Mindy Kaling Shares Rare Footage With Daughter Katherine, Son Spencer
Mindy Kaling offered a rare glimpse at her children as the family celebrated the 4th of July at home.
The actress, 44, took to Instagram on Wednesday, July 5, to share a video of her playing with a sparkler before chasing daughter Katherine, 5, around their backyard and showing the festive light to son Spencer, 2.
Kaling has kept her children mostly out of the spotlight since she became a mother in 2017. At the time, the Velma star addressed her decision not to reveal the identity of Katherine’s father, telling The New York Times in 2019, “My feeling is that, until I speak to my daughter about that, I’m not going to talk to anyone else about it.”
Mindy Kaling's Rare Family Photos With Her Children
One year later, Kaling announced that she expanded her family when she secretly welcomed her second child.
“I’m telling this for the first time, it feels so strange. I gave birth to a baby boy on September 3,” she revealed on an episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in October 2020. “This is news to a lot of people. It’s true! … His name is Spencer. I forgot the most important part of it.”
Kaling later joked about the major difference between being a mom of one to a mom of two. “The first time it was like every person in my life came out of the woodwork to send gifts and cards and notes and emails,” she told Elle in November 2020. “And then once you have a second kid, everyone’s like, ‘You’re fine. You’re OK.’ It’s definitely more of a muted excitement from everyone in my life.”
The Sex Lives of College Girls creator has continued to stand firm about not addressing fan speculation when it comes to the identity of her kids’ father, recently opening up to Marie Claire about motherhood.
Mindy Kaling's Best Quotes About Motherhood and Raising Her 2 Children
“I’m the only parent my kids have,” she told the magazine in August 2022. “I think I err on the side of super cautious so that there’s less things that they can potentially be mad at me about down the line.”
Kaling went on to poke fun at the theory that B.J. Novak is the father of her kids. (The former Office costars dated for three years before their 2007 split and have remained close friends over the years.)
“It doesn’t bother me,” she said. “He’s the godparent to both my kids — and they have such a great relationship — and so far [the rumors haven’t] affected my happiness at all, it hasn’t affected my kids or B.J. … If that’s what is going to be titillating to people, I’ll take it.”
Late last month, Kaling honored another man who has been a constant presence in her children’s lives — her father Avu Chokalingam.
Celeb Moms Who Had Kids Without a Partner
“My dad shows up. He was the one who drove me from the hospital after both my kids were born. To this day, he comes to the house at least once a day to play with the kids, take them to the farmers market, pick them up from school, or walk Spencer around the block in my son’s precious blue toddler car,” she wrote via Instagram. “He also says yes to my kids insane plans like ‘let’s spin Grandpa around in the round chair really fast.’ It’s funny how my love deepened for my dad when he became a grandfather, the role he was born to play.”
Kaling continued: “I love him to the moon and back, which is what he says to my kids. Whoever it is for your family – husband, partner, grandparent, mom, wife, step-parent, nanny, sibling, old friend – I hope you have someone out there who shows up for you and your family! It is the great blessing of our life. Now I’m gonna cry. Okay! Love to everyone today!
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