Orlando Bloom loves nothing more than being a dad-of-two, sharing 13-year-old son Flynn with ex-wife Miranda Kerr, and three-year-old daughter Daisy with fiancée Katy Perry.
The English actor, 47, spoke with UNICEF as one of their Goodwill Ambassadors in honor of Father's Day, reflecting on the "beautiful but challenging" journey of parenthood.
When asked what he wished he knew before becoming a dad, he replied: "It takes four years to learn to be a hairdresser at one of the greatest salons in London or around the world."
"And yet there is zero education on bringing a child into the world, which is essentially the biggest responsibility in your life. But it is the greatest joy and the most beautiful responsibility."
He spoke about how his kids have taught him patience and the "joy of just play and love in the most pure and open-hearted way," and revealed that his favorite thing to do with his two kids was to go on a walk.
"We would go treasure-trash picking. Sometimes, you know, you go beachcombing and you pick up shells or glass bottle parts. And sometimes we would even make things out of the trash because it would be kind of beautiful and weird looking."
© Getty ImagesOrlando added that he also loved playing Legos with his kids and joked that they'd "occasionally" watch movies, and then opened up about what he found "hardest" about being a parent.
"The hardest thing for me has been being away from them at times…that's out of my control and I can't…that's the hardest part," he told UNICEF, mentioning that he coped with it through lots of FaceTime and scheduling work in a way that allowed him as much time as possible with his kids.
He added: "I think often of families that have been separated through conflict or disaster. And then I think how lucky I am to get the time that I do get, and how I have FaceTime and I can make the most."
© Getty Images"But I think it's taught me to be very present to the moments that we do have, which is sometimes challenging in this chaotic world. But it is the greatest joy and the most beautiful responsibility."
MORE: Orlando Bloom opens up about 'severe stress' at home with Katy Perry and daughter Daisy
While Daisy is still young, Flynn is now a teenager and in a recent conversation with Jay Shetty on his podcast On Purpose, the Elizabethtown star spoke candidly about the distance between father and son that has now emerged.
© Getty Images"He's thirteen now, so it's almost like dad is getting pushed aside, and I kind of know what that feels like. I was the same, you know. So I try not to take it personally," he explained.
MORE: Orlando Bloom reveals 'change' in relationship with Katy Perry that has been 'really hard'
"And I miss him," even sharing how he will often text his son saying as much. "We have these wonderful walks and talks, and I kind of just, throughout whatever we're saying, I try to keep reinforcing just the undercurrent philosophy and thinking of my practice."
© InstagramOrlando and Miranda still retain a close bond as co-parents since their 2013 divorce, and the Australian model is good friends with Katy as well. Miranda has been married to Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel since 2017, and they've welcomed three sons of their own.
