Not even once! Phaedra Parks was on the Real Housewives of Atlanta for seven years and has never let her kids watch an episode.
“Never. That’s not child-appropriate,” Parks, 47, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting Coresight Research’s 10.10 Shopping Festival, which takes place on Sunday, October 10.
Parks shares sons Ayden, 11, and Dylan, 8, with ex-husband Apollo Nida. “I don’t think it was created for children and so I don’t know if any responsible parent allows their child to watch those types of shows,” the Atlanta attorney continued. “I mean, there’s maybe six [or] seventh graders, [but] I don’t even know that. Maybe high schoolers can watch it, but I would never allow my kids to watch the Housewives ’cause it’s too adult.”
Parks was a cast member on the show from seasons 3 to 9 and departed in 2017 after her controversial exit. Fast forward four years later, RHOA fans are in for a surprise. As Us previously revealed, the reality star will be returning to season 2 of the Real Housewives mashup series on Peacock, which was filmed in September.
Despite not seeing their mom on TV, Parks’ sons — both of whom made appearances on RHOA — still understand that she’s famous.
“To be honest, I think it’s second nature to them because … you know, of course, they were both born on television and people see them,” Parks told Us. “At first they thought I just knew everyone in the world in the grocery store. They’re like, ‘Mom, how do you know these people?’ … I’m very cordial to anyone that usually approaches me. [My sons] always witnessed it. Now, they realize like, ‘Oh, these people don’t know you. They just watch the TV show.’ So they see my memes and, you know, their friends are like, ‘Oh my God, your mom is famous!’ And so, [they are] very tickled by it.”
A few months after Season 13 of RHOA finished airing in May, both Porsha Williams and Cynthia Bailey announced they won’t be returning to the show. Parks mentioned to Us that she spoke to both housewives “a couple of days ago.”
“Nothing surprises me,” she said of the news that Williams and Bailey were leaving. Parks keeps in touch with all of her costars — except one.
She added, “I don’t speak to Kandi [Burruss], but everyone else — I’m very friendly with them.”
Keeping her friendships intact, Parks, who will make her acting debut on Covenant (a four-part anthology series premiering on Allblk on Thursday, October 14), says she “just spoke” to Nene Leakes, who is grieving the loss of her husband Gregg Leakes.
“This is a very difficult time and so, if I can make her laugh — and I try to send her funny stuff and tell her about funny stuff to make her laugh — and you know, this morning she was laughing,” Parks shared. “So if she’s laughing, I think I’m being a great friend to her because she has plenty of moments where she is distraught and in tears because losing Gregg was life-changing for her. They’ve been together forever and he adored her so much. And so, I think that’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of love.”
Parks continued, “I’ve been very, very intentional with her during this time to make sure that she knows that I’m going to support her and anything she needs, I will make sure that I’m there for it … I just know every day there will be a struggle and I don’t know how long her grief will last, but, I mean, it’s definitely not an overnight process.”
In between making time for her friends and juggling work duties, the mom of two is busy at home with her third and sixth graders. On October 10, she’ll be participating in Coresight Research’s 10.10 Shopping Festival, which includes exclusive deals and discounts for consumers while also giving money to various charities.
“I’m excited to be shopping for the holidays in advance,” she said. “I’m excited to get a head start on holiday shopping for my kids and myself and family and friends … but [I’m] also very stoked about shopping for a purpose and being able to have some of the money benefit organizations that I really love.”
Participating retailers and brands will be donating a minimum of 5 percent of sales to partnering charities, including the American Heart Association, Delivering Good, National Breast Cancer Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.