Celebrating Father’s Day!

Bachelor Nation fans know Evan Bass from Season 12 of “The Bachelorette” and Season 3 of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

The father of five has three sons with his first wife — Ensley, Liam and Nathan — and two children with Carly Waddell.

Carly and Evan announced their divorce in December 2020, but they continue to co-parent their daughter Bella and son Charlie.

Now, Evan is stopping by to chat with BachelorNation.com exclusively about Father’s Day and what it means to him to be a dad.

Check out Evan’s full interview below!

Bachelor Nation: Happy Father’s Day, Evan! We wanted to start off by asking what being a dad means to you.

Evan Bass: Thank you! Being a great dad is my highest calling. It also happens to be the calling I enjoy the most. Every moment of time invested with my children is special and meaningful, even in the mundane. My life has been a roller coaster, and, like all dads should, making sure my children see me go through the ups and downs but not take on the burdens of the ups and downs is something I strive for daily. I want them to make better mistakes than I do and learn from both my strengths and weaknesses. I want to build generational wealth, not so much in money, but in rich love.

BN: That is so beautiful! What is your ideal way to celebrate Father’s Day?

EB: I’m going to take the kids to a soccer match and get as many hugs and kisses as possible. As long as I can spend quality uninterrupted time around my kids I’ll be happy!

BN: Sounds like a perfect day! How would you say fatherhood has changed you?

EB: Before I became a dad and when I was a younger dad, I was quite frenetic. I felt kind of blown about by life. Having kids has helped me calm down and use better vision to look beyond a current moment. They bring me great peace and an unquenchable joy that only grows year after year. Their love has strengthened my character and, as I’ve increased in the number of children and the length of time I’ve been a dad, I’ve become much more intentional about how I live my life, which benefits us all. I’m grateful that my kids have given me the grace to round into a great dad.

BN: What a special journey. What has surprised you most about fatherhood over the years?

EB: It’s impossible to sneak anything by the kids. They are so perceptive and know me on some psychic level that no one else does. Also, the much-maligned teenage years have been some of the best! Being the dad of teenagers is a blast! Thought it was supposed to be terrible, haha. Can’t wait for Bella to grow into that stage.

BN: Absolutely! How would your kids describe you as a dad?

EB: A sounding board, funny, an advocate, young and very cool with a great sense of style and panache. Well, those are my interpretations. Bella would just say, “Daddyyyyy, you’re silllyyyyyyy.”

BN: Ha! Love it. Do you have a favorite part of fatherhood?

EB: My fav part of fatherhood is watching the kids hit milestones from walking and potty training to the athletic championships, MVPs, and achievement awards. I also love watching the kids stay faithful in their school, jobs, and watching Bella and Charlie finish drawing a picture is beautiful.

BN: All the milestones are so special! And as a dad, what do you hope your children learn from you?

EB: I hope my children learn the Japanese philosophy “wabi-sabi.” “A certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect.” I want them to understand that perfection is an illusion and that getting better is the best goal. You may see or feel a snapshot of “perfection,” but circumstances change, and I want them focused on learning, growing, and working towards being better humans.

BN: That’s a great philosophy to live by! Do you have a proudest moment as a dad?

EB: We recently took a trip to the beach, and all the kids, with their vast age differences, spent an entire day relaxing in a cabana (or palapa, in “Bachelor in Paradise” terms). We told stories, we laughed, we ate, we napped, and of course Bella was tickled by all her brothers. They ENJOYED one another. It was stunning to see all the kids not just “getting along” but loving a moment in time and connecting deeply. Really, what else is there?

BN: What an incredible moment! Sounds so special. And last but not least, will you let your children watch your Bachelor Nation journey one day?

EB: I show Bella clips all the time! I was recently on an episode where I caught a pass from Jordan Rodgers (It was a very long, difficult, almost impossibly brilliant catch) and I rewound it a few times to show them. The youngers don’t really get it yet, but the boys respected the game.