Nate Berkus Recalls Moment with Daughter Poppy That Made Him ‘Burst Into Tears’ (Exclusive)

NEED TO KNOW

• Nate Berkus opened up to PEOPLE about how his daughter Poppy recently moved him and his husband Jeremiah Brent to tears

• Berkus also highlighted his kids’ creativity, with Poppy drawn to design and fashion and Oskar focused on building projects

• The designer’s new partnership with Pepperidge Farm celebrates family rituals with the debut of a limited-edition Chessmen Cookie Board

Nate Berkus is recalling a sweet moment with his and husband Jeremiah Brent’s daughter Poppy that brought the couple to tears.

The interior designer, 54, opened up about how his kids’ creative sides have developed as they’ve gotten older in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE about his new partnership with Pepperidge Farm. Along with Poppy, 11, the couple share 8-year-old son Oskar, both of whom are “incredibly creative, very visual” kids, says Berkus.

While reflecting on both of his children’s personalities, Berkus recalled a recent memory with Poppy that made him and his husband of 12 years quite emotional.

“Our daughter is incredibly artistic, poetic and deeply thoughtful,” he says. “She did this talk about what it means to be a girl at school this past week. And it was like, Jeremiah and I just stared at each other and burst into tears.”

“It was like, ‘Well you should be smart, but not too smart,'” Berkus shared of Poppy’s wise words on how the world thinks a girl should be. “We were like, ‘Oh my God, okay, all of that’s in there. You are a young lady.’”

Referring to both of their kids, he notes, “Their creativity comes out in lots of different ways,” adding that Poppy leans more into beauty, fashion and design.

“Oskar could care less about clothes, but he spends hours building stuff. So he definitely has that side to him as well,” says Berkus.

As his and Brent’s kids get older, Berkus says it’s important for their family to be together and present as much as possible. One way for them to do this is to keep up with small rituals.

“We are very ritualistic as a family,” he tells PEOPLE. “We set the table for every meal — even if it’s a sandwich that we had delivered to the house — it’s on a place mat, on a proper plate with a proper napkin.”

He then explains why this practice is so important, especially when it comes to his kids setting the table in the morning for their own breakfast.

“I think what all of that does is, it just gets you to slow down long enough to appreciate the moment,” he shares. “The idea that your eight-year-old kid is reaching for a linen napkin while he’s having his breakfast burrito. It’s just that he set that table before he sat down and he’s getting his backpack and brushing his teeth, but that’s his job.”

Berkus continues, “That just slows life down enough — these small ceremonies, these small rituals to feel truly comfortable — to stop the clock for just that moment and enjoy what’s actually happening.”

As for his new partnership with Pepperidge Farm, Berkus says his kids are “so excited” about their dad’s latest collaboration.

“Anything that relates to a cookie in our house is absolutely thrilling, from Jeremiah baking cookies on the weekends, which is a huge thing in our house,” he adds.

Berkus is teaming up with the cookie brand to debut the new Chessmen Cookie Board, which is being released in two limited drops on April 22 and April 29 at 10 a.m. ET. The $60 accent piece, which reflects a chessboard-inspired design, represents Berkus’ appreciation of simple rituals that can be elevated with an “effortless everyday display,” per a press release.

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“This partnership with Pepperidge Farm is really sweet. It’s like this blend of nostalgia marrying modern design,” Berkus tells PEOPLE of the collab. “And as a kid growing up in Minnesota, I remember those were the cookies that my mom saved. We were allowed to eat whatever cookie we wanted, but those, especially if they weren’t opened, we asked.”

Inspired by three new Chessmen flavors — Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Sugar and Brown Butter Pecan — the board reflects a color palette of rich caramel and brown butter hues, while also incorporating a hidden compartment in the base that’s perfect for storing cookies.

Read the original article on People