CNN's Anderson Cooper Became Multitasking Dad of 2 at 54 — He Bathes & Feeds Kids Himself While Promoting Charity

• Anderson Cooper became a father of 2 when he was 54 years old
• He says that he is much calmer the second time around and is adjusting to life with his 2 kids, Wyatt and Sebastian.
• He found a unique way to bond with Wyatt when Sebastian was born.
• He has no plans to leave an inheritance for his sons.

Anderson Cooper is an award-winning broadcast journalist, political commentator, author, and the anchor of the CNN show "Anderson 360°." In April 2020, Cooper was adjusting to life as a correspondent working from home due to the pandemic when he announced that he was a new dad.

Cooper shared the emotional news of the arrival of his first son, Wyatt Morgan Cooper, on his show. The 7-pound bundle of joy was born via a surrogate mother to the delight of Cooper and his best friend and co-parent, Benjamin Maisani.

Almost two years later, the then 54-year-old newsman made a similar announcement, marking the arrival of his secondborn, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper. Talking about why his children are his dream fulfilled, Cooper said:

“When I was 12 years old and knew I was gay and thought about my life, it always upset me because I thought, ‘I will never be able to have a kid.’"

The anchor wondered why he waited so long to start a family because it felt like his life actually began when he had his sons. He said becoming a father unlocked within him a "new level of love" beyond any previous experience, yet at the same time, it feels familiar and intimate.

Cooper expressed surprise at how emotional he became over things that would normally not affect him. He noted a similar change in his fellow parent, Maisani, who got very "weepy" over baby Wyatt when Cooper had never seen him cry before.

Cooper and his ex-partner are raising their children together. Even though they are no longer an item, they remain great friends.

He took to Instagram to share the origin of his son's name with his followers. His first son was named after his father, Wyatt Cooper. His middle name, Morgan, is a family name from his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt's side of the family. Remembering his father, who passed away when he was just ten years old, Cooper said, "I hope I can be as good a dad as he was."

Life with Two Kids

Fatherhood has changed Cooper's life in significant ways. He was used to sleeping in because he works nights. But the journalist's focus shifted from world news and current events to feedings, sleeping schedules, and diaper changes. Describing his new morning routine after Wyatt was born, Cooper said:

"My whole motivation in the morning is to be there when my son wakes up because it is the greatest moment of my day. He makes all these great sounds and he stretches and when he finally wakes up and sees you and smiles. It’s incredible."

Cooper, who says he is not good at "decompressing," has always been very busy, often working on holidays and weekends. His workday while hosting "Anderson 360°" on CNN begins at 2 p.m. before a production briefing, then the 8 p.m. show time.

He appears on the CBS show "60 Minutes" as a correspondent, shooting about ten news pieces in a season during the weekends. He is also involved in other hosting opportunities on TV, as well as a show on Facebook Live, and going on the road with his friend, Andy Cohen, for their show "AC²: Deep Talk and Shallow Tales."

The pals now spend some of their free time being dads together.

His work requires him to travel the globe, which he has been doing since he was a young freelance journalist. The painful events of his past contributed to his wanderlust. After losing his father at a young age, his older brother Carter died at just 23 years old. Traveling became an escape from the memories.

The journalist lost his mother, artist, New York socialite, and fashion icon, Vanderbilt, in 2019. She was a great friend and an inspiration to Cooper, maintaining a "childlike optimism" in the face of the great losses she endured during her illustrious life. Now building his own family, Cooper felt their absence. Speaking about his support system, he joked:

“I have an amazing nurse. I’m not sure what she’s done but I’m told there’s no Ambien or whiskey involved.”

As a busy parent, Cooper thankfully found a great nanny who helped him take care of baby Wyatt from those early days and had the infant sleeping 12 hours a night at four months!

The multi-tasking dad loves to feed his boys and give them baths. While he often shares photos of his adorable boys, he also promotes charities close to his heart in the process.

In March 2021, he shared a photo of him feeding his son while encouraging people to donate to charity. He and his CNN colleagues that been raising awareness and money to aid research on ending children's cancer.

Being a dad has also driven the journalist to develop a coffee habit, though he tries to limit the "drug" to two a day. He has said that staying away from social media has helped him maintain balance and not start off the day with a negative outlook.

Cooper took a "slow-roll" approach to get Wyatt to get used to having a younger brother gradually rather than suddenly.

The award-winning author finds meditation useful to calm down during a particularly challenging moment at work. He takes deep, mindful breaths to center himself in the morning hours before the day begins at the 110-year-old firehouse he shares with Maisani and the boys.

Cooper and his ex-partner are raising their children together. Even though they are no longer an item, they remain great friends. The Emmy winner described their family dynamic, saying:

"Wyatt calls me 'daddy' and Benjamin 'papa.' We're a family. Benjamin is also in the process of adopting Wyatt, whose last name will be changed to Maisani-Cooper as well."

His friend Cohen has also been an invaluable asset on his journey as a father. Cohen, who has a son, Benjamin, gave Cooper his hand-me-down clothes for Wyatt. This saved the journalist the hassle of shopping, which he hates. It would have been even more stressful to put together a baby wardrobe during the lockdown.

The two New Yorkers have been friends since 1995 after they were set up on a date that fell through. They are opposites in temperament, with Cohen being bold and outgoing and Cooper being introverted and a homebody. But their unlikely friendship has endured, spawning a comedic two-man stage show in 2015.

Stephen Colbert joked that Cooper and Wyatt were bonding over having a "common enemy" in Sebastian...

The pals now spend some of their free time being dads together. Their new idea of a fun Saturday is enjoying the screams of their children at play.

Getting the Brothers to Bond

Cooper and Maisani brought baby Sebastian home when Wyatt was just over two years old. As a dad of 2, the journalist has been trying to help his children bond based on his own experience with his older brother. While visiting “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” Cooper explained:

“When I was growing up, when I came, my brother was 2 years and like four months older and every childhood photo I have is I’m very happy as a little baby and my brother’s chewing the inside of his lip.”

So Cooper took a "slow-roll" approach to get Wyatt to get used to having a younger brother gradually rather than suddenly. He and Maisani are careful to show the older child as much affection as the younger one. They make time to have activities away from the baby, where Wyatt feels like he is the center of attention.

Cooper also devised an inside joke where he and Wyatt mimic what Sebastian would say in any given scenario. The toddler finds it funny and feels like his dad is an ally rather than always on his baby brother's side.

He now views them from the lens of a parent who is concerned for the future, wanting to make a better one for his and the world's children.

The host, Stephen Colbert, joked that Cooper and Wyatt were bonding over having a "common enemy" in Sebastian and hoped that Cooper would be able to find a new tactic before the baby learned to speak English.

His efforts might be paying off since the anchor shared a photo of Wyatt, who looked ecstatic to be a big brother. In the clip announcing the birth of Sebastian, the father of two described the wonder of being a dad to a newborn all over again, saying:

“He is healthy and happy and even his occasional hiccups are to me adorable. He mostly just sleeps and eats, and he certainly poops, but he already seems like a wise and thoughtful little chap.”

Cooper is definitely blessed to have two great children he adores. He continues to describe Wyatt, who is sweet and funny, as "the greatest joy" of his life.

While visiting "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," he shared a cute photo of Wyatt in a Halloween costume and carrying what his father says is his favorite toy—a child-size vacuum cleaner!

Leaving an Inheritance

One of Cooper's long-term projects has been to chronicle his mother's life and unpack the legacy of the Vanderbilt family. The vast wealth that the family possessed led to his mother having a troubled childhood after the death of her father. Speaking about how this shaped his thoughts on passing wealth and inheritance, he said:

“I’m not that interested in money, but I don’t intend to have some sort of pot of gold for my son. I’ll go with what my parents said, which is, ‘College will be paid for, and then you gotta get on it.’”

He co-authored his critically acclaimed book, “Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty,” with Katherine Howe, which they released in 2021. The book gives the history of his mother's family, their rise to prominence, and their eventual decline.

The journalist has said that he was aware of money being spent and lost from a very young age. But it had never occurred to him to have laid any claim to his mother's wealth or hope for a future when it would all be his. His mother made it clear to him that there would be no trust fund, and he settled early on that he would make his own way.

Being a father has made the newsman view the work he does in a whole new light.

He said that he was grateful not to bear the Vanderbilt name. Seeing the misery that the famous dynasty had brought to family members gave the name a negative connotation for him. He also noted with discomfort that when people associated him with that side of his family, they would change and become calculating.

What Cooper holds on to is the love he had for his family members who have gone ahead. Though they did not get to see his children, he believed that they would be proud of his family. Speaking after the birth of Sebastian, he said:

"These past 22 months, I felt them watching over us very strongly and I already feel their love for Sebastian. The family I was born into may be gone, but I feel them alive in the family we've created, new love, and new life."

Being a father has made the newsman view the work he does in a whole new light. The stories he covers hold a deeper significance. Cooper now views them from the lens of a parent who is concerned for the future, wanting to make a better one for his and the world's children.

Anderson Cooper has found a new reason to get up in the morning. Rather than the next big story or exotic location, he is driven by his love for his children and the desire to be a great dad. He has taken the pain and loss of the past and is writing a beautiful story of a family.