Craig Melvin Says Being a Better Dad to His Kids Was 'Motivation' to Reconcile with His Father

Craig Melvin is reflecting on how his relationship with his father directly impacts his role as a dad of two.

Speaking to Kindred by Parents, a new digital destination and community dedicated to Black families, the Today co-host, 43, shared that his desire to be a better father motivated him to reconcile with his own dad, who struggled with addiction throughout the journalist's childhood.

"We want every guy to be a great dad. Well, if you grew up in a house with no father or no father figure or dad, how is it reasonable to expect that you can be a great father? If you can't see something, it's very hard to be something," explains Melvin, who shares son Delano, 8, and daughter Sybil, 5, with wife Lindsay Czarniak.

In order to "break the cycle" of unhealthy parenting behaviors, Melvin says forgiveness was key.

"I had to forgive my father for me because what had started to happen is I was angry. I was annoyed all the time with him and with my mother for putting up with him," he says. "I was annoyed by him directly and indirectly, and our relationship was, it was a cold war."

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Courtesy Fox Sports Lindsay Czarniak, Craig Melvin and their children

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"It wasn't the kind of relationship that I wanted my son to see. It was more important to me that my children came to know my parents, their grandfather," he explains. "That was part of my motivation."

"Years ago, my therapist said, 'When you have kids, one of the chief goals is just to not screw them up. You don't want to put all the baggage that you have on your kids,' " he recalls. "I had to break that cycle. And part of reconciling with my dad, it helped break the cycle."

Jerri Graham Craig Melvin with his dad

Since reconciling with his father, Melvin says his dad is now "the kind of grandfather that I wish I'd had as a father."

"I'm proud of the fact that we brought him back into the fold," adds the NBC journalist. "He's making up for lost time in a big way."