David Burtka's relationship advice is like icing on the cake—sweet and satisfactory.
While the Broadway star has been married to Neil Patrick Harris for eight years, they've actually been together for two decades. So it's safe to say that David knows a thing or two about how to have a successful romance. But the Celebrity Dish host kept it real, exclusively telling E! News that "every marriage hits rough spots and that's just the way it is."
"Having open lines of communication is super important in your marriage," he shared. "Going to see someone to talk about your issues as a couple, there's nothing wrong with that."
The Broadway star also said that "marriage is work," but it's when you stop putting in the effort that the spark starts to fade.
As he put it, "You have to take care of your marriage, you have to go on dates, you have to see someone, if you can, to talk about it."
And David, who shares 12-year-old twins Harper and Gideon with Neil, stressed that butting heads with your partner is not only normal but healthy.
"Being able to fight and being able to make up is really important," David said. "And having your kids see that you fight and seeing that you're able to make up is important."
He added, "I think all of those aspects are important to a happy marriage."
The professional chef also noted how crucial it is for him and the How I Met Your Mother actor to create memories with their twins.
"Any time spent with your family is valuable time," David gushed. "Having a conversation with your kids is so important. Talking to your kids as normal human beings, not having the baby talk, it makes your kids feel like they're equal with you."
And with the holidays right around the corner, the longtime couple has plans to spend even more time together.
"I have every single cookie cutter shape for every single holiday," David, who partnered with Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean Laundry Detergent, said. "Whether it's Valentine's Day or Thanksgiving or Christmas, I always have sugar cookie dough in my freezer and we always do a sugar cookie party at our house."
"I have all my friends come in and the kids decorate the cookies and when they go to bed, we make them better," he quipped. "We jazz them up and make them look a little more presentable."