Celebrity Celebrity Family Celebrity Parenting Rod Stewart on Being 'Several Different Fathers' to 8 Kids: 'Treat All of Them as Individuals' "What makes me happiest now is seeing all my kids and my wife with big smiles on their faces," Rod Stewart tells PEOPLE By Brianne Tracy Brianne Tracy Brianne Tracy is a Staff Editor at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2016. People Editorial Guidelines and Benjamin VanHoose Benjamin VanHoose Benjamin VanHoose is an Associate Editor on the Movies team at PEOPLE. He has written about entertainment and breaking news for over five years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on November 11, 2021 01:15PM EST Rod Stewart. Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage Rod Stewart caters his parenting style to each of his kids. The father of eight, 76, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue that he's learned to adapt his method of parenting to fit each child. He shares two sons, Alastair and Aiden, now 15 and 10 respectively, with wife Penny Lancaster, whom he wed in 2007. Additionally, Stewart has daughter Sarah, 58, whom he and ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey placed for adoption as teens; son Sean, 41, and daughter Kimberly, 42, with ex-wife Alana Stewart; daughter Ruby, 34, with ex-girlfriend Kelly Emberg; and daughter Renee, 29, and Liam, 27, with ex-wife Rachel Hunter. "I have to be several different fathers because of the different age groups of my kids," explains Stewart. "You really have to treat all of them as individuals with individual problems." The singer shares, "For instance, my 15-year-old is dating girls, so I had to give him a sex lesson. I just told him what he should and shouldn't do, but he's on top of it. He was like, 'Dad, I've got the internet. I know everything.' " Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kevin Mazur/WireImage Rod Stewart Says Getting Married at 34 Was Too Young: 'I Had a Lot of Partying, Drinking and Shagging to Do' The musician adds, "All the [older] kids went through their little bad period of drinking too much and dabbling in drugs — except for Liam; I don't think he ever did — but they all came out on the other side. As a dad, I've learned to listen and not blow my top." As for the key to his 14-year marriage, Stewart says intimacy has been crucial. "I'm not talking about sex, but a kiss and a cuddle and a hold," he explains. "Penny and I do that every morning. We hug each other — sometimes in bed, sometimes out of bed, all throughout the day. It's a wonderful relationship. Lucky geezer, aren't I?" "I couldn't ask for anything better," says Stewart. "What makes me happiest now is seeing all my kids and my wife with big smiles on their faces." For all the details on the lessons Rod Stewart has learned about love and life, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.