Fans of the Backstreet Boys have been lucky enough to see the nostalgic ‘90s boy band live as they’ve performed across the globe on this year’s DNA World Tour. But for Nick Carter, there are definitely some downsides to Backstreet being Back (alright!), namely missing big moments with his kids. Just as BSB left for the European leg of their tour, Carter missed his daughter Saoirse’s third birthday.
“Happy birthday to my baby girl Saoirse! Daddy loves and misses you very much,” the Backstreet Boys singer captioned a set of photos of him and his second-born.
The father of three sat down with PEOPLE to talk about the ups and downs of touring as a father with young kids back home, saying that “it’s definitely tough.” Carter has the youngest kids out of all the Backstreet Boys’ kids, and luckily, his bandmates have been able to help him navigate this tough time being away from his kids.
“Some of the other guys have actually gone through it, where they haven’t been able to be home because the schedules just pretty much conflict. So I experienced that for the first time,” he explained. “But again, FaceTime helps, talking to them all the time, touching base with them. And, for us, it’s our life. It’s what we’ve done our whole life in regards to traveling. So they’re kind of adjusting to it.”
Still, all the members of the Backstreet Boys try to bring their families along for the ride when it’s possible. Fellow Backstreet Boy AJ McLean explained that it’s all about a “healthy balance.”
“If there’s a chance for our families to come join us on tour, they will,” McLean noted. “There’s definitely been moments where all of our families have been out on tour at the same time, and it’s just one big, giant potluck, family-picnic vibe.” Obviously, this is much easier to do when the musical group is touring in the States, especially since “most of our kids are all in school now,” McLean added.
Carter shares Saoirse along with his son Odin, 6, and daughter Pearl, 18 months, with his wife Lauren Kitt. Back in March, Carter explained that his ultimate goal for his three kids is for them “to be better than me.”
“For me, knowing that you have these three individuals and human beings who have a clean slate and a fresh start is a responsibility that I embrace,” he explained on the We Are Family podcast back in March. “I love knowing that you can give them unconditional love. You can give them the opportunity to have a peaceful and healthy household. These are all things that are in me and that I want to do.”
