Channing Tatum became a father for the first time last
week with the arrival of daughter Everly and while he might be new to
fatherhood it seems the Magic Mike star knows exactly what kind of dad he’s
going to be, insisting in a new interview that he’ll never “medicate” his child
if they have learning disabilities.
In a new interview, conducted before the arrival of his
first child, the actor claimed that due to his own experience of being medicated
to deal with behavioural issues he wouldn’t take the same route as it made him
feel “soul less”.
“I truly believe some people need medication,” he told
Vanity Fair magazine.
“I did not. I did better at school when I was on it, but
it made me a zombie. You become obsessive. Dexedrine, Adderall. It’s like any
other drug. It’s like coke, or crystal meth. The more you do, the less it
works. For a time, it would work well.
He explained: “Then it worked less and my pain was more.
I would go through wild bouts of depression, horrible comedowns. I understand
why kids kill themselves. I absolutely do. You feel terrible. You feel
soul-less. I’d never do it to my child.”
Reflecting on his own up bringing, Tatum admitted his
parents weren’t always perfect and he’d try not to make the same mistakes.
“They weren’t perfect,” he claimed, “I don’t know anyone
who did have perfect parents. It’s provided me with lessons I’ll try to improve
upon when I’m up to bat. I’m just going to be a good friend to my kid.
“One thing I definitely want to change is that whole ‘I
don’t want you to make the same mistakes’ mentality. My dad didn’t have much
money growing up; he didn’t have much of an education. He forced that on me,
and I didn’t want it.” (Source)
