Jonathan Scott Admits It 'Would Hurt' When Zooey Deschanel's Kids Told Others 'That's Not My Daddy'

Jonathan Scott is reflecting on the work behind parenting ahead of Father's Day

Jonathan Scott has done a lot of learning as a stepdad.

In a snippet of a special Father's Day interview on their website shared with PEOPLE, the Property Brothers stars, 45, opened up about their lives as parents. Jonathan co-parents longtime girlfriend Zooey Deschanel's two children with the actress, 43, and ex-husband Jacob Pechenik.

Jonathan admitted that it was a "struggle" figuring out what his stepkids — 6-year-old son Charlie and 7-year-old daughter Elsie — would call him.

"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 weren’t having it," he explained.

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Related: Drew and Jonathan Scott Get Candid About Parenting Challenges Ahead of Father's Day (Exclusive)

"Eventually, they came up with 'my Jonathan,' " he revealed. "So, whenever they tell a story they say, 'There’s daddy, there’s mommy, and he’s my Jonathan.'"

Despite coming up with a sweet name for him, the HGTV star admitted it took time for the kids to get excited about having another father figure in their lives.

"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 recalled.

"I also remember several times where 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,' " he shared, admitting, "That would hurt a little bit."

Jonathan explained he had to realize "that in their mind, that's not a mean thing to say — it's how they know me."

"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," he continued. "Having that open dialogue with them is so important because as they get older, they'll continue to keep those lines open."

Parenting also involves keeping good lines of communication with your partner, Jonathan noted.

"Part of being a great dad is being a really great partner," he said. "Doing thoughtful things ... it doesn't matter if it's big or small, but spending time connecting and finding out what their needs are, even if those duties shift back and forth."

"For example, Zooey does all the cooking—she’s an incredible cook and loves food, and I couldn’t even attempt to do one percent of what she can in the kitchen," he said. "That being said, sometimes it’s helpful when I can come in and take over the meal duties for one day. Or I always do the cleaning. And even with the kids, too, making sure they take the dishes away."

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