Neil Patrick Harris on raising teens: ‘So far, so good’

We’ve all heard the horror stories about the teen years. Fortunately, it isn’t all eye rolls and slammed doors. 

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka recently opened up about raising their 13-year-old twins Harper Grace and Gideon Scott in a conversation with Entertainment Tonight at the 2023 God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards in NYC.

“We keep being told that at a certain point, they’re going to hate us,” Harris joked. “That hasn’t happened yet. So you know, so far, so good!” 

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Earlier this month, Harris shared a cute Instagram post on the twins’ birthday. “And, just like that, they’re teenagers,” the How I Met Your Mother star wrote. “Happy birthday, Harper and Gideon. You are the lights of my life. I can’t wait to watch you want nothing to do with me, and I promise I’ll be with you through all of it. Just, wow.”

Wow is right.

“They’re good kids,” Burtka acknowledged. “We’ve done a good job. You know, you put the work in and you get it back, you know?”

Burtka also shared a bit about his approach to staying connected with his kids, saying, “I mean, if you’re going to spend time with your kids – they have access to you, so the more access to you, the more they can open up.”

The parents recently celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary. When asked about the secret to the success of their 19-year relationship, they both answered: humor.

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Given the time of year and the family’s penchant for delightfully creative and slightly over-the-top costumes, the topic of Halloween also came up. 

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As the twins have grown, their role in the costume selection has played a bigger role, with Harris calling it a “negotiation.” This year’s costume, they said, was inspired by a subject they recently studied in school. Any guesses? Stay tuned!