Henry Winkler Seen with All His Kids Years after He Swore Not to Treat Them like His 'Cruel' Parents Did Him

• Growing up, Henry Winkler's "emotionally destructive" parents used to make him feel unheard, and they ridiculed the actor, who had undiagnosed learning disabilities.
• Henry Winkler is now a devoted father and stepfather to his adult children and knew from a young age that he would never repeat his parents' mistakes.

During an interview, Henry Winkler reminisced about his childhood and recalled an occurrence when he lowered his ear to a bowl of cereal to hear the "snap, crackle, and pop" of the breakfast food, which resulted in his mother chasing him around the kitchen.

Physical violence was a common occurrence for the actor when he was younger, and so was feeling like he was never heard. To Henry Winkler, a heard child is a powerful child. But his parents never listened to anything he had to say.

Having a close-knit family was a foreign concept to the "Happy Days" star, who was left pondering how it was even possible whenever his childhood friends would talk about taking trips with their parents or having fun with their mom and dad.

Henry also struggled with undiagnosed learning disabilities as a child, and education, his most significant hardship, was the most important thing to his parents. He said:

"They were very critical and sometimes cruel. Their pet name for me was Dumm Hund (dumb dog)."

However, when Henry was 10, he promised himself that he would never repeat his mom and dad's parental mistakes on his own children.

"I made a decision when I was 10 – and I thought about it every day – that I was going to be a different parent from my parents. I think one of the most important things in being a parent is seeing your child in front of you as who they are — not who you want them to be," the actor shared.

Henry Wrinkler Has Taken His Job as a Father Very Seriously since He Welcomed His First Child

In 1976, Henry met his future wife, Stacey, at a clothing store in Los Angeles, and they later tied the knot in 1978. The couple has since celebrated more than four decades of marriage.

Stacey entered the relationship with a son, Jed, whom she welcomed during her marriage to the late Howard Weitzman. She also gave birth to her and Henry's daughter Zoe and their son Max.

When Henry was still raising his children, he ensured he utilized every chance he could to impart life lessons. And the actor also encouraged all parents to listen to their children.

Due to his learning disabilities, Henry was failing all his classes, and his parents criticized him and told him he was not reaching his full potential.

Henry shared that even when you're rushing in the morning and you sense your child has something on their tongue, parents should take the time to listen to what their children have to say.

And the Hollywood star's attentive parenting style was not limited to his children, as Henry shared, "My kids' friends would turn up and say, 'I'm having trouble with…' and I'd be, 'Tell me about it.' And my kids would be, 'Can't you just say hello and then walk out of the room?'"

Henry's parents escaped Nazi Germany in 1939 in an attempt to give their children a good life. And while Hendry admired them, he said, "On the other hand, I'd say that they were emotionally destructive."

Due to his learning disabilities, Henry was failing all his classes, and his parents criticized him and told him he was not reaching his full potential. He was much older when he realized he had Dyslexia.

And while "being a parent, without a doubt, is the most difficult job on the face of the planet. Period," Henry understands that each child is different.

For Henry, preserving a child's self-esteem is another crucial part of Parenting 101. And during an interview, he explained that a child's self-image will naturally plummet over the course of their lives.

But it is their parents' job to remind their children of their self-worth and to reassure them that they are doing a good job. Unfortunately, the actor was not afforded the same support, to which Henry said:

"I swore that I would not make the same mistake."

Since becoming a parent, Henry has understood that his role is to help his children as much as possible to reach their destinies. Despite his parents' strict ways, Henry has never laid a hand on his children.

And while "being a parent, without a doubt, is the most difficult job on the face of the planet. Period," Henry understands that each child is different. "Each child is like baking a muffin. You know, you put a toothpick in to see if it's done. Each child, they do it their own way," the actor said.

How Does Henry's Rarely-Seen Family Look Nowadays?

Recently, Henry's daughter-in-law — Max's wife — Jessica, took to Instagram to share a rare family picture of Henry and Stacey with their children and their partners after enjoying dinner at the "best restaurant in la (sic)."

Despite being a doting family man, Henry prefers to protect his loved ones from the spotlight. However, in the sweet family portrait, Henry Winkler wore a beaming smile as he donned a pair of blue jeans paired with a suit jacket.

Stacey also smiled in the happy family picture as she stood beside her daughter. "Adam's family vibes," Jessica captioned the post in part.

The "Scream" star's family has also grown to include six grandchildren, and Henry's favorite part of being a grandfather is spoiling his grandchildren with trips to restaurants and shows. "It is such a wonderful experience to be with them," Henry revealed.

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