideal life choices. Like Shaq, he’s made it a point of emphasis to be an open book for his children.

“I’m not going to hide the issues from my kids. They got to know who their father really is. I can’t hide anything from them, not even if I tried,” Tyson revealed.

Though Tyson’s viewpoint is similar to O’Neal’s, he doesn’t believe words alone can completely enlighten children. Transparency can certainly sway the kids back onto the right path, but there’s nothing like learning for yourself.

“But it doesn’t work like that. They don’t learn. They got to touch the fire to know it’s hot,” Tyson proclaimed.

The four-time NBA champion didn’t have any rebuttals to Tyson’s comment. He just stated, “Good point.” 

Tyson knows a thing or two about raising kids, since he is the father of seven. Though most of his children have different mothers, Tyson remains heavily involved in each of their lives.

O’Neal and Tyson may be some of the biggest names in sports history, but they are just a pair of dads who are continuing to learn as each day passes.