Katharine McPhee and husband David Foster sometimes disagree when it comes to raising their son Rennie, two.
The 39-year-old former American Idol contestant and the 74-year-old music industry giant — who just re-released a Christmas album — have different ideas about the best way to discipline their toddler.
‘I want to start disciplining [Rennie] and it doesn’t really bother Kat,” Foster said People.
Meanwhile, the singer clarified: ‘No, that’s not true. I just want to discipline in my own way.”
She later commented, “It’s just a different approach. I think his era of parenthood is different than mine.”
Point of contention: Katharine McPhee, 39, and husband David Foster, 74, sometimes disagree when it comes to raising their son Rennie, two; pictured in April in Arizona
Their only child: The former American Idol contestant revealed that the music industry giant’s ‘era of parenting is different than mine’
McPhee explained, “There’s a more old-fashioned way of discipline, involving timeouts and things like that.
‘My view is that you can have more conscious parenting, rather than just assuming that a two- or three-year-old can have time alone to think about what he or she has done badly.’
The singer-songwriter added, “I think the newer approach to parenting is understanding that with a child, there’s only so much he or she can understand intellectually.
‘If you say, ‘That was really bad, that was really bad,’ you get a feeling of shame. I think discipline is something that happens over time.”
By comparison, she said of her husband, whom she married in 2019, “David is more results-oriented. He says, “He can’t just walk by and whack people.”
‘Of course not. But he’s two and a half and he’s learning those things,” she added.
Despite their different approaches to disciplining Rennie, Katharine said they “don’t argue about it.”
Speaking of children, McPhee continued, “They learn over time how to have personal space and all that stuff.
His opinion: ‘I want to start disciplining [Rennie] and Kat isn’t really bothered by that,” Foster told People, while Katharine clarified, “No, that’s not true. I just want to discipline in my own way’; seen in November
Parents! Rennie was born in February 2021, joining Foster’s five adult children
Sweet: Katherine shared a sweet photo with her son on Instagram on Friday with the caption, “Mommy son posts Thanksgiving trip.”
‘They must have experiences in which they receive negative reactions from people, more than just their parents, teachers and fellow students. They can experience it for life. So we just wait. Talk to us when he’s three.’
Other times, the couple sometimes clashes when traveling by car.
“He’s always saying, ‘Where do I go now, where do I go now?'” Katharine told the publication with a laugh.
“The only time we get into fights is when I’m helping him navigate crazy directions,” she said.
‘It’s true. Because she’s a backseat driver!’ David agreed before his wife added: “I’m not. I just know how to follow directions.”
One topic where the two are always on the same page is working on music.
“It’s a pleasure,” McPhee said of the process. ‘I just always lean on his expertise. It’s always been easy for me.’
Katherine also shared a sweet photo with her son on Instagram on Friday with the caption, “Mommy son post Thanksgiving trip.”
Holiday Spirit: Katharine and David performed at the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Rennie was born in February 2021, joining Foster’s five adult children.
The Canadian-born musician has Allison Jones Foster, 53, Amy Foster, 50, Sara Foster, 42, Erin Foster, 41, and Jordan Foster, 37.
He had four marriages before tying the knot with Katharine.
David was married to BJ Cook from 1972 to 1981, to Rebecca Dyer from 1982 to 1986, to Linda Thompson from 1991 to 2005, and to Yolanda Hadid from 2011 to 2017.