Brody Jenner Says He Plans to Be the 'Exact Opposite' of Parent Caitlyn Jenner

Brody Jenner is not sugarcoating things when it comes to how his childhood has affected his new life as a dad. The 39-year-old DJ and former reality star welcomed daughter Honey Raye Jenner with his fiancée, Tia Blanco, last month, and in a new YouTube video, the former The Hills star opens up about his internal struggle with becoming a father. 

"To be totally honest here, I didn't really know if I could really have kids. I just had no idea," Brody shared. "Going into this relationship, Tia was the absolute perfect person. She is my better half. She is the most incredible woman I've ever met in my entire life, and I think the universe does things the way it's supposed to." 

Admitting that the couple got pregnant "very fast," Brody added that he knows Tia is "the right one… with all my heart." 

As for what he's looking forward to in fatherhood, Brody said it's about not repeating the mistakes of the past. 

"I think that what I'm most excited about is doing things differently than my father did. Growing up I didn't have the greatest relationship with then-Bruce [now Caitlyn Jenner]," Brody explained, noting that Caitlyn, "wasn't really around for me growing up. So I think that just doing the exact opposite, being the absolute best father I could possibly be and getting ready for the journey and just so very excited."

A source tells ET, “Brody is so excited about being a dad. He is taking his role as a father very seriously. He feels fulfilled and wants to have a strong family unit, especially since he didn’t have a fatherly figure growing up. Being with Tia and having a daughter has slowed him down and grounded him. He’s looking forward to this new chapter and to creating his own new memories. It is healing to him in a way."

Brody is the son of the former Olympian and Linda Thompson. Caitlyn also shares son Brandon Jenner with Linda. Caitlyn is also a parent to Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner with ex-wife Kris Jenner. Caitlyn shares older siblings Burt Jenner and Cassandra Marino with ex Chrystie Scott. 

"Brody is super close with his mom and they live near each other and talk all the time," the source adds. "Linda will be very involved and is thrilled for Brody and Tia."

During a 2019 episode of The Hills: New Beginnings, Brody spoke about his estranged relationship with Caitlyn. 

"I didn't really grow up with my dad," Brody said at the time. "I didn't really, you know? When I was really little, we got to spend a little bit of time. When he started, you know, obviously with the family, the Kardashian family and all of that, I didn't really see much of him."

Caitlyn, who came out as transgender in 2015, has since become more a part of Brody's life. She was spotted attending Brody and Tia's baby shower in the YouTube clip. 

"Bruce was just never really around," Brody said on The Hills. "Every so often, maybe once every couple of years. He wasn't around for my graduation. He wasn't around for most of my birthdays. So, yeah, there really wasn't any relationship. It was very surface. Eventually we started to become closer. And then all of a sudden it was like… I was just getting to know Bruce and then Bruce became Caitlyn."

Brody added of Caitlyn's transition, "Caitlyn is a totally different person than Bruce. It's her true self, but Bruce was always holding a lot back and being somebody totally different."

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