All about her sons Ayden and Dylan

Phaedra Parks has many titles, but one of her favorites is “Mother of Her Children.”

The Real Housewives of Atlanta Star has two sons, Ayden, 14, and Dylan, 11 (aka “The Prince” and “Mr. President,” respectively) with her ex-husband Apollo Nida. The couple had their first child in May 2010. Ayden’s birth was later shown in the third season of the Atlanta-based series Real Housewives Franchise. Three years later, Phaedra gave birth to Dylan in May 2013.

About a year after the birth of their second son, Phaedra and Apollo separated in 2014. The end of their marriage came the same year Apollo pleaded guilty to bank fraud and identity theft, which resulted in him serving an eight-year prison sentence. Although her marriage didn’t work out, Phaedra told PEOPLE exclusively in April 2017 that she chose not to discuss the details of her divorce RHOA for the benefit of their children.

“Ultimately, Apollo is the father of the children,” said the undertaker. “And so I want them to be able to make up their own minds about who he is as a father.”

As the boys grew up on the show, Phaedra told The Daily Dish in November 2016 that their personalities shined through, describing Dylan as “all brawn” and Ayden as “all brains.” Even though they were just three and six years old at the time, the reality star admitted that her sons had a close relationship.

“They’re best friends,” Phaedra said. “They love a good, playful conversation. Sometimes it gets a little aggressive.”

From Ayden and Dylan’s early childhood RHOA In addition to the unique gifts Phaedra gave them for their birthday, here’s everything you need to know about Phaedra Parks’ two sons, Ayden and Dylan.

Ayden, 14

Phaedra was pregnant with her son Ayden during her first season of Ayden RHOA in 2010 and gave birth to him on May 26, 2010, which aired in the eighth episode of the third season. As a new housewife, she gave the audience a glimpse into her life as a new mother, from the birthing process to balancing becoming a reality star.

“Being a new mom is a total change,” the lawyer said during a confessional interview on Season 3 of RHOA. “I mean, this is a new life. Caring for someone outside of yourself is a whole different ballgame.”

Despite the sudden change in her lifestyle, Phaedra thrived in front of the cameras. The Married to medicine alum revealed on the show that she and Apollo chose to name their first son Ayden Adonis Nida because “Ayden means ‘fiery’, Adonis means ‘handsome man,’ and it was just perfect,” adding: “A little fiery man from two years of fiery parents.”

When Ayden grew up, he spent the first years of his life surrounded by the camera crew. The Dancing with the stars The contestant told PEOPLE in November 2016 that the industry piqued Ayden and Dylan’s interest because their older child was “very interested in working the cameras.” While Dylan enjoyed being filmed, Phaedra joked that Ayden “thinks he can produce the show!”

Phaedra compared her boys to “night and day” but hasn’t been shy about professing her love for them both over the years. She has longstanding nicknames for each of them, with Ayden often referred to as the Prince while Dylan is Mr. President.

Phaedra left the show after Season 9 in 2017, but returned in 2022 The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club. Producer Andy Cohen enjoyed a warm reunion with her two boys at a gig in June of that year Watch what happens live with Andy CohenAyden and Dylan met with the executive producer and host, with the older son admitting he remembered Cohen, saying: “I remember you gave me the big Snoopy… I still have him in my room .”

Cohen shared with Ayden that one of his “favorite moments ever” on the series was when Phaedra “[drove] You on your first day of kindergarten. It’s the sweetest thing – I could cry thinking about it.”

In May 2023, Phaedra celebrated Ayden’s 13th birthday with a lavish carnival party, which was featured on season 10 of Married to medicine. To commemorate her first child becoming a teenager, Phaedra told PEOPLE a month later that she gave him $150,000 to invest in real estate, even though he originally wanted a dirt bike.

“So for his birthday he said he either wanted a dirt bike or a way to make money. And so I said, ‘Well, there’s no way I’m going to give you a dirt bike to kill you. I’ll give you $150,000 to buy a part.’ of property,” she said. “And now he’s basically trying to figure out if he wants to do a little multi-unit duplex, you know? [start] his own small rental properties.

Furthermore, she celebrated his birthday with a heartfelt video on Instagram in which Ayden addressed his mother on the special occasion. “Many of you saw his birth, celebrated his birthdays with us, and saw his first day of school,” Phaedra wrote. “For the past 13 years, I have been encouraged and sustained by your prayers, your kind words, your gentle smiles and your warm hugs.”

Dylan, 11

As with his older brother, Phaedra and Apollo filmed Dylan’s birth on May 8, 2013. The moment was broadcast at the beginning of RHOA Season 6. Shortly after his birth, the former couple announced they were divorcing in 2014. Phaedra told PEOPLE in April 2017 that she “respects[s] “My children so much” that she never wanted the issue of her separation from her father to be aggravated Real Housewives Cameras.

“I don’t want to [Ayden and Dylan] When they look back on TV, in the tabloids, or at something I said, they will feel like their father wasn’t a great father,” she said. “It was important to me to maintain some privacy.”

After switching on RHOA During his early teens, Phaedra told PEOPLE in November 2016 that Dylan took a liking to films. In Season 9, he was mic’d for the show for the first time. His mother admitted he was “wary” of the cameras at first, but “really evolved” over the years.

“At the end of last year you saw him start to talk,” Phaedra recalled. “Now he talks all the time – he doesn’t stop talking.”

Phaedra and Mr. President have a lot in common – including their wit and fashion sense. She told PEOPLE that “it’s never a dull day with these two” as they get up to various shenanigans.

“Yesterday we were at home and I asked Dylan, ‘What are you chewing?’ and – this is disgusting – he said, ‘My toenails.’ I was like, ‘Why are you biting your toenails?’ and he was like, ‘I’m a carnivore – that’s meat,'” she said. “I think OH MY GOD – I thought that was so funny. I thought, “I’m glad you know what carnivore means, but toenails aren’t meat!”

When it comes to clothing, Phaedra told BravoTV.com in August 2022 that Dylan “loves designers” and is a “sneaker fanatic.” Although Ayden was expected to wear uniforms every school day, she revealed that Dylan didn’t follow the same guidelines.

“Uniform is optional, so he loves being inconsistent now,” she said. “My youngest son is a total fashionista… He’s a – what do you call it? – sneaker head. So he tells everyone about the latest sneakers and collects them… He goes online and orders all his stuff.”

While Phaedra told PEOPLE in July 2023 that her children “can be a little crazy,” she is “very proud to call them mine” and has three rules for Ayden and Dylan as they grow into young men.

“Always be respectful of adults, yes and no, ma’am. My second rule is to clean up after yourself. And the last thing is to be grateful,” she explained. “I’m definitely going to take the phone away from them and keep doing this because I’ve worked too hard for them not to appreciate it.”