Henry Winkler experienced a challenging childhood. He has sworn to ensure that his children and grandchildren always have an empathetic adult watching over them now that he is a parent and grandparent, in contrast to his upbringing.
Untreated dyslexia plagued Henry Winkler throughout his childhood. As a result, he performed poorly in school, upsetting his parents who placed a high value on education and were critical of his low performance.
Because of his persistently poor performance in academic pursuits, his parents gave him the moniker “Dumm Hund,” which literally translates to “stupid dog.” As a direct consequence of this, he frequently got into difficulty at his own house. The actor recalls that during much of his high school years, he was grounded, which meant that he was required to stay inside rather than go out. He said that he could only ever recall hearing his mother laugh once or twice in her entire life.
Even the specific circumstances surrounding her laughter were vividly recalled by him. Twice, actually: the first time when she was tickled, and the second time when she was reading about a hilarious invention.
On the other hand, she had a tendency to get angry or upset with her children over the smallest of infractions. Winkler’s childhood was a difficult one as a result of this, but the experience led him to swear to himself that he would never treat his own children in a similar manner.
He didn’t have many fond memories of his childhood spent with his parents, so he often felt left out of conversations between other children and their parents about the special times they shared. Additionally, all of his grandparents had perished in the concentration camps. And now that he is a grandparent himself, he frequently expresses regret over the fact that he did not have the opportunity to spend more time with his grandparents.
When Winkler was 31 years old, his stepson Jed was undergoing testing to determine whether he had dyslexia. At this point, Winkler came to the realization that he himself had been suffering from the same illness ever since he was a child. They later found out that all three of his children had dyslexia, but since they tested and diagnosed his children at an early age, they were able to ensure that his children’s self-esteem would not be affected by the condition and that it would be properly treated.
In 1976, when Winkler was playing The Fonz on “Happy Days,” he began dating his future wife, Stacey. He was in a store when he spotted her, and he could not stop thinking about how beautiful she was. She was wearing purple parachute pants, and her hair was a blazing red.
They moved in together and had a child named Jed. In 1978, the couple tied the knot, and they went on to have two more children, Zoe and Max, together. Since the first time they met, this pair has shared a profound affection for one another. His wife has honored their wedding vows by remaining by Winkler’s side through all of life’s ups and downs.
Now, Winkler has become a grandparent to a total of six kids. He takes his responsibilities as a grandparent very seriously and has certain ideas about what constitutes a good caregiver. He believes that it is very necessary to listen to children, despite the fact that the role of listening to a child is typically absent in every relationship between an adult and a child, despite the fact that it is highly important to do so.
Even though Winkler enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, he makes it a point to ensure that the ground rules that his children have established for them are adhered to at all times. To further ensure that he is not violating any of the boundaries that have already been established for the children, he even calls them to inquire about any potential regulations that may be in place.
Winkler spoils his grandchildren to no end by taking them to McDonald’s, appearing in their TikTok videos, and doting on them in general. When he is unable to see them in person, the 77-year-old actor keeps in touch with them through video conversations and takes sure to send them mementos from his trips.
He admitted in a recent interview, revealing that he even feeds the newest member of his family with a spoon. He then goes on to explain to the audience that the thought of having to feed his grandchild with a spoon makes him feel emotional.
Henry Winkler is a wonderful example of a kind and loving grandfather. Who on earth wouldn’t want their grandpa to be a compassionate and thoughtful individual? What very fortunate children his grandchildren are!