Reba McEntire Revealed She Used A Down-To-Earth Parenting Style To Prevent Her Son From Being Spoiled

Aug 02, 2023 by apost team

Reba McEntire's multifaceted life as an entertainer is paramount to her brand, but nothing comes close to how she took responsibility as a mother. McEntire is mom to a young man thriving in his 30s, and she could not be any prouder of him. Raising her son meant instilling values she learned from her parents to help him navigate life, and McEntire made sure not to falter. 

The star once looked back at her early years as a mom in an October 2022 interview, and she was glad about staying true to what she believed in. The star opened up on her realistic parenting, which helped to keep her son grounded.  

The multi-award-winning singer is mom to Shelby Blackstock, her only child from her marriage to talent manager Narvel Blackstock. When McEntire became a mom in 1990, she was at the pinnacle of her music career. The "(You Lift Me) Up To Heaven" crooner has been active for over four decades, starting with a Mercury/Polygram Records record deal. Her career did not immediately gain momentum as her early songs charted low on Billboard Hot Country Songs.  

The breakthrough began in 1978 when she collaborated with fellow singer Jacky Ward on two singles. In 1980, “(You Lift Me) Up To Heaven" became her first top-10 sound on the chart, and by the next decade, she became a household name among music lovers. The songstress has over 30 studio albums while selling over 75 million records. 

McEntire is the recipient of three Grammy awards and 16 Academy of Country Music awards, among others. The music star launched her acting career the same year she welcomed her son. 

McEntire's first acting credit was in the horror comedy "Tremors." The A-lister made it to Broadway in the 2000s and also premiered her TV show, "Reba," in 2001. The star, who is dubbed the Queen of Country Music, married Narvel in 1989. 

Two years before that, she ended an 11-year marriage with Charlie Battles. After the divorce, the star singer moved to Nashville, where she married Narvel. At the time, the manager had three kids from a previous relationship. She and Narvel filed for divorce in 2015. 

Despite wearing several hats as an entertainer, she never lost sight of her parenting goal. McEntire worked through her busy schedule to raise her son to be humble. The doting mom gushed over her son while speaking to People as she relayed her pride. 

She recalled how her son dealt with ADHD as a child. McEntire noted that he could barely read in school but worked on improving himself that he "read 10 books this year." She added: "He's always trying to improve and do better. His daddy did a great job too."

The entertainer also talked about her life as a working mom noting that she had "the best nannies." 

McEntire relayed that she sometimes "took him on the road with me" when her work schedule became tedious. She recalled her routine and striving to be there for Shelby during his formative years. The country icon added that even as she tried to combine career and motherhood, she was grateful for "a lot of help." She explained how she tried to be there:

"I would fly home after a concert, get him up in the morning, take him to school and pick him up. We'd play until I had to fly out again for a concert that night. I wanted to be with Shelby. Still do."

apost.com

Being the child of a mainstream singer, Shelby was undoubtedly aware of his privilege, but his mom ensured it did not go to his head. She opened up about how she kept him in line with wisdom nuggets. McEntire revealed to the news outlet:

"When we would play games or cards, I'd never let Shelby win He wouldn't have learned anything that way. I always told Shelby, 'I'll always love you, but I want other people to like you. So don't be a little jerk. Don't be a spoiled brat.'"

The "How Was I To Know" singer explained further that she believed she successfully instilled those values because "a lot of people have told me you would never know (he) had been blessed with the life he was given."

The TV star reflected on becoming a mother, stating that her son was a "gift from God." She mentioned being "very self-centered" before having him. All that changed as soon as she realized, "There's a little character who you are given the job to protect and nurture and love and teach, so all the attention's not on you anymore."

McEntire added that she and her son were very close. Despite his and McEntire's busy schedules, the mother-and-son duo gets to see each other whenever she goes home to Nashville.

She said she would often enjoy brunch or dinner with Shelby and his wife. The American race car driver married Marissa Branch in October 2022. During his wedding, Shelby and his mom shared a magical moment where they danced to one of her greatest hits, "You're Gonna Be (Always Loved By Me)."

Isn't it heartwarming that Reba McEntire revels in the result of her parenting style? Do you agree with her style, and what values do you think kids can be taught? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to other fans of hers.