John Legend on How He Promotes Gratitude in His Youngsters

John Legend has been a longtime supporter of the Ronald McDonald Home Charities (RMHC) however his involvement felt extra private this 12 months. 

“Household is so necessary to me,” says Legend. “And we all know what it is like whenever you’re coping with well being challenges along with your children, and the way you want a help community.”

Legend’s second oldest baby, Miles, 6, was identified with kind 1 diabetes, which mother Chrissy Teigen revealed through Instagram in July 2024. 

“We have had to spend so much extra time on the Kids’s Hospital and dealing with the medical doctors there, and so we all know how difficult that may be,” shares Legend, who carried out at RMHC’s fiftieth Anniversary Gala in Chicago in November 2024.

Whereas Miles’ situation wasn’t life-threatening and the household didn’t must relocate for care, Legend and his household understood firsthand how a lot the correct help could make a distinction.

“You want different folks—not simply household and buddies—however organizations and different caregivers who can actually present the help your loved ones wants,” he shares. 

Utilizing His Platform for Good

The Grammy Award winner says he’s hung out with households utilizing RMHC’s providers. The group, based in 1974, affords greater than 1,000 applications around the globe that present important providers to households when kids want well being care. Since 1974, RMHC has cared for tens of thousands and thousands of households in want, with the assist of donations.

“A few of these children are coping with among the most troublesome therapies, like chemotherapy. Asking a child to be courageous within the face of a few of these actual challenges is admittedly one thing,” says Legend. “Then seeing the resilience, but in addition simply the heartbreak that folks must undergo seeing their children battle and face these challenges, is beautiful. Actually, it is humbling, and it simply strengthens my resolve to do no matter I can to assist out.”

That rings extra true than ever throughout the vacation season. 

“This can be a reward giving season; it is also a season of gratitude,” says Legend. “It is necessary to be thankful for what we’ve, after which additionally pay it ahead by giving again, serving to folks that won’t have all of the assets that we’ve.” 

Educating His Youngsters the Energy of Giving Again 

Legend and his spouse work to instill the need to provide again to Miles and his older sister Luna, 8. 

“We, in reality, require them to provide away some toys at any time when we get them new toys,” says Legend. “We attempt to put that in follow with them, in order that they perceive how blessed they’re, but in addition that they’ve the chance to assist different folks, and they need to use that chance.”

Luna and Miles have even accompanied their well-known mother and father to RMHC occasions.

“A variety of instances these children, even when they are going via well being challenges, they play identical to different children. They do artwork identical to different children. They snicker on the identical jokes. So, I need our youngsters to know that they are simply different children, identical to they’re, however they’re coping with a specific well being problem,” explains Legend. 

The couple’s youthful children—Esti, 22 months, and Wren, 16 months—will doubtless be inspired to do the identical as soon as they’re sufficiently old to know. 

Being Collectively on the Holidays

Together with giving again, the vacations on the Legend family are all about household—and feasting. His spouse’s cooking expertise assist to take it up a notch.

“I’m married to somebody who’s an excellent chef, and meals is essential to us, particularly for Thanksgiving,” he says of Teigen, who has best-selling cookbooks and a cookware model.

Legend and Teigen prefer to maintain issues very festive for his or her little ones, and that features tree adorning and a go to from Santa.

“I feel particularly as a result of Chrissy did not develop up in an enormous household, she loves the truth that we’ve an enormous household, and she or he likes to do every part large for the vacations,” he says.

This 12 months, the household could even be singing some tunes from Legend’s lately launched (and Grammy-nominated!) household album My Favourite Dream. His kids’s favourite tune from the album is “L-O-V-E.”

“That is the one Luna and Miles and Chrissy sang on with me, and that is the one which I did a model of with Ms. Rachel on YouTube,” explains Legend. “So, that one’s very talked-about, not simply with my children, however with children all around the world I suppose now due to Ms. Rachel.”

Subsequent on the listing is “At all times Come Again,” a heartfelt tune that discusses a beloved one promising to come back again residence after spending time away.

“That one is one which’s form of related for this RMHC dialog and simply interested by households that must be aside from one another for some time,” he says.

His daughter Luna, particularly, pertains to the ballad.

“She’s the oldest and she or he’s seen me must fly away for journeys and for work. We all the time will inform [our kids] that we all the time come again; Mommy and Daddy all the time come again,” says Legend. “And I feel that is one thing that is actually comforting, particularly when children must be separated from their mother and father for a time.”