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J Balvin Reveals the One Major Lesson He’s Learned in His First Year of Fatherhood

A little more than a year after welcoming his son Rio with girlfriend Valentina Ferrer, J Balvin is opening up about his biggest takeaway since becoming a dad.

By Spencer Lubitz, Kisha Forde Jul 19, 2022 12:28 PMTags
Watch: J Balvin - Grammys 2022 E! Glambot

When it comes to parenting, J Balvin has learned to place one very important virtue at the top of his list.
 
The "Machika" singer welcomed his first child—a baby boy named Rio—with girlfriend Valentina Ferrer last June. So, what's the most valuable lesson he's learned since then? It's that he has to simply "be patient," the 37-year-old told E! News at the The Players Party—co-hosted by Michael Rubin, MLBPA and Fanatics—where he performed. 
 
And if you're wondering about baby Rio's vocabulary skills, it's clear that the 12-month-old is already on top of his game. "He says Papá and Hola," the artist noted during the July 18 event. "Those two words: Hello, and Dad."

As for Balvin's future hopes as a dad? Well, his wish is actually quite simple. "I hope he will let me carry him in a peaceful way because he's like a tornado," he joked. "He is always twisting around.  I just want to be able to cuddle with him in my arms."

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Ahead of his baby's arrival last year, the "I Like It" artist also opened up about what his greatest fear was when it came to embracing parenthood.

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Fanatics

"It scares me the fact that it's another life," he told Entertainment Tonight in May 2021. "And sometimes, we know life is so challenging that sometimes you feel that you cannot put up with yourself and how [are] you going to help your kid be stronger, better than you? But I think that will come."
 
We have quite the feeling that it already has.