Craig Melvin’s Kids: See His Sweetest Quotes About Fatherhood

Today anchor Craig Melvin is a pro at juggling his busy broadcasting career and raising two children. The South Carolina native is a dad to son Delano and daughter Sybil with his wife, Lindsay Czarniak. Craig started out as a local news anchor on WIS-TV before rising to global prominence on NBC. Two constants throughout his career have been his family’s support and his pride in being a dad.

Craig joined MSNBC in 2011 to anchor the daytime news. That same year, he and Lindsay got married. The pair met while they were both working at NBC4. Lindsay had just returned from covering the Beijing Olympics, and they began to bond over their mutual interests. At first, Craig and Lindsay hid their relationship from their colleagues. Once they had officially begun dating, Craig could not picture his life with anyone else.

“She is a very good friend. She’s a very good daughter. And it’s easy to be in love when you’re 28, 29, 30, but when you’re 60, 65, that’s when it’s tested,” Craig told The Washington Post in 2011. “And she’s the kind of person that I could see changing a diaper — mine!”

With Craig landing a job at MSNBC and Lindsay landing a job at ESPN, the pair became a dominating force in the world of broadcasting. In 2014, the power couple welcomed their son, Delano. Two years later, Lindsay gave birth to their daughter, Sybil. Craig took paternity leave to stay at home with his children and navigate being a father of two. He shared his experiences as a guest blogger for People in 2016.

“Paternity leave has also given me the chance to reflect on priorities. Like many of you, one of life’s greatest challenges for me has become unplugging from the noise that consumes so much of our lives,” Craig shared. “Resisting the urge to check a timeline, news feed, clever tweet or email even while on paternity leave has been difficult, but I’ve actually been proud of my ability to stay present. Not every day or all day, but certainly better than when I’m on the clock.”

In addition to blogging about his paternity leave, Craig has led the Today series, Dads Got This, and wrote a book called Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father. He shared his own story about growing up with his dad who was struggling with alcoholism for most of his childhood. Craig and his father have now mended their relationship so that they can both enjoy their time with Sybil and Delano.

Scroll to see Craig’s sweetest quotes about being a dad of two.

On Not Being Strict With His Kids

Craig is used to delivering hard news stories on camera. Back at home, he’s actually a big teddy bear, especially when it comes to his kids.
“I’m surprised at the kind of dad I’ve become. I’m not very strict,” he told Parents in May 2021. “It’s easier to manipulate me than I would have expected. I’m quite mushy.”

On What He Hopes His Children Will Always Remember

The television host is big on communication both onscreen and at home. Even though his children are still young, he hopes they always come to him for advice.

“I hope they remember they can always talk to me. That’s something I really work on, is creating a dynamic with both of my children so they feel comfortable sharing anything with me — good or bad,” he told Parade in June 2021. “I catch them in lies frequently, but I try not to berate them. I want them to talk to me not because I want to be their best friend — I’m not one of those parents trying to be their kid’s bestie. But I do want them to come to me to celebrate or confess, and I think that’s one of the most important things that parents can do with their children, to create an environment where they feel comfortable. I also want them to remember me as being wildly humorous, especially when they’re eulogizing me 70 years from now!”

On Being There For His Kids

A large part of the reason why Craig wrote Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father was to reflect on everything he has learned about being a father. Even as one of the busiest hosts on television, Craig hopes to be there for his kids whenever they need him.

“I try to be there for all of them because my dad was rarely there, and I also know that’s when most of the memories are made,” he told KCRW in 2021. “It’s not at the big events and sent on those big family vacations. It’s in those small quiet moments where you’re on your way to soccer practice or you’re coming back from karate and you have that funny conversation.”

On the Sweet Reason He Pierced His Ears

In November 2021, Craig shared an adorable Instagram post showing off his pierced ears. Lindsay and the kids joined in on the selfie session to show off their earrings too.

“My daughter, Sybil, wanted her ears pierced for her 5th birthday. When we got there, she convinced us all to do it. A family that pierces together stays together. That’s the saying right???” he captioned the post.