Kendrick King : Local Father
When Kendrick King and his wife Kayla King became parents in 2011, Kendrick admitted that it was scary to think about being a dad for the first time. “I was young, and it was tough at first,” he says.
However, King had plenty of time to practice. After the birth of his firstborn Ashden King, now 12, the couple went on to have three more children: Audrey King, 11; Destiny King, 7; and Trinity King, 1. Because his four children are at different stages in life, they each have a unique way of expressing their spirit and personality. Kendrick says that Ashden loves a challenge and always has a competitive spirit. “His determination sets him apart from most of his peers,” Kendrick says. “Ashden is also athletic and very smart.”
On the other hand, Audrey is unique because of the way she loves people. “Audrey will literally give her last to make sure others do not go without; she is also athletic and brilliant,” Kendrick says. “Destiny is unique because of her attention to detail. Destiny is also like my other children—both athletic and very smart—but she is also special. She will be the one to earn a doctorate degree one day.”
Kendrick says that though Trinity is the youngest, she runs the house! “She is my little singer and dancer,” Kendrick says. “I love watching all four of them grow up, and I enjoy spending time with each of them.”
One of Kendrick’s favorite memories of his kids is from the time they went on a family trip to SeaWorld in San Antonio. While they were there, they also went horseback riding and shopping. While making fun memories is very important, Kendrick also enjoys the everyday moments with his kids. “I enjoy playing basketball and football and watching movies with my kids,” Kendrick says. “I also really like helping my kids battle adversity and being there for them through the tough challenges they face in life.”
Kendrick’s biggest challenge as a parent is not letting negativity cloud his judgment and affect his attitude, especially when communicating with his kids. “Sometimes it is hard not to want peace and quiet after a long day,” Kendrick says. “But my kids do not always see it that way!”
As Kendrick grows and learns as a father, he wants to continue to pass on important lessons that will impact his children’s lives and provide an excellent example for their future. “I think it is really important to teach kids how important it is to respect adults, which was something my parents always taught me,” Kendrick says. “Fatherhood has motivated me to be the best man I can be. Every day, I try to carry myself the way I would like my son to carry himself when he becomes a man one day. I also try to exemplify a good man and father for my daughters.”
Fun Facts:
1. My dream Father’s Day would include meat an amusement park with all my children and athletes that I coach at Liberty-Eylau. That would be awesome.
2. The secret to being a great dad is being consistent. There are no days off when it comes to your children. They need you every day.
3. If I could go on a trip with my kids,I’d love to get on a plane and travel to Florida because I’ve never been there before.
4. The one thing that I wish I had known about parenting is that once you have a child, your bed is no longer yours. As a matter of fact, nothing is actually yours anymore.