Insightful Reflections from ‘Modern Family’ Star Julie Bowen on Teenagers’ Questionable Choices
Emmy-winning actress Julie Bowen candidly shares her experience as a single parent raising three boys, offering valuable insights on navigating the challenges of parenting She humorously reflects on teenagers' propensity for making silly decisions
Julie Bowen, 53, reveals that as her three teenage boys grow older, their problems become more significant. Despite their occasional foolish decisions, the Modern Family alum finds humor in their antics. During an exclusive interview, while promoting her collaboration with Life Cereal, she jokingly recalls the times when her sons Oliver (16) and twins Gus and John (14) were younger and even more mischievous.
"They would engage in self-destructive behaviors like sticking their fingers in sockets, pulling objects by their cords from high surfaces, and even purposely hitting themselves in the head," Bowen recounted. "It was as if they had a desire for death, and it was our responsibility to intervene. It was utterly draining."
Now, in collaboration with Life Cereal, Bowen has joined forces with a national hotline to encourage fans to share their insights on parenting. She urges mothers and fathers to dial the "If You Know, You Know" hotline at 1-855-4-IFYKYK (1-855-443-9595) to either offer their valuable parenting advice or discover innovative tips and techniques from other participants. Additionally, a select few fortunate callers will have the opportunity to personally share their guidance with her.
Bowen says her most important tip for raising teenagers involves transportation and finding ways to communicate with her kids.
Julie Bowen, speaking at an event, shared her thoughts on why she personally prefers driving her kids around instead of using services like Uber or hiring someone. According to her, boys, in particular, tend not to engage in conversation easily. However, when driving with them, she believes that eventually they open up and have meaningful conversations. Therefore, despite the inconvenience of driving long distances to places she doesn't necessarily want to go, she values the few minutes of genuine conversation that she wouldn't have had otherwise.
Parents are encouraged to allow their children to select the music they listen to in the car, as long as they refrain from using their mobile phones. For additional guidance, moms and dads can reach out to Bowen via the Life Cereal hotline. Bowen thoroughly enjoys engaging with individuals on the helpline, making the parenting journey a bit more manageable.
"Assisting others in developing their own parenting techniques, while also receiving helpful advice and strategies from individuals nationwide, truly makes me wish I had access to this resource when my own children were younger," she expressed. "Now, as a parent of teenagers, I truly feel the need for it."
Now that the SAG-AFTRA strike has come to an end, Bowen is excitedly anticipating her role in the upcoming 2024 TV series titled Hysteria, which revolves around the journey of a teenage metal band. Despite her two Emmy Awards, celebrity status, and the new gig, her children remain uninterested.
"They long for you to be their mother," Bowen added. "They acknowledge my absence due to work, yet they show no interest in the specifics of my profession nor do they mind."
Part of her job as mom is to face the challenge of monitoring their behavior as they start dating.
She advised her sons to always be kind and considerate, emphasizing that people never truly disappear and should therefore always act as if they will encounter the same person the next day. Furthermore, she strictly instructed them to abstain from sharing any content that they wouldn't want her to see. This cautious approach extends to Bowen herself, who has her own dating guidelines following her divorce from real estate investor Scott Phillips after a 14-year marriage in 2018.
"I would never introduce someone to my children unless I was absolutely certain that I was deeply committed to that individual," she emphasized. "No one deserves to experience such a tumultuous journey."
