LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jonathan Scott and his girlfriend Zooey Deschanel have been going strong ever since 2019. Like any other couple, there have been many ups and downs in the couple's life. Jonathan claims that not being called "dad" or "daddy" is one of the most hurtful experiences.

HGTV's 'Property Brothers' star opened up about struggling with his girlfriend's children. Jonathan claims that he has often tried to change what he wants to be called by the children, but the star has always failed. Even though it hurts, he has not come to an understanding terms.

Why do Zooey Deschanel's children not call Jonathan Scott 'dad'?

Jonathan and his longtime girlfriend Zooey have been co-parenting her children, 6-year-old Charlie and 7-year-old Elise, for a long time now. But still, they have not come to a state where they could call Jonathan 'dad' or 'papa.' Jonathan reveals the reason, "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." But, Jonathan tried his best to change his stepchildren's narrative. He says, "At one point we tried to change the narrative and get them to call me papa instead, but they weren’t having it."

'There’s daddy, there’s mommy, and he’s my Jonathan'

Jonathan is called "my Jonathan" by his stepchildren. He claims, "Eventually, they came up with 'my Jonathan.'" However, it's not the name that the star likes. Jonathan claims, "So, whenever they tell a story they say, 'There’s daddy, there’s mommy, and he’s my Jonathan." The reality star reveals that it was a struggle at the start to build up a comfortable space with his stepchildren. "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," said the HGTV star. Moreover, whenever anyone would call Jonathan their 'daddy' the children would immediately correct it by saying, "That's not my daddy, he's my Jonathan." The reality star admitted, "That would hurt a little bit."

'I worked on expressing my feelings to them'

Jonathan has adjusted to the situation. He understands that it's not a"mean thing" to be addressed as "my Jonathan" He says, "It's just how they know me." As of now, Jonathan is working on making his stepchildren aware of each other's feelings and having an "open dialogue" with Zooey's children. Jonathan explains how he works with his stepchildren, "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." The reality star then explains why an open dialogue with children is so important. "Having that open dialogue with them is so important because as they get older, they'll continue to keep those lines open," Jonathan says.