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Thomas Rhett shared how fatherhood has shifted his perspective over the last decade.
The country superstar recently joined host Miles Adcox on an episode of Human School, a podcast that “reframes pain as purpose, productivity as presence, and leadership as inner clarity,” its description states. In a clip from that conversation shared on Instagram, Rhett reflected on the change in his outlook on life after starting his family.
“If 36-year-old TR could go back and talk to, I guess it would’ve been 25-year-old TR, so a decade ago. …I don’t think that 25-year-old TR would have thought he would have had five kids in 10 years,” Rhett said. “I think kids have such a funny way of, like, really, really humbling you. …They are the most incredible gift on the planet. But if you want to be humbled really fast, have a lot of kids.
“Because the ego and the things that you feel like you are, and the cool things that you get to do, they don’t matter to them, you know,” he explained. “And so, when you walk in the door and you’re immediately met by, ‘Hey Dad, make me a sandwich.’ You know what I mean? And you’re sitting there going, ‘You know how many people I just played to this weekend?’ They’re like, ‘Don’t care. Make me a sandwich.’ You immediately sort of understand who you are first and foremost. And so, like, whereas 10 years ago, TR would’ve been like, for sure career first. I think that those priority lists have sort of done like a flip-flop, like in 10 years. Being a father and a husband first…I don’t know that 25-year-old TR would’ve fully understood that.”
Rhett married wife Lauren Akins, 36, in 2012. They met in elementary school and were friends throughout their childhood. They dated briefly in high school, remained friends and rekindled their relationship in 2011. Rhett popped the question about six months later, and the couple said “I do” in Nashville, Tennessee. They’ve since become parents to four daughters: Willa Gray (10), Ada James (8), Lennon Love (6), and Lillie Carolina (4). Rhett and Akins welcomed Baby No. 5, their first son, Brave Elijah, earlier this year.
Rhett is one of several country artists to welcome a baby into the family in 2026, along with Luke Combs, Dylan Marlowe (whose wife welcomed twins), and more. See the list of pregnancy announcements here.