Anderson Cooper's Parenting Technique Might Raise Some Eyebrows

Anderson Cooper isn't afraid to defy the norms when it comes to his family. The CNN anchor made headlines in April 2020 when he announced on Instagram he had welcomed a son, Wyatt Morgan, via a surrogate. Because Cooper had split from Benjamin Maisani – his partner of nine years — two years before, the public wasn't expecting family news from the veteran journalist. But he went against convention even then, sharing that he and Maisani intended to raise Wyatt together as best friends and co-parents. "It's probably an unusual setup, but I knew he would be a great dad, and he is. We're exes, but we're family to each other," Cooper told People in September 2021.

The arrangement clearly works, as Cooper and Maisani welcomed another son, Sebastian Luke, in February, per People. Cooper explained that both he and Maisani had registered the newborn and that his co-parent was in the process of formally adopting Wyatt as well, who would become Maisani-Cooper like his brother. "Wyatt calls me 'daddy' and Benjamin 'papa.' We're a family," Cooper said.

Despite having a family and living together, Cooper assured he and Maisani have no intentions of rekindling their romance. "No, no, that's not going to happen," he said rather emphatically on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in February, drawing laughter from the audience. Cooper often shares snippets of his parenting journey on Instagram, showing he is a loving and devoted father. Still, Cooper isn't afraid to employ some unusual parenting techniques in the mix as well. 

Anderson Cooper doesn't want Wyatt to feel replaced by Sebastian, he said on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on April 7. To prevent jealousy from happening, Cooper and Wyatt tease Sebastian together. "I've started doing this thing with Wyatt where we both sort of make fun of Sebastian," Cooper told Colbert. "I mean, not in a bad way." Cooper encourages his oldest to mock the infant when he cries as a way to make father and son bond. "I started doing this thing like when Sebastian's crying, Wyatt will look at me and I'll look at him and I'll go, 'Wah! I'm a baby. I'm crying, I'm crying.' He likes it. And now he does it too."

Colbert found his approach unorthodox. "You guys have a common enemy, that's what it is," he said as Cooper laughed. "You're going to stop this before the child understands English, right?" Of course he is, Cooper ensured, defending his parenting technique. "He's in on it!" Cooper explained his idea came from realizing how miserable his brother was when he was born. "In every childhood photo I have, I'm very happy as a little baby and my brother is chewing the inside of his lip."

While some of his strategies might raise eyebrows, Cooper seems genuinely enthralled by parenthood. "It's just kind of astonishing to me. I spend the weekends just staring at him," he said on "Live with Kelly and Ryan" shortly after welcoming Wyatt.