Ryan Reynolds Calls Modern Parents ‘So Soft’ Compared to His Tough Childhood

Ryan Reynolds recently opened up about his parenting style with his wife Blake Lively and how he's learned to manage his emotions over time. Speaking at HubSpot’s INBOUND tech conference in Boston the 47-year-old ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Wolverine’ star shared a pivotal moment that changed his approach to emotions.

"I took a workshop on conflict resolution, and it completely transformed my life," Reynolds said during a conversation with author Marcus Collins. "I didn’t know how to process my feelings before because I grew up with a scarcity mindset. I was conditioned to always want to win or be right, and that workshop helped me rethink how I approach things."

Reynolds expressed his appreciation for conflict resolution, saying, "What I love about it is that you can meet someone where they are without needing to be right or wrong. You can disagree and still connect."

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While Reynolds admitted he learned how to process his emotions as an adult, he noted that his four children — daughters James, 9, Inez, 7, Betty, 4, and son Olin, 1 — don’t seem to share the same mindset he had growing up. He joked, "They were born on 'Easy Street.' Parents today are so soft. I don’t yell. When I was a kid, it was like an improvised militia."

Reynolds also reflected on how parenting has evolved, saying, "Nowadays, I can look up resources to remind myself to be compassionate. It’s a whole different approach than when I was a kid."

Reynolds and Lively, who married in 2012, have been open about how parenthood has impacted their lives. Earlier this year, Reynolds shared some valuable parenting advice he received from ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Wolverine’ director Shawn Levy. "Shawn told me it’s important for your kids to know that you don’t always win," Reynolds said. "They need to see that things don’t always go your way and that you face challenges too."

Image Courtesy: People

During his Friday talk, Reynolds also touched on the launch of his production company, Maximum Effort, and how the success of the ‘Deadpool’ films played a big part in its creation. He joked, "I love wearing the Deadpool suit, and I’ve refused to give it back. After working for 10 years to get the movie made, I’m holding onto that suit!"

–Farheen Ali