Alert – Katharine McPhee, 39, reveals she and husband David Foster, 74, disagree over disciplining son Rennie, two: ‘His era of parenting is different than mine’

Katharine McPhee and husband David Foster sometimes don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to raising their son Rennie, two.

The 39-year-old former American Idol contestant and 74-year-old music industry giant — who just re-released a Christmas album — have different ideas for the best way to discipline their toddler. 

‘I want to start disciplining [Rennie] and Kat’s not really down with that,’ Foster told People. 

Meanwhile, the songstress clarified: ‘No, that’s not true. I just want to discipline in my own way.’

She later noted, ‘It’s just a different approach. I think his era of parenting is different than mine.’

Point of contention: Katharine McPhee, 39, and husband David Foster, 74, sometimes don’t see eye-to-eye 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 the more old-fashioned way of disciplining which involves time-outs and things like that. 

‘My take is that you can have more mindful parenting opposed to just assuming that a two or three-year-old can have time alone to reflect on what they’ve done poorly.’

The singer-songwriter added, ‘I think the more new way of parenting is understanding that with a child, there’s only so much that they can intellectually understand. 

‘Saying “That was really bad, that was really, really bad,” gets into a shaming thing. I think disciplining is something that happens over time.’

By comparison, she said of her husband, whom she married in 2019, ‘David’s more results-based. He’s like, “He can’t just walk by and swat 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 have arguments about it.’

Speaking generally about children, McPhee went on, ‘They learn how to how to have personal space and all those things over time.

His take: ‘I want to start disciplining [Rennie] and Kat’s not really down with 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, and joined Foster’s five adult children

‘They have to have experiences where they have negative reactions from people more than just their parents, from teachers and fellow students. They get to experience it with life. So we’ll just wait. Talk to us when he’s three.’ 

Other times the couple are sometimes at odds is when they’re traveling by car.

‘He’s always like “Where do I turn now, where do I turn now?”‘ Katharine told the publication with a laugh. 

‘The only time we get into arguments is when I’m helping him navigate freaking directions,’ she shared.

‘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.’

A subject the two are always aligned on is working on music.

‘It’s a pleasure,’ McPhee said of the process. ‘I just always lean into his expertise. It’s always been an easy thing for me.’

Holiday spirit: Katharine and David performed at the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Rennie was born in February 2021, and joined 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 prior to tying the knot with Katharine.

David was wed to B.J. Cook from 1972-1981, Rebecca Dyer from 1982-1986, Linda Thompson from 1991-2005, and Yolanda Hadid from 2011-2017.