Kris Smith counts himself as "really fortunate" ex Dannii Mingoue doesn’t hold their child against him.
The 38-year-old former rugby player and the singer had son Ethan, seven, during their relationship – which ended in 2012 after four years together – but the ex-sportsman knows he is "one very lucky man" that she hasn’t used the youngster as a "vice".
He said: "Dannii has always been understanding of where I am and what I do and vice-versa so I’m really fortunate in that respect.
"She’s never held him against me, she’s never used him as a vice and I think I’m one very lucky man for that reason."
Kris lives in Australia, more than 9,000 miles away from his seven-year-old son Ethan’s UK home, and while he finds the distance difficult, he is delighted to be able to video call Ethan on a regular basis.
He added: "There’s nothing I would change, there’s nothing I would swap for it, the good times the bad times, the only hard part is the separation.
"Me being here, him being there … But we’re a flight away. Thank God for FaceTime."
Kris is pleased with how Ethan is developing into a "very smart and caring" guy with good manners.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, he added: "He’s really good, and amazing young boy, and he’s turned into a real gentleman.
"He’s got all his wits about him, all his manners about him, he’s very smart, very caring … I’m just besotted with him still."
Dannii recently admitted Ethan still hasn’t worked out that she is a pop star.
She said: "I’m not sure that he quite puts it all together because he’s never there at the show."