Jonathan Scott Says Zooey Deschanel’s Kids Call Him Something Totally Unique — & It Was a ‘Struggle’ To Get Used To

In a Father’s Day interview on their website, Scott explained how the New Girl star’s kids, who she shares with ex-husband Jacob Pechenik, were just 2 and 4 when they first met him.

“The little one, Charlie, doesn’t actually remember a time before me,” he said. “The big thing for me was them wondering, ‘Who is this giant guy who’s all of a sudden showing up around us?’”

Deschanel wanted to find a way to include Scott in the family without confusing the toddlers, but it was a challenge. “Something that was really a struggle was what they were going to call me,” Scott explained. “They have their dad and they have a great relationship with him, so he’s Daddy. I couldn’t say papa because that’s what they call their grandpa (though at one point we tried to change the narrative and get them to call me papa instead, but they were’t having it).”

So what did the kids settle on? “My Jonathan.”

“Eventually they came up with ‘my Jonathan,’” he said. “So, whenever they tell a story they say, ‘There’s Daddy, there’s Mommy, and he’s my Jonathan.’” Aww! Is that not the sweetest thing, ever? They also draw pictures of their daddy, mommy, and Jonathan, which is such a cute way to include him.

• This Name Led to Some Important Conversations About Feelings

  

  Although “my Jonathan” is absolutely adorable, it did lead to some hurt feelings at first. 

  “One thing that was a struggle early on was that the kids didn’t necessarily run up and jump in my arms and give me a big hug,” he said in the interview. “I also remember several times when they’d be out with other kids and someone would say, ‘Oh your daddy’s so funny,’ and they’d be like, ‘That’s not my daddy, he’s my Jonathan.’ So that would hurt a little bit.”

  It took him some time to realize that kids are just brutally honest, and that how they say something isn’t necessarily how they mean it.

  “But then I realized that in their mind, that’s not a mean thing to say — it’s how they know me,” he continued. “Over time, I worked on expressing my feelings to them, and the things that make me sad and happy. I think it’s good for kids to know that grownups have feelings, too. Having that dialogue with them is so important because as they get older, they’ll continue to keep those lines open.”

  And now, things have gotten so much better. “Anyways, now when they see me, they scream my name and they come running and want a big hug,” he said. “So, you go through these different phases and adapt, but I think as long as that communication and sincerity is there, they’ll know they can trust you and that you have feelings, too.”

• Jonathan Scott Says Parenthood Changed His ‘Perspective on Everything’

  

  Scott, who once revealed a tarot card reader predicted fatherhood for him at a Property Brothers wrap party, talked about how being an “Insta Dad” changed things for him.

  “It changes your perspective on everything,” he said. “Now I want to be home for dinner every single night. I want to take them to school when I can and make the time to go to their events. And that can be challenging with our schedules, but I read something a long time ago that was along the lines of, ‘On your deathbed nobody ever says, “I wish I had time for one more meeting at work.”’ No, you think about the moments that you missed in your children’s lives.”

  He went on, “So my goal is making sure any time the kids look out into the audience that they can see my big head sitting there. And it’ll probably be blocking the people behind me, too.” We’re not crying, you’re crying! 

• Drew Scott Looks Up to Jonathan Scott When It Comes to Setting Boundaries

  

  Scott’s brother Drew Scott, who shares 1-year-old Parker with wife Linda Phan, opened up in the interview about how he looks to Jonathan for guidance on fatherhood. 

  “[I]t’s nice because Jonathan is a little ahead of me, since Parker is only a year old,” Drew shared. “It’s great to see the things he’s done to make sure he’s there to show that support. He makes them a priority and even though work stuff can pop up, Jonathan now says, ‘No, I have to be home for dinner with the kids.’”

  Drew went on, “I like having someone in my corner because this is something I’m also trying to establish to make sure I’m home with Parker and Linda. Being in the same position is helpful.”

  These two dads are crushing it this Father’s Day. From setting boundaries to talking feelings, they are awesome role models!

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