Ryan Reynolds Discusses Blake Lively's 'Higher' Parenting Standards

Photo credit: Theo Wargo - Getty Images
Photo credit: Theo Wargo - Getty Images

Updated article on 11/05/22: Ryan Reynolds has shed new light on the differences between himself and his wife Blake Lively when it comes to parenting.

In a teaser clip for Netflix's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the actor admitted that he wouldn't be the parent he is today if it weren't for his partner. 'Blake, full disclosure, really showed me how to do all this,' he said.

'Blake runs the show,' he continued. 'I would kind of really phone things in if it wasn’t for her. She has higher standards.'

When asked whether he'd feel 'anxiety' if his wife were to visit her family and leave him with the kids for a couple of days, Reynolds joked: 'I would, first off, never let her go visit her family. No, yeah, that is illegal. That's kidnapping.'

Photo credit: Theo Wargo - Getty Images
Photo credit: Theo Wargo - Getty Images

While he said being left to be a 'girl dad' for a few days would be 'pretty exciting at first', he noted that the 'division of labour is very important' when raising three children.


Article originally published on 08/12/21: Ryan Reynolds has opened up about life at home with Blake Lively, explaining how they've juggled both of their busy acting schedules as parents.

The actor discussed being a father-to- three daughters (James, six, Inez, five and Betty, two) during an interview with the career platform LinkedIn earlier this week.

Reynolds, who recently announced he was taking a career break, said he 'really [enjoys] being a present dad' and that for years he and the Gossip Girl star have avoided shooting films at the same time, as a way of managing work with home life.

'I mean, for many years when my wife Blake would shoot a film, I would not shoot a film,' he said. 'And I would be with the kids and vice versa. So we sort of trade off. We never really worked at the same time.'

Photo credit: Michael Tran - Getty Images
Photo credit: Michael Tran - Getty Images

Despite the pair's commitment to ensuring one of them is with their kids while the other is at work, he said that it has meant that Reynolds and Lively were 'always' away, 'so the kids were away too'.

'Now, that they’re in school, you know, they have to have a somewhat normal schedule. I think it’s really important for their development,' Reynolds said of present life.

'I really enjoy being a present dad. I love taking them to school in the morning. I love picking them up.'

Sharing a photo of his daughter Betty on Twitter in 2019, the doting father noted: 'I want my daughters to experience the same natural playground I grew up in.'

Discussing the pandemic and working from home, he said: 'I certainly don’t miss Zoom school but, you know, it was really lovely to have that insight and visibility into my kids’ real daily lives. And for my wife as well.'

Photo credit: JNI/Star Max - Getty Images
Photo credit: JNI/Star Max - Getty Images

Lively, who met Reynolds on the set of The Green Lantern in 2010, has previously opened up about motherhood, revealing last year to E! News that she is 'obsessed' with her daughters.

Discussing her thought process behind signing on for a role that could mean spending less time with her children she explained: 'I guess I really have to really, really, really, really love it, because I'm just obsessed with my kids.'

Photo credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images
Photo credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images

Lively and Reynolds married on September 9, 2012 during a private plantation-themed ceremony in South Carolina.

In 2012 the Simple Favour actor opened up about her hopes for a family one day, telling Allure magazine: 'I’ve always wanted a big family. Oh, I’d love 30 [children] if I could.'

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