Where has the time gone?
Longtime fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta might feel a bit nostalgic seeing Phaedra Parks’ oldest son, Ayden, all dressed up and heading off to his first Pre-Debutante Cotillion(PDC) school dance.
The now 14-year-old, who was born during Phaedra’s early seasons on the hit Bravo series, recently attended his first Sadie Hawkins event, and his proud mom couldn’t help but share the sweet milestone.
Posting to Instagram, Phaedra reflected on the journey from baby bump to teenage years, writing:
“Many of you watched me carry this blessing and birth him on television. He has grown up right before your eyes!”
She went on to express gratitude for her community of fellow moms, thanking the friends who’ve helped with school pickups and drop-offs over the years. Alongside a photo of Ayden smiling with his date, she gushed, “Ayden (the Prince) attended his first #PDC dance aka Sadie Hawkins with the sweetest, most adorable young lady.”
Phaedra’s caption also touched on the realities of raising children in the spotlight.
“It hasn’t always been easy because parenting doesn’t come with a handbook,” she admitted. “But GOD has ALWAYS seen me through.”
Ayden is the eldest of two sons Phaedra shares with her ex-husband Apollo Nida. The former couple, who divorced in 2014, also have an 11-year-old son named Dylan.
Though their family life once played out on TV, Phaedra has stayed focused on raising grounded, ambitious young men. And by the looks of it, she’s doing just that.
In a recent interview with Essence, Parks opened up about the entrepreneurial streak that runs in her family. While Dylan has found a passion for fashion—creating his own pants and learning to sew—Ayden has set his sights on the business world.
“He’s worked with my wealth managers and invests in Bitcoin and crypto,” she revealed.
And it doesn’t stop there. For Ayden’s 13th birthday, instead of asking for video games or gadgets, he gave his mom a very grown-up request: either a dirt bike or a chance to invest. Phaedra made the safer (and smarter) choice.
“I said, ‘Definitely not giving you a dirt bike to kill yourself,’” she told People. So she gave him $150,000 to buy his first piece of property.
Now, Ayden is exploring real estate options, weighing the idea of buying a multi-unit property and starting his own rental business—before he’s even old enough to drive.