Well, stylish Gwen Stefani, with her three sons with ex Gavin Rossdale, namely Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo in tow, has spent most of the lockdown with Gwen's fiancé Blake Shelton on his ranch in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. And they have all bonded quite nicely thank you.
Blake has taken a hands-on approach with the boys, combining being their best bud with being a responsible parent. He has admitted that it can be a little scary, getting it just right, but he seems to have succeeded.
Gwen and Blake met as co-stars on TV's The Voice at about the same time as Stefani's marriage to singer Gavin Rossdale and Blake's marriage to Miranda Lambert were coming to an end. And, after around five years together they became engaged in October of 2020.
So, what do Gwen's sons think of Blake becoming their official stepdad? And what kind of unofficial stepdad has Blake been to the three boys. Let's have a look.
Blake Is A Natural, Easy Going, And Happy Stepdad
Apparently, the boys are big Blake Shelton fans. It seems that the traditional Blake even asked their permission to marry their mom. Kingston (14), Zuma (12), and Apollo (6) were apparently delighted.
A source close to the couple has told People magazine: "Blake told her boys that he wanted to propose and asked their permission. Her family very much approves of him. He's an amazing partner and a great extra dad to the boys. Gwen is ecstatic."
While in lockdown, Blake and the boys have bonded, doing guy stuff like fishing and riding the range on horses and in Blake's customized electric cart. He's been very hands-on, not only being a buddy to the boys but also taking an active role in helping Gwen raise them. She acknowledged this in a sweet Father's Day Instagram post.
Blake was obviously touched by Gwen's post. He went on The Today Show and admitted it wasn't always easy being a stepfather. He said: "That's a scary moment for me because for one thing, for me to be with the kids all the time and be their buddy, but then you do have to consider after a while they start to listen to things that you say and there's a lot of responsibility that comes with that . . ."
Happy Families
The boys literally "can't wait" for the two to marry. Even before the engagement last October, an insider told Closer Weekly that Blake "already had a close bond with the boys." It seems that Blake has made it a point to spend a lot of time with the boys over the last five years.
According to the insider: “He adores them, and they love spending time with him."
And the lockdown has brought the family even closer together. Gone are Gwen and Blake's nonstop working schedules. They have enjoyed "quality time" on Blake's Oklahoma ranch. Blake has admitted that he is actually enjoying being at home pretty much full time.
Blake and Apollo love to go fishing together. And he and the boys are also tending his garden and enjoying the crop of blackberries they have grown. It's been a while since Blake was actually on the ranch for blackberry season. And he's loving it.
"Pretty much this year," he has said, "we've been doing things that I've wished I had time to do for the last 20 years."
Gwen Is Ecstatic But What About Gavin Rossdale?
Although Gwen is seven years older than Shelton, the couple shares a deep and abiding love, not just between themselves, but for the whole family. She has said that to have found someone as loving and kind and supportive as Blake Shelton makes her ecstatically happy.
And the icing on the cake? It is the fact he has embraced the role of being a parent to her three boys.
What the heck does the boys' dad singer Gavin Rossdale think of all this togetherness? Well, it seems that for the most part, he is cool with it.
Hollywood Life has reported that a chum of Rossdale's has said: "Gavin is a great father and he has got to a place with Gwen where they are friendly and they can coexist as parents and he has gotten to a place where he now totally OK with Blake being in his kids’ life."
Gavin reportedly thinks Blake is a good guy and a positive influence on his sons. It has taken him a while to accept the close relationship Blake has with his children. But he has reportedly adjusted, knowing it is inevitable and in the best interest of his children.
So it's happy families all around.