Photo Credit: Getty Images
Ryan Reynolds recently shared insightful parenting advice he received from director Shawn Levy, emphasizing the importance of teaching children about failure. In an interview with people magazine, Reynolds, who has four children with wife Blake Lively, recounted Levy's advice: "Shawn Levy actually told me something that stuck with me forever, that people tend to only talk about their wins. But I think it's really important for your kids in particular to know that you lose."
Reynolds elaborated on this perspective, explaining, "You don't get what you want all the time. Something you worked on really hard didn't work. You feel like you said something embarrassing today, you did something that didn't sit right with you." He stressed the significance of children witnessing their parents' losses and not just their successes, adding, "It's just so important that they see that and they don't just hear, 'Oh Dad nailed it.' Because you lose so much more than you win."
In a conversation with his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman, Reynolds expanded on how this advice impacts his parenting style. The parenting wisdom from Levy resonated deeply with Reynolds, who noted, "It's really stuck with me."
During the interview, Reynolds also discussed how his own experiences with anxiety have influenced his approach to fatherhood. Jackman, acknowledging Reynolds' openness about his anxiety, asked if being a dad affected his anxiety levels. Reynolds responded, "I think it makes it better because your focus is less on yourself and more on your kids. I know you know that too," he said, addressing Jackman.
Reynolds further reflected, "Now I love that I have anxiety, I love that I've had anxiety. Because when I see my kids experiencing some of that, which is probably genetic, I know how to address it in a way that is compassionate, that actually allows them to feel seen. I know that I can't just fix it. And I can communicate all that stuff to them and with them. I'm always grateful for it."
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman will star in the upcoming film Deadpool & Wolverine, scheduled for release on July 26.
