The Important Skill Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively Are Teaching Their Four Kids

Actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have four kids: James, born in 2014; Inez, born in 2016; Betty, born in 2019; and a fourth child born in 2023. Reynolds is clearly devoted to his kids; he received the Robin Williams' Legacy of Laughter Award at an event for mental health nonprofit Bring Change to Mind in October 2023, where he also opened up to People about how he loves and parents his children.

"It's genuine when I say I take a huge interest in their days and how things are going," Reynolds said. The "Free Guy" actor also said that he loves walking his children to and from school and called it "the best time of my day." Reynolds also revealed an important skill he and Lively are trying to teach their children to help with their own mental health.

"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. ... People are much more self-aware," Reynolds said. "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."

While being interviewed by Mario Lopez's children for "Access Hollywood" for the 2020 release of "The Croods: A New Age," Ryan Reynolds shared his love of parenthood when he was asked about being "the ultimate girl dad" (at the time, he and Lively had three daughters). He told the tiny interviewers that he loved that role. Then, Reynolds said his status as an "ultimate girl dad" comes from simply showing up for his kids. 

"It's like I try to be as present as possible," Reynolds continued. "We don't split up. Like I shoot movies, and my wife shoots movies, and we go travel all over the place. And we just all go together." Things have changed as his kids have grown up and are in school, so Reynolds took a bit of an acting break for a while to focus on his businesses and not have to travel as much. In an interview with LinkedIn in 2021 when the actor and father spoke about that, he said, "I really enjoy being a present dad."

Blake Lively also raved about parenthood in a 2020 interview with E! News. When the "A Simple Favor" actor was asked how she picks acting parts as a mom of three, Lively said: "I guess I really have to really, really, really, really love it, because I'm just obsessed with my kids. So, yeah, I think it's gotta really be worth it to take me away."

Despite his and his wife's own successful entertainment careers, Ryan Reynolds doesn't want his kids in the spotlight. In November 2022 he received the American Cinematheque Award (and Lively gave the sweetest speech about him). Reynolds was also interviewed by People at that event and expressed that he doesn't want his kids to be a part of the entertainment industry — at least not while they are kids.

"Putting a kid in a business like this, it's generally not about the kid," Reynolds said. "It's usually about the parents." However, his hesitations don't extend to when his kids are grown up, and the "Definitely, Maybe" actor told the outlet he'll be thrilled to see what they do then. 

"Our job is to foster as much interest in as many different things as possible at this point," Reynolds continued. He and Lively certainly have their hands full with raising four children, but they've made it clear that they absolutely love it.