Tyler Perry Gets Candid with Michelle Obama About Discipling His Son With Compassion

Tyler Perry gave fans an inside look at what it’s like into his most important role: dad.

According to People, Perry was a guest on Michelle Obama’s new podcast, Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, where he shared a touching moment he had with his son, Aman.

After the boy, then 5 or 6, refused to brush his teeth when at home with their nanny, Perry decided to take a different approach to disciplining him. Instead of getting aggressive, like Madea would do, he chose compassion.

“He didn’t know I was in the door, I watched him for a minute, and then I had the nanny leave and I got down eye-to-eye and talked to him,” he told Obama.

The 53-year-old remembers telling Aman, “You will not behave this way. We taught you better than this. You are a better kid than this. You’re going to be a better man than this.” Perry suddenly became overwhelmed with emotion. He left the room, and he took a moment to reflect on his childhood. No one, he realized, had ever talked to him in that manner.

“There was just yelling and cussing and what you’re not and what you’re never going to be,” Perry told Obama. After his son apologized for his behavior, Perry stepped out on the balcony with tears, grateful to be in a position where he can talk to his son in such a way.

“So to have a moment where I had a chance to have a conversation with a child, who is my spitting image, I was not only correcting and leading him the right way but helping my own little boy inside of me heal, it was a beautiful moment.”

Perry shares parenting responsibilities with with ex Gelila Bekele. New episodes of Obama’s show are released weekly on Audible.