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As the face of Bravo TV and host of Watch What Happens Live!, Andy Cohen is used to dramatics — which is undoubtedly how he is able to keep his cool in the midst of tantrums from his 4-year-old son Ben and 1-year-old daughter Lucy. And while we love seeing adorable pictures and videos of his sweet kids, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows in the Cohen household.
Andy Cohen's son Ben may only be 4 years old, but he's already exhibiting "excellent gaydar," according to the 'Watch What Happens Live' host. https://t.co/2ZGdN4XPc1
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) May 11, 2023
He recently shared an intimate and vulnerable look at his life as a single, gay dad, and the emotional realization he came to after attending a kid’s birthday party.
Andy Cohen’s Son Ben Didn’t Get to Play in the Sprinklers at a Birthday Party
“Well, it’s interesting, Ben goes to a progressive nursery school in New York City. I’m the only single parent and I’m the only gay dad. And so, it hit me in different ways this year. Just moments where being a single parent hit me in ways I didn’t expect,” Cohen said in an interview with NPR, released today.
It also hit him in a place he didn’t expect: at a birthday party for one of Ben’s friends. “We were at a birthday party for a friend of his at a playground,” Cohen explained. “It was unseasonably warm and all of a sudden, the sprinklers went on and all the moms suddenly had changes of clothes for the kids so they could run around in the sprinklers and Ben didn’t.”
Moms do have a reputation for always being prepared, and Cohen felt bad that he didn’t think ahead about bringing a change of clothes for his son.
“He was the only child who couldn’t play in the sprinklers,” Cohen said. “And I’ve got to tell you something, I cried when I got home. I’m getting emotional now. I just felt so like ‘maybe you don’t know what you’re doing.'”
Aww, poor Cohen! Speaking as a mom, I have been there! It’s impossible to prepare for every eventuality, so sometimes you just have to go with it. I’ve been places where I forgot diapers or wipes for my infant — and I’ve definitely forgotten about bringing a swimsuit or change of clothes. It’ll be OK!
In the interview, he said his 4-year-old was fine with it. “And by the way Ben didn’t care, but I cared,” Cohen said. He added, “And the fellowship of other gay dads is so valuable to me and the fellowship of other single parents in ways I never expected. It’s life and it’s great.”
His Mornings Start Earlier Now
If there’s all things single parents (and parents in general!) can relate to, it’s being tired. In his interview with NPR, Cohen admitted that dad life is exhausting.
“I am tired, but I’m really tired because of the kids, frankly. I’ve got the jobs that I have covered. It’s the kids that are the right turn,” he explained, and it’s so relatable. In the interview, he also revealed that he often wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to Ben crawling in his bed or Lucy squawk-singing.
“Everything has changed. My axis has changed. My priorities have changed. The way I live my life every day has changed,” he added.
‘The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up’ by Andy Cohen
Read more about his home life in Cohen’s new book, The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up. He writes in his signature funny style about how his life has changed (and improved!) with the addition of his kids. Don’t worry — there’s plenty of behind-the-scenes Housewives drama, too!
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