On Dancing Against Childhood Leukemia, With Kennith Allen Thomas
On Dancing Against Childhood Leukemia, With Kennith Allen Thomas
Dadditude Newsletter #20
Dadditude interviews dads (and mums) from different backgrounds, professional fields and ethnicities to get their insights on what it means to be a parent in the current moment.
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On Dancing Against Childhood Leukemia, With Kennith Allen Thomas
Kennith, also known as The Dancing Dad, is a dad of 4, a professional dancer & choreographer turned professional speaker on Positive Development strategies. We’ve been fans of his dance routines with his son, and his words of wisdom have been an inspiration to us. You can follow him on Instagram and his site.
We spoke with Kennith recently about his youngest son’s battle with Leukemia and how it changed his family’s life, developing leadership skills as a child, and how to protect your peaceful time when you have 4 kids.
Tell us about your kids.
Aliyana, my 17 yr old, is the stubborn, outgoing extroverted one.
Kaleb, my 12 yr old, is the brains of our family.
Javion, our 7 yr old, is the athlete,
and Kristian, 4, is the family superstar.
How do you manage to mix work and family?
Many people are influenced by seeing an active father on social media. I believe that many fathers are also influenced by it to take more action in their children's lives. Me being a Father also helps me connect with other parents that may need a little direction to achieve their dreams and goals.
Can you explain how your life changed after your youngest son was diagnosed with childhood Leukemia?
Since becoming a professional dancer, I’d always had the dream of one day owning my own dance studio. My dream came true in 2016, but ended abruptly once Kristian was diagnosed with Leukemia. All my attention shifted towards my family's health and mental wellness. We were not prepared for what was coming.
One in four families that face childhood cancer lose about 40% or more of their household income. Our family lost 65%. We also faced eviction from our home. Our landlord put the property up for sale and it stayed on the market for 18 months, until we managed to buy it.
My life changed inside the hospital room, dancing with Kristian, and discovering my gift for public speaking. I’d always been a shy guy, but I discovered that people wanted to hear the story just as much as see me dance with him. The questions would hit my inbox: how do you stay so positive? How do you have so much faith? How do you build a positive mindset? Next thing I know, I was being asked to come speak at schools and train sales and real-estate teams on mindset elevation. The principles and techniques I've developed while in the hospital are now helping students increase their academics and businesses and entrepreneurs increase their revenue, and most importantly, my son is now cancer-free!
From my son’s terrible health situation, I’m now in a position where I'm able to help others shift their life personally and professionally, while still being able to take care of my family and do more in the world. Painful lessons are usually doorways to new opportunities.
What do you think is your biggest strength as a parent?
Leadership. I believe that in life, we never really discover our gift until a time of affliction comes. In my case, having my mother and father work long hours and having to take care of my little sister (I was 10 at the time, she was 6) helped me build my Leadership skills.
Anytime I asked to go somewhere to play, my mom would always ask me to take my sister with me. Now, as a parent of 4 kids, I believe they’ll grow to be amazing individuals as long as I continue to build on my greatest strength.
What stresses you out the most these days as a parent?
When both my sons Kaleb and Javion argue over the smallest things. Boys will be boys. They are getting better with time and discipline though. The key to decreasing my stress is that sometimes I say absolutely nothing. My mom used to tell me, “one day I'm not going to be around, and all you have is you two.” So, I let them figure out the petty arguments. They know I'm not going to say anything or pick a side. So they figure it out, and then, they’re back outside playing together. I believe it to be an important life lesson. And it helps me protect my peace and my time.
What side of parenthood do you wish you had invested more time and energy in the past?
Definitely financial literacy. I never learned that growing up. We learned how to balance a checkbook and save for a rainy day. But what happens if it's raining everyday? Now we teach our kids more, especially the older ones. My daughter now has a job, so she's starting to understand how important it is to put money in places that will make it work for you.
Can you tell us about an especially favorite/special moment with your kid recently?
Recently we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday in Ocean City, Maryland. The kids were able to get away and so were my wife and I. It was truly an amazing experience and so refreshing to see everyone’s smiles.
Thank you Kennith!
We’ve enjoyed reading:
Those Who Share a Roof Share Emotions
Feelings are contagious—but you can help your loved ones when they’re sad without sacrificing your own good mood.‘Sex Talks’ Should Start Earlier Than You Think
Some parents feel awkward and reluctant to discuss bodies, consent and sexuality; their kids pay the price.Throwback: Dadditude Newsletter #9: On Empathy and Same-Sex Parenting, With Scott Hadland
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