Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal has a few ground rules for his children. The 50-year-old NBA champion recently appeared on The Pivot Podcast where he shared the leniency he has for his three daughters versus his three sons. O’Neal and his ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal share four kids together — Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir, and Me’arah. He also raised Myles, Shaunie’s son from a previous relationship, and his daughter, Taahirah, with his former girlfriend, Arnetta Yardbourgh. For his sons, Shaq says they are out on their own once they turn 18, but his daughters don’t have an expiration date of when to leave home.
“I like my girls a little bit better,” O’Neal explained of his differing parenting style. “Because as a man, you have to protect, provide and love your woman. I trust them more because they’re more sensitive, they’re more caring, and they’re thinkers,” he adds of his daughters. “You know how boys are. My boys, you bring something in front of them, and they’re gone.” I tell my boys when y’all get 18 you all got to go. Girls can stay as long as they want. [The girls] can stay as long as y’all want, take your time. Go to college, get your master’s, get your doctorate, I’ll pay for it. Take your time,” he added.
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In the revealing interview, Shaq shared his regrets about not being able to raise his children alongside Shaunie in the same home amid their divorce. Shaunie filed paperwork to end their seven-year marriage in 2009, with Shaq’s cheating playing a major role.
“The best feeling for me was coming home and hearing 5, 6 different voices,” he recalled in the interview, adding that once they separated, he no longer had the same luxury that he took for granted. “Don’t matter if I missed 15 different free throws and we lost the game, don’t matter about that…I was just being greedy. I had the perfect situation. Wife was finer than a mug, kept giving me babies, and still finer than a mug and I had it all and I don’t make excuses as I know I messed up. After the divorce, I was lost. 76,000 square foot house by yourself and you’re lost. no kids, go to the gym and no one’s playing in the gym…”
