Dad of four Ryan Reynolds has a bit of parenting wisdom to dole out to the masses. He and Blake Lively are fiercely private about their life at home with their kids, but every once in a while they are willing to share a little bit of insight into what their lives look like as parents of four. And as far as Reynolds is concerned, it’s all about that walk to and from school every day. That’s where he and Lively practice as much “self-awareness” as possible, so that their kids feel heard. And loved.
Reynolds, who is dad to 8-year-old daughter James, 7-year-old daughter Inez, 4-year-old daughter Betty, and a new 𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚢 born this year with wife Blake Lively, recently opened up to People about his life as a dad. “For me, the best time of my day is walking them to school and walking them back,” he told the outlet at the Bring Change to Mind Revels & Revelations 11 event in New York City on Monday.
The Deadpool actor went on to explain that the walk to and from school was all about helping his kids handle their lives in a way that felt more “self-aware” than forcing some kind of emotion on the moment. “I think as parents, we are so much better equipped to handle the rigors of childhood through our kids now than when I was a kid. It’s just totally different now. People are much more self-aware. And that’s the thing we sort of hang our hat on the most is self-awareness with our kids. Not be happy, not be anything, just be self-aware and welcome everything in.”
Welcoming a new 𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚢 can certainly change a family dynamic, but Reynolds and Lively’s dedication to being present for their kids seemed to help smooth that transition back in February. “Everybody’s doing great. Everybody’s actually doing fantastic,” Reynolds said during an interview on CNBC’s Power Lunch. “I think if we hadn’t figured it out by now, I think we’d be in deep, deep trouble.”
As Reynolds wisely pointed out, it helps if your kids know you really like them and are happy to hear their stories. “I think it’s more about talking to them about everything,” he told People. “It’s genuine when I say I take a huge interest in their days and how things are going.”
If Ryan Reynolds is ready to write a parenting book, we are ready to read it.
