Watch: Ashton Kutcher Reveals How His Wife and Children Have Changed His Life

04/09/2017 09:55 pm EDT

Ashton Kutcher paid tribute to his wife Mila Kunis and their two children, among others, during an emotional speech in his native state of Iowa.

E! News reports the 39-year-old actor accepted the Robert D. Ray Pilliar of Character Award on Saturday at the Ron Pearson Center in West Des Moines, Iowa. He won the award because he demonstrates "good character as a role model," but in his speech mentioned the most influential people in his life and how they have affected his character over the years.

Kutcher said that the impact of character is that "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you learn from the mistakes that you make and how you perceive the world that's coming at you."

"Because life doesn't happen to you, it happens for you. Every. Single. Time," he said. "And as long as you have love and kindness and optimism and a pursuit of something greater in your heart, you're the lucky one. So this award is for you. It is for my family, it's for all four of my parents, it's for my wife, who kicks my ass on character every day."

MORE: Watch: Mila Kunis Gushes Over Her Children's Strong Sibling Bond

"I mean, I'm telling you, this morning, I woke up and she kicked my ass on character," the actor continued. "I thought I was awesome because I got up early and helped with the kids before she woke up and I let her sleep a little bit and then she's like, 'Well, now you're gonna act tired? I do it every day.' But it was a character moment, right? Because she's right!"

The two most influential people in his life are his children, 2 and ½ year old daughter Wyatt and 4-month-old son Dimitri.

"But the greatest, greatest lesson in character in my life are my kids," Kutcher said in his speech. "When I had these kids, my wife and I had these kids and we got to share that amazing, amazing, amazing honor, my first response was, I wanted to call my parents and say, 'I'm sorry, because I never knew how much you loved me.'"

[H/T: Twitter / @enews]

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