Reba McEntire’s Son Shelby Blackstock Reveals Why He And Wife Marissa Won’t Share Their Son’s Face Online

Reba McEntire’s son, Shelby Blackstock, and his wife, Marissa, are sharing some boundaries that they have set for their newborn son, Shelby Archer McEntire Blackstock, when it comes to social media.  

Just a few days after announcing their first child’s arrival, the new dad took to his Instagram stories to share an update with his followers. He explained that he and Marissa have decided not to share Archer’s face online.

“For privacy and safety reasons, we’ve decided to keep archer’s face off social media for the time being,” Shelby wrote.

He went on to explain that while he sees nothing wrong with parents who choose to share their children online, having grown up in the public eye himself, he recognizes that things have changed since he was a child and they feel this is the best decision to keep their son’s privacy protected.

“Having grown up in the spotlight myself, I know firsthand that there’s nothing wrong with it. But the world is a very different place than it was in the ‘90s, and with that comes a different set of concerns.”

Shelby shared a follow-up post featuring a throwback photo of himself as a baby, jokingly offering fans a glimpse of what his son looks like by pointing out the resemblance to his own baby picture from 1990.

The couple announced Archer’s arrival on Wednesday, October 21, with a few posted to Instagram alongside a sweet statement, celebrating the fact that they finally get to call themselves “mom and dad.”

This is an especially exciting new chapter as it follows a devastating pregnancy loss last December, after trying to have a baby for three years, using a combination of natural methods, medicated cycles and in vitro fertilization (IVF). 

Their baby boy, “Archie,” actually arrived a few weeks prior, but they waited to share the news with the world in order to have some time to soak up the new chapter on their own first.

“We’ve been taking these first few weeks just for us, and there’s nowhere else we’d rather be.”

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A post shared by Marissa Blackstock (@rissablackstock)

Over the summer, fans got an early glimpse at the baby’s name during a music-themed baby shower. The celebration, dubbed Archer’s “Welcome to the World Tour,” paid tribute to the Blackstock family’s musical roots with concert-inspired decorations and details.

Shelby and Marissa’s love story began in 2014 when they first connected on Tinder. They didn’t begin dating until two years later, but it seemed to be a perfect match as they eventually tied the knot in 2022 with a Disney-inspired celebration at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. Years later, they returned to the same magical setting in April of 2026 to share another exciting milestone, their pregnancy.

“Oh, BOY! We’re beyond excited to FINALLY announce our little man is coming in October. See ya real soon, pal! Mommy + Daddy love you! 🤟🏼” they shared at the time.

Now, the couple appears to be excited to continue sharing their newest chapter as parents with fans, while still protecting Archer’s privacy as he grows up.