Wayne Brady Reveals the 'Biggest Difference' He's Found When Parenting Kids with a 20-Year Age Gap (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Wayne Brady and family.Photo:Wayne Brady/InstagramWayne Bradyis opening up about being a dad to two kids with a 20-year age gap.While chatting with PEOPLE at the 2024 Bring Change to Mind Revels & Revelations event in California, the actor, 52, candidly discussed the “different energy level” he’s noticed in himself when parenting hisson Val, almost 2, as opposed to his 21-year-old daughterMaīle, whom he shares with ex-wife Mandie Taketa, 48.“It’s a different energy level in parenting. I had Maīle when I was 30, so now with Val, in terms of the physical energy that it takes to run around with him, I can still do it [but] it’s a little harder,” he tells PEOPLE.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Maile Brady, Wayne Brady, Mandie Taketa and Jason Michael Fordham.Jesse Grant/Variety via GettyBrady is also a co-parent of Taketa and her boyfriend Jason Fordham’s sonSundance-Isamu"Sunny," whom they welcomed through adoption in September 2021. While running around with his little ones is a little more challenging, there are also many aspects that Brady finds easier this time around.“The thing I think with Val that I benefit from is I’ve been there once, now I’ve been to the rodeo, so I think I’m a little better as a parent,” he says, adding that even Maīle has noticed his improved parenting skills.“Maīle even laughs, she says. ‘The funny thing about Sunny and Mandie and Val and myself is, you two aren’t the parents that I grew up with. Val and Sunny get these parents who have done therapy and worked on themselves and they know parenting. I grew up with the two of you and we all grew up together.'“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Jason Michael Fordham, Mandie Taketa, Maile Masako Brady, and Wayne Brady.Taylor Hill/FilmMagicBrady adds, “So that’s the biggest difference, is I’ve got a little more parenting under my belt.“As a guest onThe Jennifer Hudson Showon Tuesday, Oct. 8, the actor opened up about what it took for his untraditional family to get to the healthy place they’re in today as they discussed their new reality showWayne Brady: The Family Remix.Asked how he’s so authentic in sharing his family dynamic, Brady replied, “So much therapy.““Therapy and family, and it feels amazing,” he continued. “This show and us creating it, it was a way of entering this second act of life of trying to live in authenticity.”

Wayne Brady and family.Photo:Wayne Brady/Instagram

Wayne Brady/Instagram

Wayne Bradyis opening up about being a dad to two kids with a 20-year age gap.While chatting with PEOPLE at the 2024 Bring Change to Mind Revels & Revelations event in California, the actor, 52, candidly discussed the “different energy level” he’s noticed in himself when parenting hisson Val, almost 2, as opposed to his 21-year-old daughterMaīle, whom he shares with ex-wife Mandie Taketa, 48.“It’s a different energy level in parenting. I had Maīle when I was 30, so now with Val, in terms of the physical energy that it takes to run around with him, I can still do it [but] it’s a little harder,” he tells PEOPLE.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Maile Brady, Wayne Brady, Mandie Taketa and Jason Michael Fordham.Jesse Grant/Variety via GettyBrady is also a co-parent of Taketa and her boyfriend Jason Fordham’s sonSundance-Isamu"Sunny,” whom they welcomed through adoption in September 2021. While running around with his little ones is a little more challenging, there are also many aspects that Brady finds easier this time around.“The thing I think with Val that I benefit from is I’ve been there once, now I’ve been to the rodeo, so I think I’m a little better as a parent,” he says, adding that even Maīle has noticed his improved parenting skills.“Maīle even laughs, she says. ‘The funny thing about Sunny and Mandie and Val and myself is, you two aren’t the parents that I grew up with. Val and Sunny get these parents who have done therapy and worked on themselves and they know parenting. I grew up with the two of you and we all grew up together.'“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Jason Michael Fordham, Mandie Taketa, Maile Masako Brady, and Wayne Brady.Taylor Hill/FilmMagicBrady adds, “So that’s the biggest difference, is I’ve got a little more parenting under my belt.“As a guest onThe Jennifer Hudson Showon Tuesday, Oct. 8, the actor opened up about what it took for his untraditional family to get to the healthy place they’re in today as they discussed their new reality showWayne Brady: The Family Remix.Asked how he’s so authentic in sharing his family dynamic, Brady replied, “So much therapy.““Therapy and family, and it feels amazing,” he continued. “This show and us creating it, it was a way of entering this second act of life of trying to live in authenticity.”

Wayne Bradyis opening up about being a dad to two kids with a 20-year age gap.

While chatting with PEOPLE at the 2024 Bring Change to Mind Revels & Revelations event in California, the actor, 52, candidly discussed the “different energy level” he’s noticed in himself when parenting hisson Val, almost 2, as opposed to his 21-year-old daughterMaīle, whom he shares with ex-wife Mandie Taketa, 48.

“It’s a different energy level in parenting. I had Maīle when I was 30, so now with Val, in terms of the physical energy that it takes to run around with him, I can still do it [but] it’s a little harder,” he tells PEOPLE.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Maile Brady, Wayne Brady, Mandie Taketa and Jason Michael Fordham.Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty

Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty

Brady is also a co-parent of Taketa and her boyfriend Jason Fordham’s sonSundance-Isamu"Sunny,” whom they welcomed through adoption in September 2021. While running around with his little ones is a little more challenging, there are also many aspects that Brady finds easier this time around.

“The thing I think with Val that I benefit from is I’ve been there once, now I’ve been to the rodeo, so I think I’m a little better as a parent,” he says, adding that even Maīle has noticed his improved parenting skills.

“Maīle even laughs, she says. ‘The funny thing about Sunny and Mandie and Val and myself is, you two aren’t the parents that I grew up with. Val and Sunny get these parents who have done therapy and worked on themselves and they know parenting. I grew up with the two of you and we all grew up together.'”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Jason Michael Fordham, Mandie Taketa, Maile Masako Brady, and Wayne Brady.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Brady adds, “So that’s the biggest difference, is I’ve got a little more parenting under my belt.”

As a guest onThe Jennifer Hudson Showon Tuesday, Oct. 8, the actor opened up about what it took for his untraditional family to get to the healthy place they’re in today as they discussed their new reality showWayne Brady: The Family Remix.

Asked how he’s so authentic in sharing his family dynamic, Brady replied, “So much therapy.”

“Therapy and family, and it feels amazing,” he continued. “This show and us creating it, it was a way of entering this second act of life of trying to live in authenticity.”

source: people.com