Patrick Dempsey reveals tough side of parenting while in Hollywood

Patrick Dempsey is sharing candidly on the challenging aspects of being a public figure dad.

The 57-year-old Ferrari actor acknowledges in this week's People magazine cover story that his children "want to have their own identity, separate from me and that shadow."

"They all have unique qualities and they have their own goals that they need to develop and harvest themselves and we just try to model our behaviour and hopefully they’ll pick up on that," he speaks of his 16-year-old twin sons Sullivan and Darby, and daughter Talula, who is 21. He shares all of them with his wife Jillian.

"They’re all athletic, they like to move. They are all very disciplined on that and you just try to instil the right values. Hopefully, they have the right manners and when they come back in and other parents go, 'Oh your children are very polite,' you’re like, 'That’s nice to hear.' And you know are they grounded."

The Grey's Anatomy star notes that it's "very challenging having your children grow up in Hollywood and to be in that environment."

"I just read something about how important it is when you have children, the environment that they’re in will be the most important thing for them and their development," he shares.

"So trying to keep that a good calm loving safe environment for them."

The recently crowned Sexiest Man Alive now gives his youngsters the credit for constantly making him aware of his surroundings.

“They keep me very active,” he says. “I need to stay in shape to keep up with them. The older you get, the more work you have to put in.”