Novak Djokovic is known for his stubbornness, and that mentality extends to parenthood. He does not allow his children to have phones despite everyone else at their school having them.
Djokovic represented Serbia in the Davis Cup this week, but he plays significantly fewer tournaments than in the past. The former world No. 1 said he is done with tournaments aside from Grand Slams and playing for Serbia.
Some of his fans may worry that playing in so few events could harm Djokovic’s chances at the Grand Slams because he would lack match practice. For the first time since 2017, the ten-time Australian Open winner failed to win a major title this season.
A positive aspect of Djokovic’s reduced schedule is he gets to spend more time with his wife and children. He has mentioned several times how much being a father means to him.
Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, recently spoke about her husband’s parenting style. She described him as a playful father who brings joy and happiness to the family.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is also responsible for his children’s healthy lifestyle. Playing sports and eating a healthy diet are important to Djokovic, which is unsurprising given his strict lifestyle during his career.
Although Djokovic is a playful father, he also has principles he believes in. The tennis legend showed how strictly he adheres to his beliefs when he refused to take any of the vaccines available against the coronavirus.
Djokovic wants to instill in his own children the values of stubbornness and refusing to follow what the majority do. One way of doing this is with his stance on cell phones for his kids, something he admits he and his wife argue about.
“My children still don’t have a cell phone, my wife and I argue. They complain. At school everyone has one except us. It’s not easy and this is reflected on other levels as well.”
The Serbian is determined to stop his kids from adopting a mentality of following the majority without thinking for themselves. He feels that stubborn approach make his family different from most others.
“If everyone does something, the herd behaves like this, you have to follow them. Well, it doesn’t have to be like that. This is where I think we differ from others, because we are stubborn and active.”
There will be differing opinions about Djokovic’s approach. Many will applaud him for sticking to his values and agree that kids spend too much time on phones, meaning they should not get them too early.
Others might think the 37-year-old is being needlessly strict. Being the only kids in the class without cell phones could make school challenging for his children, and it is possible to have a phone while also living a healthy lifestyle.
Djokovic has strong beliefs and is unlikely to be influenced by outside opinions. His conviction and authenticity cannot be doubted, whether or not fans agree with his decision not to let his children have phones.
