Some parents hand out one thoughtful birthday gift and call it a day. Others are out here buying cars for high school graduation, dropping surprise Disney trips on random Tuesdays, and treating Amazon like a utility bill. The line between generous and over-the-top looks different in every household — even when the parents are millionaires.
That clash in parenting styles popped up during a segment on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” when NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal sat down with actress Mila Kunis while guest-hosting the show in 2017.
“I read something very interesting,” O’Neal said. “I heard that you don’t buy your kids stuff for Christmas. Is that true?”
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Kunis immediately pushed back.
“False,” she said. “But, I will say this. I’m not like anti-gifts; I just don’t overgift my child because…”
That was enough for O’Neal to jump in with his own approach to parenting.
“I’m Shaq O’Claus, if you want me to get your kids, I can do that,” he said.
When Kunis asked what he buys for his own children, O’Neal gave an answer that probably made half the audience laugh and the other half silently check their credit card balances.
“Everything they want dot com,” he said.
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At one point, O’Neal pointed out his six children sitting in the audience, three boys and three girls, before one of his daughters revealed he had recently bought her a new iPhone.
“She called me and I delivered in 10 minutes and left,” he said.
The former NBA superstar has never exactly marketed himself as the “life’s tough, figure it out” parent. He likes spending money on his kids. He likes making things happen fast. And he clearly enjoys playing the larger-than-life dad role.
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But there is another side to the philosophy.
O’Neal has repeatedly said his children are not entitled to his fortune simply because they were born into it. His famous line, “We ain’t rich. I’m rich,” has followed him for years because it cuts straight to how he views money and parenting.
The NBA Hall of Famer, whose net worth has been estimated around $500 million, has said his kids are expected to earn degrees, build careers, and come to him with serious plans if they want major financial support.
So while the gifts may come quickly, the long-term expectation is still independence.
The Bigger Question Is What Parents Actually Owe Their Kids
That conversation stretches far beyond celebrity families with nine-figure bank accounts.
Some parents believe making life easier for their children is the entire point of building wealth in the first place. Others worry constant financial help, expensive gifts, or automatic opportunities can create adults who expect success to arrive without struggle.
The debate now reaches everything from luxury birthdays and designer shopping sprees to internships, business opportunities, family connections, and parents helping adult children with homes, rent, or career advancement. Critics often call it privilege or nepotism. Supporters call it giving kids a better life than they had themselves.
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And for everyday families, the line can get blurry fast. One …
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