Julie Bowen tries to not compare herself to other mothers on social media. “I don’t put a lot of stock in the things I see online,” the Modern Family actress wisely told Us Weekly at the Tiny Prints Baby2Baby Holiday Wrapping Party in L.A. But vacation pictures are another story for the mom of Oliver, 10, and twins John and Gustav, 8, with software developer Scott Phillips.
“Travel photos make me jealous,” admitted Bowen. “That’s the one that hurts. Not the perfect parents. When I see pictures of people standing on top of a temple in Tibet, I’m like, ‘I want to go.’ But that’s not exactly the most kid-friendly spot.”
Meanwhile, Bowen has nothing but raves about her recent trip back home to Baltimore, Maryland, where she played tourist with her boys and visited historic ships and a submarine. “Baltimore is where Francis Scott Key wrote the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’” she raved. “My kids were like, ‘This is awesome!’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, it kind of is!’”
When they weren’t exploring the harbor, the two-time Emmy winner and her kids hiked around in the woods near where she grew up. “When they were little all they did was break things so we needed to go somewhere that was safe — any play space. I was like, ‘Please, padded rooms!’” Bowen told Us. “But they’re older now. So in Baltimore I took them on a walk down to a stream and we climbed over and logs. Anything I get to do with them in nature I love.”
Baby2Baby is a nonprofit organization that provides low-income children with diapers, clothing and basic necessities.
