Neil Patrick Harris Doesn’t Want to Know Which Twin Is Biologically His – Meet His 14-Year-Old Children

Instead, their focus has been on nurturing their children, instilling strong values, and adapting to the ever-changing challenges of parenthood. Meet the couple’s beautiful family and take a closer look at what they’ve had to say about the joys and struggles of becoming fathers.

From Hollywood Success to Building a Family

The couple first met in 2004 on a New York City street corner through a mutual friend, Kate. Initially, Neil, an acclaimed actor known for his roles in “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and “How I Met Your Mother,” assumed David was dating Kate.

It turned out, David, a talented actor and chef who has made a name for himself in both industries, was actually in a relationship with someone else. Still, Neil couldn’t help but notice the brooding, James Dean-type in a leather jacket.

Years into their committed relationship, they took on a new chapter when they decided to become parents.

Their first real conversation happened at a party, where Neil found himself nervously stumbling over his words in David’s presence. They continued to spend time together, though it wasn’t until weeks later that they went on their first official date.

From that moment on, their connection was undeniable. They quickly fell in love and moved in together within months. David later proposed on the very street corner where they first met, and Neil returned the gesture with his own proposal on Valentine’s Day.

Years into their committed relationship, they took on a new chapter when they decided to become parents. The couple welcomed their twins, Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, via surrogacy on October 12, 2010.

Reflecting on their journey to parenthood during an interview, Neil shared that they implanted two embryos — one with his sperm and one with David’s — hoping that at least one would take. In a beautiful twist of fate, both embryos developed, resulting in the birth of fraternal twins.

However, adjusting to life as new parents brought excitement as well as challenges. The “How I Met Your Mother” star recalled:

“Everyone says that it’s such a blur after it happens. I find myself constantly just trying to wrap my mind around it.”

His partner added, “Harper was a bit fussy, but Gideon was the easiest baby in the world. Now, they’re at the stage where they recognize us and smile — it’s the best feeling.”

Ten years later, Harper and Gideon are now teenagers, and their famous parents have shared their experiences navigating this new stage of parenting.

As they adjusted to parenthood, one of the most talked-about aspects of their journey was their decision not to determine which twin is biologically related to which parent.

In an interview with Barbara Walters, Neil confirmed that they had no intention of taking a DNA test. “We are their parents, and I love them implicitly,” he stated.

However, the couple did have suspicions based on their children’s behavior and personality as to whom might have been whose biological child.

“The girl is, I think, mine, and the boy is his. He’s a little more heady and intellectual — he needs to read people — while she’s just like, “Hey, everybody, I’m here!” David shared with a laughing crowd during an interview in 2015.

Ten years later, Harper and Gideon are now teenagers, and their famous parents have shared their experiences navigating this new stage of parenting.

Watching their children develop their own personalities has added new dynamics to their parenting style, as Neil shared:

“You spend a lot of time with kids as parents, trying to instill values and humor and agency with them. Now that they’re older and they don’t like you anymore, you can sort of see how that plays out.”

The actor also emphasized leading by example, often reinforcing the concept of karma to his children. “I tell my kids, ‘You have opportunities to make good or not-so-good choices. Hold the door open for someone, not because you want something in return, but because they have bags in their hands, and you want to be a nice person,'” he added.

Discipline in the household has been another carefully managed balance between Neil and David.

The famous couple’s approach to parenting is also centered around flexibility. “I kind of approach parenting with a ‘Let’s see how it goes’ attitude. Rigidity gets us into more trouble than being flexible. We have our rules and boundaries, but if you’re too hardcore, it leads to unnecessary conflict,” Neil shared.

Parenting, he further explained, is a process of continuous adaptation. “I think what’s surprising is that kids grow in such a way that it requires parents to shift. With babies, it’s changing diapers, and how to get them to sleep.” The Hollywood star added:

“Then, all of a sudden, they start crawling and you have to get into that, and remove things from the floor. Then they start walking. Once you think you get it, you’re like, ‘Wait, what’s happening?’ The older they get, the smarter they get.”

Discipline in the household has been another carefully managed balance between Neil and David. The latter explained that he and his partner take different approaches to discipline, ensuring their kids don’t adapt to a single parenting style.

Their hands-on approach to parenting has allowed them to build a strong and loving relationship with their children, ensuring that Harper and Gideon grow up in a household filled with love, laughter, and unwavering support.

He believes boundaries are essential and that discipline should come with love and respect. To get their attention, he often calls them by their full names, which always stops them in their tracks.

Navigating the digital age has been another challenge. “As a parent, we don’t want them to be constantly attached to an iPad, and yet with few options, that’s kind of all they want to do,” Neil shared.

“That’s challenging because I really like video games. I’m torn between being the stern taskmaster that says, ‘Nay those screens, you must paint!’ and being the father that says, ‘Wait, what’s this cool new game, show me,'” he added, laughing.

However, through all the challenges, Neil and David continue to find joy in raising their children. At the 2023 God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards, they reflected on their experiences raising Harper and Gideon. Neil joked:

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

David added, “They’re good kids. We’ve done a good job. You put the work in, and you get it back.” Their hands-on approach to parenting has allowed them to build a strong and loving relationship with their children, ensuring that Harper and Gideon grow up in a household filled with love, laughter, and unwavering support.

“If you’re going to spend time with your kids, they need access to you. The more access they have, the more they can open up,” David shared. This openness extends beyond their home life, as the actors have also shared snaps of their family moments online.

As for Neil and David’s marriage, the lovebirds were in a decade-long partnership before officially tying the knot in 2014.

In 2022, Neil took to Instagram to celebrate the twins turning 12, and wrote in part, “Twelve years old today. Harper and Gideon are, without question, the greatest two things that have ever happened to me. They inspire me, make me chortle, allow me to be an imperfect father, and fill me with a type of love I never knew could exist.”

Two years later, in honor of their 14th birthday, he shared in part, “Harper and Gideon turn 14 today. I have never been more proud of anything in my entire life, and I suspect I never will.”

“Omg! They’re growing up so fast! 🎂🎉🥳🎈😍🎊,” one fan commented on the post. Another shared, “Omg!! Already adults! ❤️❤️,” while a third added, “Amazing children and looks so much like yall! ❤️🎂”

In November 2024, Neil took to Instagram to share a snap of his beautiful family in honor of Thanksgiving and one netizen reacted, “Harper looks like Neil, Gideon looks like David .. happy thanksgiving y’all ❤️.”

Another person shared, “Your daughter looks like Neil and your son looks like David…Happy Thanksgiving!” and a third typed, “They are the perfect mix of the two of you.”

In early February of this year, the “How I Met Your Mother” star shared a photo dump of him and Harper enjoying a basketball game, and one fan shared, “She’s your twin.”

Another added, “She looks like you 😍,” while a third remarked, “Twins 💝.” Another person wrote, “Woww she is like a female clone of you 😮🔥.”

As for Neil and David’s marriage, the lovebirds were in a decade-long partnership before officially tying the knot in 2014. Their wedding, held in Italy, was an intimate and joyous occasion attended by close friends and family.

It was officiated by Pam Fryman, a close friend and the longtime director of “How I Met Your Mother.” Adding to the magic of the evening, music legend Sir Elton John performed at the reception.

As their bond deepened, the couple also focused on maintaining a strong foundation. When asked about the secret to their long-lasting relationship, David emphasized the importance of communication, saying:

“Oh, well, communication of course — that’s huge. I mean, we’re no strangers, we’ve said this before, but we see a couple’s therapist. I mean, we got into a couple’s therapy before things were a problem, but when things do come up, it’s easier to talk about them with someone as a mediator.”

Neil Patrick Harris and his partner have built a family grounded in love, respect, and shared values. Choosing not to focus on biology, they have instead prioritized raising their twins with openness and support.

Now, as Harper and Gideon navigate their teenage years, their famous fathers continue to embrace the ever-evolving journey of parenthood — one built on trust, guidance, and unwavering commitment.