Many would assume that raising a family is easier when you’re one of the wealthiest athletes in the world. But Tom Brady says fame and fortune has presented unique challenges while parenting his children.
While appearing on the Drive with Jim Farley podcast, the football star says his lavish lifestyle has made it hard to teach his kids about privilege.
Tom shares son John, 14, with Bridget Moynahan, and son Benjamin, 12, and daughter Vivian, 9, with his wife Gisele Bundchen.
"I look at my life, and my family, and it's so fast," he explained. "We have people that clean for us. We have people that make our food. We have people that drive us to the airport if we need that. You know, we get off a plane and there's people waiting there for us, and we get ushered in."
"That's my kids' reality," he continued. "Which is the hard part to say, 'Guys, this is not the way reality really is...What can we do about that?'"
Tom explained that his children have a much more privileged lifestyle than he and his wife had during their childhoods. “My wife grew up in rural Brazil […] very small kind of farming town, very simple girl," he went on. "There are two bedrooms in their house—one for their parents and one for her and her five sisters.”
Despite being born in San Mateo, California, Tom also said he had humble beginnings.
“I grew up in a middle-class family in California. My dad worked his ass off for our family,” the quarterback said. “My mom stayed at home [and] took care of us kids, and I saw my mom work every day to make food for us at night and wash our clothes."
Tom said that he and Gisele try to “create experiences” that offer their kids as normal a childhood as possible, but he’s aware they enjoy things “that a lot of kids never do have.”
"I don't know the right answer as a parent," Tom added. "There's a lot of things I'm still learning […] I know I've screwed up a lot of things. That's the reality of being a parent."
He concluded that teaching his kids about privilege is the “biggest challenge that we have as parents."
Earlier this year, Tom announced his retirement from the NFL after a two-decade long career. He went on to sign a $375 million deal to join Fox Sports. Only weeks later, Tom announced he’d be returning to the NFL. His net worth is reportedly $250 million, while his supermodel wife has an estimated $400 million to her name.
Sources: E! News, Yahoo! News,