Ryan Reynolds reveals what he's learnt not to do as a dad
Ryan Reynolds has opened up about fatherhood and what he's learnt about his own dad since becoming one himself.
The 47-year-old has told People his dad, James Chester Reynolds was a tough and stoic former police officer who "made a massive amount of mistakes, was not a great communicator, blew it, all kinds of stuff".
But since becoming a father of four himself, with wife Blake Lively, Reynolds says he can now understand why his father reacted in those ways.
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Ryan Reynolds has opened up about fatherhood and what not to do as a dad. Instagram
"I blow it all the time and we all do," he says, adding, "It's funny that our parents are meant to have this kind of infallibility."
But while he accepts his father's behaviour, he's adamant he doesn't want to carry it in with his own children, James, nine, Inez, seven, Betty, four, and baby Olin, one.
"When my kid is acting out or telling me I'm the worst, my father's instinct would be to shut that kid off," he says.
"My dad would retreat into the power of silence, and that is not the way to acknowledge your kid."
Reynolds admits he is reminded of his own father when his children try to challenge him. Mike Coppola/Getty
In those testing moments with his children, Reynolds says he tries to lean in to what's really going on behind the behaviour.
"To be able to get down on their level and just tell them that I believe them and that I'm here for them," he says.
"That they can't go do the thing that they're asking to do – but at the same time, I'm willing to sit here and hear them out and feel whatever they're going through."
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The actor sits and listen to his children when they act out rather than shutting them down. Getty
So instead of shutting them down like his father did with him, Reynolds is proactively trying to connect with his kids "and let them know … 'I'm going to stay with you until we can feel a little bit better'."
"'I don't know if I can fix it, but I can definitely be with you through this.' That kind of stuff, I'm like, 'Oh, OK. I just weirdly didn't mean to, but I fixed something with my own dad.'"
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