Drew Scott Reveals 'Heartbreaking' Moment with 4-Year-Old Son That Was a 'Wake-Up' Call for Him
Drew Scott Reveals 'Heartbreaking' Moment with 4-Year-Old Son That Was a 'Wake-Up' Call for Him
Natalia SenanayakeSat, June 27, 2026 at 12:58 AM UTC
0
Drew Scott with his son ParkerCredit: Drew Scott/Instagram (2) -
Drew Scott recalled a "heartbreaking" moment he shared with his son Parker and how it influenced his current work-life balance in an Instagram video
The HGTV star now prioritizes being present for his kids, like attending his daughter's music classes during filming breaks
He encourages others to focus on meaningful connections with loved ones instead of letting work dominate their lives
Drew Scott is sharing some advice after a “heartbreaking” moment with his son ended up being a wake-up call for him.
The Property Brothers star, 48, got candid about previously letting his work bleed too much into his home life, to the point where his 4-year-old son, Parker, started noticing. He shared the cautionary tale in a June 23 Instagram video as part of his “Blueprint for Life” series in which he shares lessons he's learned with his followers.
“I don't know who needs to hear this, but if you run a mile a minute, which I tend to, I think you might relate to this story,” he began the message, before getting into the specific memory with his son. Along with Parker, Scott shares 2-year-old daughter Piper with wife Linda Phan.
“I came home one day and I saw Parker, and I'm like, ‘Hey Parker, give me a hug.' And he sort of ran away,” Scott explained. “And then he went and picked up one of his toys and held it to his ear. He actually started walking around and going, ‘I'm on a business call.'”
The Property Brothers star said the encounter was upsetting to him because it meant his kids saw him working too much at home.
“It was heartbreaking for me because he just saw me on calls all the time. So that was a wake-up for me to not be on my phone when I'm around the kids,” he continued. “To show them that I'm actually present, I'm listening to their questions, I'm answering, I'm playing with them.”
A clip of Parker handing a phone to his dad, who was also already on his own phone, was then shown in the video.
Advertisement
“For me, the balance with family is very important,” he said in the clip. Scott then shared examples of how he's been trying to have a better work-life balance, including going home if he has a lunch break on filming days to make sure he's there for his daughter's at-home music classes.
“It's a small thing but for me to be present there, I can see it in Piper's face, she gets excited. And for me, it's heartwarming and I love it," he said. "But if I was just to be in my busy, busy work pace, I would do calls over my lunch and I would skip that. Then all of a sudden I would look back years from now and think I missed these crucial points in my baby's life."
Drew Scott and wife Linda Phan with their kids Parker and PiperCredit: Charley Gallay/Getty
He concluded the video by leaving his followers with an important piece of advice.
“Establish what your priorities are,” he said while displaying photos of his parents, as well as snaps of himself with his twin brother Jonathan Scott. “Even if you don't have kids, maybe it's nice to spend a bit more time with your parents, maybe it's nice to spend some time with your siblings, or your best friends.”
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
He then explained why it's so important to refrain from letting work take over your personal life.
“It's going to feel pretty empty at the end of your career or at the end of your life if you look back and all you did was work. And don't be that person checking your phone when you're hanging out with family,” Scott concluded.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
