Growing up with famous parents can lead some kids to feeling entitled. But for Reba McEntire's son Shelby, she made sure to raise him in a way that would keep him grounded and humble.
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The year was 1990 when Reba gave birth to her son Shelby. And once she became a mom, Reba knew she wanted to raise her son with the same important values that were passed down to her. With punctuality and respect for others being part of those values.
“Mama and Daddy always said to me, ‘If you tell somebody you’re going to be somewhere at a certain time, you show up,” she shared. “That’s the way I was raised.”
And Reba never wanted to let Shelby have things the easy way; she wanted him to work hard and learn along the way.
“When we would play games or cards, I’d never let Shelby win,” she said. “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.'”
Shelby is now 32 years old and has grown into a wonderful man. “A lot of people have told me you would never know [he] had been blessed with the life he was given,” Reba said. “I’m very proud of him. He was a kid who had ADHD and could barely read in school, and now he’s read 10 books this year. He’s always trying to improve and do better. His daddy did a great job too.”
Reba McEntire Son Shelby Isn’t a ‘Spoiled Brat’ Thanks to Her
Reba also shared that she had a lot of help in raising Shelby which she is very thankful for.
“I had the best nannies, and I took him on the road with me,” Reba said. “When I couldn’t, 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.”
And Reba counts her blessings that she was able to be the mother to her boy.
“Shelby is a gift from God to me,” she shared. “We’re very close. I was a very self-centered person to a degree before Shelby. But then 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.”
Shelby is now married to his wife Marissa, and the couple lives in Nashville. Reba loves to go visit them whenever she has the chance.
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What a sweet relationship between this mother and son!
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h/t: People
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