Blake Shelton is opening up about his experience being a stepdad to wife Gwen Stefani's three sons — Kingston, 17, Zuma, 15, and Apollo, 10.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Shelton reflected on the 10-year anniversary of his and Stefani's first meeting and spoke about what their future together.
“If I could have a repeat of these past 10 years, [that] would be perfect,” he said. “Next month, we’ve got an 18-year-old, which it blows my mind that already happened. And in a couple of years, we’ll have another 18-year-old. And that’s... it’s gonna be I guess a lot more alone time, which I’m not mad about that either.”
The "Nobody But You" singer added, “But we still have Apollo, so we have another almost 10 years before we can kick him out, so it should be a lot of fun.”
Shelton noted that Stefani's kids have changed him "in every possible way." Since he became their stepdad, he said said his priorities have shifted.
“I learned quickly, not because anything happened, but just, you know, reading the room, you’ve really got [to think], ‘I have to take a step back,’” he said of how his mindset has changed as a caretaker. “When people say it’s not about you anymore when you have a kid... I think, if you’re doing it right, it’s not about you anymore. That’s true.”
As for what he's teaching them, Shelton said he's been giving the teens a whole new perspective on life.
“I get to teach them the country, you know, and I love that,” he said. “Whether it’s music, whether it’s literally getting out, getting their hands in the dirt or being out on the ranch, seeing the animals, whatever, you know? I absolutely love being the person that gets to introduce them to that stuff.”
What else has Blake Shelton said about being a stepdad?
In a December 2022 interview with People, Shelton opened up about being a stepfather and revealed how the experience had changed him for the better.
“They’ve taught me something about myself that I never knew: I’m more than just a country singer or a goofy guy. I’m someone they actually lean on, and that’s not a responsibility that I ever had and not something that I ever considered even being into,” Shelton said.
“It’s a different kind of self-worth. Maybe it’s the opposite of self-worth because you put yourself way down on the rung, and they move up ahead of you,” he continued.
The "No Body" singer explained that spending time with his family is his top priority, and that's why he announced in October 2022 that he was going to be leaving "The Voice."
“You don’t know what your regrets are going to be until you look back one day," he said. "I feel like my regrets would be, if I stayed on this path, that I am missing out on some more important things in life — and for now, that’s our kids."
Shelton added that being a stepdad has made him think less of himself and more about the little ones that he's been raising.
“Having kids, it truly does make you go, ‘Oh whoa. Wait a minute.’ This isn’t about me anymore and never will be again,'" he said. "If you don’t say that to yourself, I think you’re only hurting yourself because you’re going to miss out.”
Shelton admits he's accomplished a lot in his lifetime and "made plenty of money" doing the things that he loves. However, he said that one thing you can't buy back with money is time. And he's been taking that message to heart.
“[Family] is what I want to invest in now," he said.
In July 2021, Shelton and Stefani tied the knot at Shelton’s Oklahoma ranch. The couple got married in front of 40 guests, including TODAY’s own Carson Daly, who served as the officiant.
Stefani celebrated her union with Shelton when she shared pictures of their nuptials on Instagram.
"July 3rd 2021 dreams do come true !!! ❤️🙏🏻," she wrote in the caption. "@blakeshelton i love you."