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Gwen Stefani's ex Gavin Rossdale opens up about 'hardest part' of co-parenting three sons

The Bush frontman and the former No Doubt singer divorced in 2016

Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani attend "A Night To Benefit Raising Malawi & UNICEF"
Ahad Sanwari
Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
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Gavin Rossdale and ex-wife Gwen Stefani have developed an efficient relationship as co-parents to their three sons ever since their 2016 divorce.

The British musician, 57, confessed to the hardest part of being a parent in a new video he shared while spending time on the road.

In the clip, which you can view below, Gavin provided a glimpse into co-parenting from afar with a peek at his youngest son's life.

WATCH: Gavin Rossdale's glimpse into co-parenting away from home

Gavin and Gwen are parents to their sons Apollo, nine, Zuma, 14, and Kingston, 16, and he couldn't have been prouder of Apollo's achievement on the football field.

He wrote: "I love touring – the hardest part is who you miss – this will be the last match I watch on Facetime. This is Apollo – QB – and all round hero of mine – linking up with his buddy #otis to get the job done and get us to the play offs."

MORE: Gwen Stefani's children's alternative living situation explained – see photos

Fans loved getting more of an idea of Gavin's perspective as a dad, with one saying: "He knows you would be there if you weren't thousands of miles away – at least thanks to technology, you could watch & be there in spirit."

Another added: "Cool to see a rock icon so grounded w/ his son and the same stuff the common person is into," while a third exclaimed: "Little man has a great arm!!!"

While Gavin spends a large part of the time on the road or in his native UK, Gwen, 53, lives with current husband Blake Shelton on their Oklahoma ranch, a significant departure for the boys after their previous lives in Los Angeles.

In an interview at the Country Radio Seminar in 2022, Blake revealed one of the biggest hurdles they encountered as a family was adjusting from life in Hollywood to rural living in his home state.

MORE: Gavin Rossdale's daughter Daisy Lowe welcomes first child – see her adorable name

"The two of them were like, ‘Well, what do we do now?'" he said of Zuma and Kingston. "I go, 'Go out that door and don't come back till you're too tired to go any further.' 

"Well, they can't even imagine just going down to the creek with a net or turning over rocks or getting on a buggy and driving around."

That has all changed now, and if Gwen and Blake's Instagram feeds are anything to go by, the boys are hands on at the Oklahoma farm – as is their mom. 

"There's definitely nothing easy about it," Blake, 46, said during an interview on radio show The Ride with Kimo & Heather in 2021. "I don't know if it's as hard or harder or not as hard as being an actual biological parent, you know?"

MORE: Gwen Stefani's teenage son is identical to dad Gavin Rossdale in new photos

MORE: Gwen Stefani's ex Gavin Rossdale shares heartbreaking update about beloved dog Chewy: 'Send us your love'

But Blake revealed he has the perfect role model to follow. "I love my stepfather, and I looked up to him. And he's like a father to me," he said. "So, you know, I have a good inspiration in my life to how to do this and the kind of stepdad I want to be.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton on The Voice season 22© Getty Images
Gwen and Blake co-parent the former's three sons

"I'm not gonna lie. I don't take it so serious that I'm not enjoying this time because I really am," he continued. "Especially, you know, now that we're five years into this thing, I can't imagine my life without these kids now."

See more photos of Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, and Blake Shelton's blended family below: 

Zuma , Gwen, Blake, Apollo, and Kingston attend Blake Shelton's Star Ceremony on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)© Getty Images
Zuma, Gwen, Apollo, and Kingston supported Blake
Blake and Gwen attend Blake Shelton's Star Ceremony on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame© Getty Images
Blake and Gwen attend Blake Shelton's Star Ceremony on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
Daisy Lowe and fiancé Jordan Saul with their newborn© Instagram
Gavin became a grandfather over Easter weekend through daughter Daisy Lowe
gwen stefani children blake shelton © Getty Images
Blake is stepdad to Gwen's three children

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