Brandon Barash Shares Father's Day Wisdom

This year on Father’s Day, Brandon Barash (Stefan, Days of Our Lives ) will be celebrating double now that he has nine-month-old son Joaquin along with 10-year-old daughter Harper. And despite the success he’s found in acting, he knows that his most important role ever is Dad.

“I’ve always said, ‘No matter what job I have, no matter what role I play, no matter what accolades I will ever receive for [my acting work], no job will be more important than my job as a father in this life,’” Barash declared to Soap Opera Digest . “It’s just what I was made to do; I was made to bring children into this world and teach them love, compassion, and kindness, and how to leave this place better than it was the day they arrived.

“If I can go to sleep at night and ask myself, ‘Are my kids happy? Do they feel loved? Do they feel worthy? Do they feel safe?’ and the answer is yes, then my job is done as a father for that day.” he continued. “It is incredibly fulfilling to have another life to be able to give myself to.”

Following their divorce, Barash and ex-wife Kirsten Storms (Maxie, General Hospital ) were determined to co-parent Harper the best they could and have succeeded admirably. Now welcoming Joaquin with wife Isabella Devoto, he is thrilled to be raising another child.

“The biggest thing as far as being a parent for me is the notion that these children are conceived and born without their consent,” Barash explained. They have no say whether they’re here on this planet or not. We choose to bring them into this life, into this world. So it’s up to us to give them the absolute best experience possible. That’s when relationships with oneself transform. That’s when priorities shift. And it’s really one of the most — if not the most — beautiful part of this life, giving yourself to that child and to those circumstances, while still maintaining a very strong sense of self.”