Occupation: Owner and Lead Instructor of Kumon S. Harrell’s Ferry
Wife: Sydney
Children: Quinn, 5 ½, and Zuri, 3
Hobbies: Sports, fishing, the arts, and being outdoors
Kyle Palmer is a devoted father, education advocate, and owner and lead instructor at Kumon S. Harrell’s Ferry. With a busy household that includes his wife, Sydney, and their two daughters, Quinn and Zuri, Kyle successfully balances family, work, and personal passions. From educational adventures and thoughtful one-on-one time with his kiddos, Kyle shares his lifelong connection to education and how it has shaped his role as a family man and educator who is passionate about guiding children to a successful future.
WHAT’S ONE THING THAT SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT BECOMING A DAD?
KYLE: There is no off button. It’s 24/7, even when they’re going to bed or sleeping. Not that I figured there would be, but it’s around the clock. I wasn’t aware of that before my firstborn, Quinn, so I would say it was a surprising factor.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WEEKEND LOOK LIKE FOR YOUR FAMILY?
KYLE: We’re very involved with their extracurriculars and academics. We lay out things through the week for them academically, and we try to pair that up with something hands-on that they can do for the weekend. We’ve been studying the first civilizations, and we are now merging that with a vacation to Riviera Maya to go to a few of the ruins. So educational activities, sporting events…Both of our girls are into soccer and gymnastics and piano. So on weekends, we always have piano practice. That’s what a typical weekend will be like.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE BEING PRESENT FOR YOUR KIDS WHILE JUGGLING YOUR WORK RESPONSIBILITIES?
KYLE: I’m used to having a lot on my plate, and I definitely get that from my mom. I’ve seen her go for years, and I think I’ve just naturally adapted that. But, balancing a business is a challenge, let alone with a five-year-old, three-year-old, and a wife, who all deserve the rightful time that they need. But my schedule works perfectly for it. Kumon is an after-school reading and math program, and our students come to us after school lets out. So, I get to take our oldest to school, and our youngest, Zuri, I get a chance to work with her every morning. That’s what a typical day looks like working with my daughters: education, early morning walks, different things like that. Then I jump into my normal routines for the business.
WHAT FAMILY TRADITIONS ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU?
KYLE: We spend a lot of time together. [Growing up] with having a single mom who was an educator for 43 years and a dad who wasn’t present, I would tell people all the time at like, five-, six-years old, that whenever I do have kids, I’m going to be very active in their lives. So, we’re establishing traditions as the years go by, but it’s strictly just family time, every opportunity that we get outside of the normal hustle and bustle.
WHAT’S ONE LESSON YOU HOPE YOUR CHILDREN ALWAYS REMEMBER FROM YOU?
KYLE: The importance of family, hard work, and discipline. I think this helps shape our individual households, which then helps shape our community, which in return helps shape our great nation. So definitely family, love, and discipline are three main priorities every single day.
HAS BEING A DAD CHANGED THE WAY YOU SEE THE WORLD OR YOURSELF?
KYLE: Being a parent, a father, has allowed me to understand the different dynamics that we all go through, and the different pathways that we take. It helps me reason with people that I have never met before. To understand that just having empathy, where I’m super thankful to have a mother who was grounded enough to support me through my endeavors and also my education, but also understanding that everyone didn’t get that. It opened up my eyes to say it doesn’t matter where we are right now as parents, as long as we are striving to improve.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A CERTIFIED KUMON INSTRUCTOR?
KYLE: Just being around education my entire life. My mother’s side of the family grew up in this very small town, about an hour away from Baton Rouge, and I have 11 uncles and aunts, and 9 out of the 11 were elementary school teachers all the way up to college professors. So I’ve always been around education. I ended up finishing up in elementary ed, special ed, and I understand the importance of academics and education, how it can be, in my opinion, the only way to freedom.
HOW HAS WORKING WITH STUDENTS SHAPED THE WAY YOU PARENT YOUR OWN KIDS?
KYLE: As an educator, you’re faced with so many different challenges every single day. And I’m just thankful for my children and who they are, even though we are challenging them every single day to reach their max potential. Being able to work with different kids in different situations at Kumon allows me to understand how to approach my own kids in specific situations.
HOW DO YOU HELP STUDENTS WHO FEEL DISCOURAGED ?
KYLE: I love to have real-life conversations with them, and I typically do that when I see them walking into the center, and they don’t have that joyous look on their face. Having that meaningful conversation with the student in that moment allows their wall to be knocked down because they immediately know that you actually are concerned and care. I try to give them a scenario of mine that they can relate with. I think that helps them understand that they’re not alone on this island.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER DADS?
KYLE: There are two pieces of advice that I will give. One will be to be that father that you may have wished that you had, and that may be just having fun and pulling out that inner child in yourself. I also would ask those parents and fathers who have committed to other professions that require more of their time away from their family, to scale back while still maintaining your family, so you can enjoy more of that family time.
Rapid-Fire Questions
Favorite date night…painting portraits of one another.
One word that best describes your family…loving.
Favorite movie…Bird Box.
Currently reading…The African Origin of Civilization by Cheikh Anta Diop
Favorite food…boiled crawfish.
Hidden talent…drawing and playing piano.
