A decade after attending high school together, HGTV stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt reconnected and fell in love. By that time, Brian was divorced and Mika was a single mom to her daughter Jade — but they quickly became a family of three.
On April 24, 2025, the “100 Day Dream Home” stars opened up about their co-parenting journey on WFLA’s “Maggie & The Moms” show, with Brian revealing that becoming a “bonus dad” to Jade has been “one of the best things to ever happen to me.”
Brian Kleinschmidt Met Daughter Jade Before She Was 2
Brian has been vocal about his crush on Mika when they attended the same Florida high school. But they didn’t find a love connection until years later, when she accidentally included him in an email to other classmates, they told Tampa Bay Parenting in 2024. That led to a date, and then quickly falling in love, Mika told “Maggie & the Moms” host Maggie Rodriguez.
“I’m very independent, I wasn’t looking to jump into a relationship,” Mika said. “(But) there’s just a trust and comfort there (with Brian) and I think that really is from planting the seed in high school and just knowing what a great guy he was then.”
“It was just crazy how things, they felt right,” she continued. “I mean, we kind of moved quickly, because once we went on that first date, within a few months it was like, we’re running a business together. It just went really, really fast, right?”
“Yeah, it was love at first sight when I first met Mika in high school,” Brian gushed, “but it was almost more love at first sight when I met Jade. She was 18-months-old and it’s crazy that she just turned 16 years old. So I’ve been in Jade’s life pretty much her entire life and (it’s) one of the best things to ever happen to me.”
“I don’t like the word stepdad, so I say ‘bonus dad,'” he continued. “She calls me Brian. I mean, she’s my best friend.”
Tapping Mika on the shoulder, Brian sweetly clarified, “One of my best friends. But Jade is fantastic and I’m so glad that both of you are in my life.”
On Jade’s 16th birthday in February, Brian posted a series of videos with Jade on Instagram and wrote, “These past 16 years have been the SWEETEST of my entire life! 💕 Happy Birthday to my favorite daughter. 🥳 I love to love you Jade. 🤟”
Brian Kleinschmidt Says He Quickly Became ‘Friends’ With Jade & It Took Time to Step Into Parenting Role
Mika and Brian are both outgoing, extroverted personalities, but told Rodriguez that it’s been interesting learning the best ways to co-parent Jade, who is “so different” than they are.
“Jade’s a little more introverted, unlike both of us,” Mika laughed. “We’ve had to really learn to hone in to that.”
The Kleinschmidts said Jade is a “great kid” who rarely needs disciplining as a teen, but Mika told Rodriguez that in their early years of parenting her together, Brian played more of a “friend” role.
“I feel like in the beginning I was definitely the disciplinary person and Brian was like, ‘Oh, it’s okay,” — you know, more of the friend,” she explained, adding that it was a challenge to feel like he was siding with Jade or downplaying her rules. “But I do think that now, we’re probably 50/50 on, like, the discipline and just making sure we have open conversations with her about life and things that are happening in her life.”
“But I really feel like she’s been blessed to have him in her life,” she said. “He brings so much to the table.”
One of those benefits is Brian’s ability to keep Mika calm or take over during stressful situations, the couple revealed, including teaching Jade how to drive. The Kleinschmidts both went for Jade’s first time behind the wheel recently, with Mika in the backseat — and it did not go well, they laughed.
“I think I made her nervous because I’m freaking out,” Mika admitted, noting that she was making noises and flinching in the backseat until Jade announced she couldn’t handle having both of them in the car. Mika then got out, and Brian calmly took over.
“I would not want to parent with anybody else,” Mika later said, “because I really do feel like we have different styles. Brian can stay calm in times where I’m frantic, so it’s like he grounds me a little bit.”
“I remember the first day I met Jade, I was so nervous to meet her,” Brian told Rodriguez. “She came down the stairs, Mika was holding her, and she was a little shy.”
After giving her a stuffed animal he brought, Brian said, “Barriers broke down, we became friends right away, and nothing’s been the same (since) in all of our lives, really.”
New episodes of “100 Day Dream Home” air Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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HGTV’s Brian Kleinschmidt Calls Being a Bonus Dad One of the ‘Best Things to Ever Happen to Me’