Elon Musk is undoubtedly one of the most disruptive innovators of the 21st century. In addition to his pioneering entrepreneurial ventures in companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity, Musk has also become a father to his six children. But just how many kids does Mr. Musk have?
The answer is six. On June 10, 2020, Elon and his Canadian-born singer-songwriter wife; Claire Grimes (also known as Grimes) welcomed their latest addition to the family: a baby boy named X Æ A-Xii. They join their older brother, Nevada Alexander Musk (born 2002) from Grimes’ previous relationship, and triplet sons Damian, Saxon and Kai (born 2006 and 2007) from a previous marriage with Justine Wilson, an author.
The pre-birth announcement of baby X Æ A-Xii shocked fans around the world as Grimes first caused confusion with the unidentified name of X. Some fans took to twitter to ask whether ‘X’ was a placeholder name for the newest arrival or signified something else. But later on the couple successfully added structure to the name and unfortunately failed to explain its meaning.
The question of how many kids Musk has is a surprisingly contentious topic in the media. In an interview with The Sun, Musk denied having more than four by saying “the number of my children has not doubled”. However, in an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Musk admitted he has “five or six”.
It appears that Elon Musk and Grimes are devoted parents to all their children, never shying away from showing affection. They have taken it upon themselves to be involved with each and every one of their children’s lives, taking them on various holidays and social events. Musk recently posted a video on Instagram of him having playtime with his five youngest kids.
The phrase ‘modern parental unit’ has been coined when it comes to Musk and his family, as he strives to defy societal and biological norms of being a father. Throughout his different endeavors in the public sphere, Musk has never shied away from expressing his pride for his children and even seeks their approval during press appearances, often asking his youngest son “what do you think?”.
But even with Musk’s fame, he and Grimes make sure to keep their children’s personal lives private, a theme supported by the couple’s decision not to disclose the meaning behind their newborn X Æ A-Xii’s name. In conclusion, it is true that Elon Musk has six children. The couple balances a variety of parental roles, displaying a sense of being devoted, caring, and protective. As the saying goes, a family that plays together stays together.
Family and Education
Though much of their parents’ lives remain in the spotlight, there is little public information regarding the family’s education. It has been widely reported that all the children were home schooled for a period of time with Nevada and Xavier, the two eldest, committing to college courses. Nevada is currently studying robotics, and Xavier is studying economics at USC.
In addition to their academic pursuits, the children are also heavily involved in the family’s various business ventures. For example, Grimes and Musk’s younger triplets have expressed interest in engineering and design work, learning to make prototypes and working alongside Musk on research and invention in the Tesla labs.
Musk has also expressed interest in his children’s lives outside of their academic and business pursuits. He often talks about his enthusiasm for watching their favorite sports teams, introducing them to recreational activities and attending shows and stage performances they put on.
Though Grimes and Musk do not reveal too much about their family life, they remain devoted to their children’s education and well-being. Grimes is an advocate for homeschooling, saying her family prefers to be educated independently. The family lives a luxurious lifestyle, with Musk admitting to sending his kids to private schools at times.
Custody Battle
Musk and Wilson, the mother of his triplets, have had a tumultuous relationship. On January 15, 2010, Wilson and Musk made a verbal agreement regarding their children’s custody and scheduled visitation times. However, in 2014, the agreement was violated when Musk began tweeting out messages that Wilson felt were defamatory.
Wilson consequently brought a lawsuit against Musk, alleging libel. On June 6, 2015, the court sided with Wilson, with the judge concluding that Musk’s tweets had harmed her reputation and violated the tenuous custody agreement. As a result, Musk was required to pay $15 million in damages and his triplets were taken away from him.
Although it was disheartening for Musk to lose the battle for custody of his older children, the experience had a profound effect on him. In many ways, he was forced to analyze the way he was raising his children and the stewardship he was providing for them. It sparked a renewed passion for fatherhood in Musk and inspired him to treat any future children differently.
Relationships with Siblings
Children of famous parents have the potential to become either good role models or troubled stars. However, with the way Musk and Grimes have raised their children, they have managed to keep their family close and healthy. All the children get along and have appeared in a variety of media events together.
Most recently, a Youtube video showing the elder siblings teaching the triplets how to drive a car has been featured on social media and rapidly went viral. Nevada and Xavier have also made appearances while visiting Musk in his SpaceX mission control room, living out their childhood dreams of space exploration.
In an interview, Musk made sure to mention the importance of relationships, noting how his children all support each other. According to Musk, it does not matter how busy he is or else how complicated he makes his home life, because when it’s all said and done, “it’s about family.”
Life with Musk and Grimes
Being the children of the legendary entrepreneur and acclaimed singer, the Musk-Grimes family has the utmost support from their fanbase. However, despite the fans constant displays of affection, the children have continuously proven to possess incredibly normal interests. From playing sports, going to the park, and practicing music, the children rarely do anything to extreme
The family also have occasional down time where a classic game of chess can be expected. One of the elder children, Nevada, often plays against Musk depending on his availability. On the other hand, Grimes has managed to bond with her children on an more intimate level by teaching them how to create musical pieces.
In some respects, Musk and Grimes strive to raise their children with elements of normalcy, allowing them to engage in everyday activities and experiences. In turn, the children provide a sense of balance for the couple’s hectic schedules and lifestyle.
Cultural Role
The Musk-Grimes family are pioneers for the modern household. Their respective careers, ranging from business and technology to music and art, have given the family access to unique resources and experiences. From attending Elon’s rocket launchings to visiting the Silicon Valley campus, the range of cultural and educational exposure is truly vast.
In the public eye, the family are seen bonding on the red carpets and living luxurious lives, though they remain dedicated to other causes. The couple have both started initiatives designed to benefit society, such as Musk’s Tesla Foundation and Grimes’ Art Angels Foundation.
The children are currently still too young to take part in any initiatives outside of their family but they have certainly been raised to understand the importance of charity and social responsibility.
As a result, the Musk-Grimes family is not just a force of inspiration, but of practicality as well. They serve as a reminder for parents to provide their children with a balance of kindness and discipline and to expose them to extraordinary experiences.
