Colin Kaepernick is opening up about preparing his daughter for the harsh realities of the world. While speaking on “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard,” the former NFL player detailed how his upbringing has shaped his parenting style.
“When we first had our baby girl, I was like, she is her own person,” he reflected.
Kaepernick and his partner, Nessa Diab, welcomed their daughter in 2022. “I almost got defensive when people were like, ‘Oh, she looks like you,’ or, ‘She’s doing this like you.’ I’m like, ‘She’s her own person’… But now there are things she does that I’m like, that’s pretty on the nose.”
He continued to explain, “To give an example, she is very determined. When she is locked in on something, she is locked in. We’ve tried to instill this in her, but I think she instinctively has this too. We want her to be independent and be willing to push the bounds on things…She is willing to challenge and is also okay with the consequences on the other side of it. And I’m like, ‘this is fascinating to watch.’”
As the 38-year-old pridefully elaborated on his daughter finding her footing, he added that he has some anxiety about her as she grows older.
“She’s gonna be a little, light-skinned Black girl, and she’s gonna have Kaepernick as her last name. She’s also tall,” he elaborated. “I know she’s gonna have to face things she ain’t asked for, so I’m like, you have to be prepared. I’m gonna prepare you earlier.”
In the full conversation with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, the best-selling author also discussed being a biracial adopted kid, his understanding of racism, heartbreaking stories of being bullied, his elite multi-sport high school career, the Black quarterback stereotype, and the true story behind his national anthem protest.
