The father-son duo took a drive together for Instagram's new 'Carversations' series
NEED TO KNOW
- Tom Brady and his son Benjamin Rein drive around their neighborhood in Florida in a new video for Instagram's Carversations series
- Brady allows his 16-year-old son, who is still learning to drive, to take over the wheel during one point in the video, in which they exchange lessons they've learned over the years
- The retired NFL star shares son Benjamin and daughter Vivian Lake with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen and son John "Jack" Edward Thomas with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan
Tom Brady’s son Benjamin Rein is showing off his driving skills as the father-son duo exchange life lessons.
The retired NFL player, 48, let his 16-year-old son, whom he shares with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, take a spin behind the wheel in a new video in partnership with Instagram for their Carversations series,
At one point, Benjamin asked his dad — who also shares son John "Jack" Edward Thomas, 18, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan, and daughter Vivian Lake, 13, with Bündchen — what he’s “learned” the most about being a parent.
“I think you learn to be really present with your kid,” said Brady, who affectionately calls his son "Benny" in the video. “You have to be the person that you want your kids to be … It's practice what you preach too, you know?"
"You guys probably learn a lot more from me just by watching than anything I'll say. So I think that forces me to, like, hold myself to a very high standard and accountability," he added.
The former football player revealed that was one of the lessons that his own father taught him that he wanted to pass down, along with allowing his children's’ “ambitions” to take shape and take them where they need to go.
“... I want to be a great example, but I want to be there for you. I want to be there to listen. I want to be there to encourage,” he explained. “I want to be there to support, you know?”
“I want to be available to watch you and support you in those things. Because I know you don't have all the answers,” he continued. “Yeah. And like, I’m going to be there when you fail. I'm going to be there when you succeed. The only thing I really care [about] is for you guys to be your best and to try your best all the time.”
He then exemplified this by letting his son get in some driving time as he sat in the passenger seat. However, it didn't start off as smoothly, as Benjamin — who is still learning how to drive — forgot to fully close the driver’s seat door. After correcting the mistake, the pair began to move.
Elsewhere in the chat, the dad of three asked the teen what are some of the “Brady family values” he’s learned over the years, to which his son responded, “You literally drill into my brain … that being cool is to be caring.”
“Like, cool people are people who care. And, I mean, literally I hear it in, like, my sleep the amount of times you've said that to me. Kind of scary, but…” Benjamin added with a laugh.
“Do you feel like you apply that?” Brady asked him.
“I feel like I do. Like, you're not going to be 100% perfect all the time, but what you can be is you can learn from your mistakes and you can grow from the mistakes,” Benjamin said.
In a proud dad moment, Brady then added, "Every time I'm in the car with you I always feel like I take away something and I learn more about how you are and how proud I am of you and just watching you develop ... To see you as a newborn child and then to look at you and to know that every step along the way, to witness that journey, is the most meaning aspect of my life."
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"The best thing about you, you don't have to be anything different than who you already are. You're perfect, just like God made you," he said.
At the end of their drive, Brady rated his youngest son's driving skills, telling him, "Good driving. Good job. I love you so much."
"Love you too," added Benjamin.
The full conversation between Brady and his son can be found on Instagram and YouTube.
Read the original article on People
Category: General Sports
