Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka want to show their children they are "working" on their marriage.
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
The couple have nine-year-old twins Harper and Gideon together, and although their brood are always sad when their parents go on date nights and leave them with a babysitter, David has said it's important for the youngsters to understand they are "working on each other".
David, 44, explained: "We try to go away or take a date night every so often because I think that's really important, not only for the couple, but for the kids to see. The kids see that their parents are safe and their parents are on a good foot. Of course, they don't want you to leave. 'Please stay. Don't go away from us.' But it's important for them to see that we are working on each other because it's another job to cultivate."
The chef and the 46-year-old actor always make "time for each other", even if it just involves watching Netflix for a few hours when their schedules are busy.
Speaking to Us Weekly magazine, David added: "Even if the kids fall asleep and we end up watching Netflix on the couch, that, we feel, is a connection because we're sharing something. Or just cuddling in the morning or bringing each other a cup of coffee. It's the little gestures that make up for the bigger stuff."
Meanwhile, David and the 'How I Met Your Mother' star recently moved their family from Los Angeles to New York, and have said raising their twins in the Harlem neighbourhood has allowed them to immerse themselves in different "cultures".
David said: "[The best part is the] culture and energy and being engrossed in the world. When you live in Los Angeles, you're so isolated. You got in your car and you had to drive to the Asian park or the Hispanic park. [Here], everyone's so melted together."
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