Gavin Rossdale says he and Gwen Stefani have ‘opposing views’ as parents: ‘We don’t co-parent’

‘You can either do everything together and really co-parent, and see how that goes – or you can just parent. And I think we just parent,’ he said on ‘Not So Hollywood’ podcast

Gavin Rossdale has opened up about co-parenting with ex-wife Gwen Stefani.

The British musician, 57, who is best known for being the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Bush and Stefani, 53, an American singer who is best known for hits such as “The Sweet Escape” and “Hollaback Girl”, were married from 2002 to 2016. The couple share three sons together – Kingston, 17, Zuma, 14, and Apollo, nine.

Appearing on Thursday’s episode of the podcast Not So Hollywood (15 June), Rossdale explained to host Adrianna Costa about how he and Stefani are raising their three sons with differing views, which he believes offers their children an “incredible perspective”.

Rossdale said that the pair do not exactly co-parent, but “just parent”.

"I think you can go one of two ways – you can either do everything together and really co-parent, and see how that goes – or you can just parent. And I think we just parent,” he said.

The “Glycerine” musician said that he and Stefani are “really different people” but it works to their children’s advantage.

“I don’t think there’s much similarity in the way we bring them up but I think that gives them an incredible perspective to then choose which pieces of those two lives they’d like to inherit and move on with and which part of themselves come out of the whole process,” he explained.

Rossdale continued: “Because that’s what’s important is to give them a wide view of things and we definitely have some particularly opposing views so I think it’d be really helpful for them to make their own minds as individuals.”

The Independent has contacted Stefani’s representatives for comment.

In addition to his three sons with Stefani, Rossdale is also father to an adult daughter, 34-year-old model Daisy Lowe.

Meanwhile, Stefani’s second husband, Blake Shelton, whom she married in 2021, is also involved in their children’s lives. The singer met Shelton, 46, while the pair were both judges on the US version of The Voice.

Speaking to Drew Barrymore on The Drew Barrymore Show last year, Stefani said that she never expected to meet anyone again after her divorce from Rossdale.

“God just put [Shelton and I] together. It was one of those miracle situations where I didn’t see it coming,” Stefani said.

“I was like, ‘I’m gonna wake up every day, I’m gonna have a coffee, I’m gonna take care of my kids and then I’m gonna go to bed.’ Like I’m never gonna kiss anyone,” she explained, adding: “I thought my life was over and then Blake Shelton’s like, ‘Hey. I’m Blake Shelton.’”

Stefani added that Shelton is her “best friend” and that they are on the same “plane when it comes to morals”.

In a 2016 interview with Billboard, Shelton said that Stefani had “saved” his life.

“Who else on earth could understand going through a high-profile divorce from another musician?” he said. “You can’t even imagine the similarities in our divorce.”

Shelton was previously married to Miranda Lambert between 2011 and 2015, and Kaynette Williams between 2003 and 2006.

Shelton and Stefani got engaged in October 2020. They were married in July 2021 in an intimate ceremony at Shelton’s Oklahoma ranch.