Kevin Costner is the dad of seven kids, but he wasn’t always certain he desired more after having three with his first wife.
Kevin Costner set a deadline. Either he wanted kids with his girlfriend Christine Baumgartner or he desired to move on and quit wasting both of their time.
When it comes to relationships, all have their non-negotiables. For some, it’s honesty, while for others, it’s religion. And then there’s the issue of children. Some individuals might understand precisely what they want, but others may be undecided.
Couples might be torn apart by uncertainty or disagreements. It strained Kevin Costner’s relationship with his then-girlfriend Christine Baumgartner since the two couldn’t settle on whether or not they should have kids together.
It wasn’t until Baumgartner issued an ultimatum to Costner that he made a decision about having additional children.
Costner and his first wife, Cindy Silva, met in college in 1975. Three years after meeting, the couple married.
In 1984, Silva gave birth to the couple’s first child, Annie. They welcomed Lily in 1986, and the family expanded again in 1988, when Silva gave birth to a baby boy called Joe.
Costner enjoyed his role as a father.
As their children grew older, Costner continued to work while Silva stayed at home to care for them.
His absence, however, put a strain on his marriage as allegations started to spread that he was having an affair.
Silva endured Costner’s “sexy roles” and speculations, but the pair declared in 1994 that after 16 years together, they are ending their marriage.
Following his divorce, Costner started dating Bridget Rooney. In November 1996, the couple gave birth to a boy.
He met Christine Baumgartner, a handbag designer, for the second time two years later; they initially met a decade earlier while golfing. They started dating in 1998.
Except for one thing: kids, the couple got along despite their 20-year age gap. Baumgartner desired kids, but Costner, who was in his forties when he met her, did not.
Baumgartner allegedly handed Costner an ultimatum. She’ll wait for him, but not for long. Come back to her when he has his senses back.
The pair momentarily separated while Costner pondered his future.
The pair eventually reconciled. He woke up thinking, he is going to lose a beautiful woman who is eager to stay with him till his last breath because he is frightened to say yes to a child? he explained at the time. All it took was that. Sometimes the thing one is most terrified of turns out to be the thing that will save one’s life.
In 2004, the couple married at their home in Aspen, Colorado.
They had their first kid together three years later. They expanded their family by welcoming a boy in 2009 and a daughter in 2010.
Despite his reservations about having additional kids, Costner has grown to enjoy being a dad to his seven kids.
One gets to play heroes in movies, but there comes a point when one is simply a parent and one gets to go home. He’s had two jobs in his life: one he gets paid to do, which is acting, and the other is being a parent, for which he’ll be rewarded for the rest of his life.
I believe it is critical that both individuals agree on whether or not they want to have kids.
It’s fantastic that Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner took some time to reflect, and it appears like Costner made the correct decision!
