Julie Bowen, like her Modern Family character Claire, has her hands full at home having to tend to her software engineer husband of seven years Scott Phillips and the couple's son Oliver, 6, and twins John and Gustav, 4. As she continues to film the Emmy-winning Modern Family, Bowen strives to reach a middle ground raising her boys. "[I've learned that] being your kids' best friend is not always the best parenting choice," Bowen has said.
To celebrate the return of Modern Family (the series, costarring Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, runs previous seasons in syndication on USA), Us Weekly rounded up five of Bowen's hilariously optimistic parenting quips that demonstrate that in her family, motherhood can often times be laugh out loud funny.
"I was class mom at the preschool one year and I was pretty much asked not to do that again! I would set up meetings for all the moms in class and forget to show up — not because I'm a dingbat, but because schedule changes. It turns out that's a full time job! I thought class mom made a phone call once a year. No, no, no! It's a daily job!" – to Us Weekly on her efforts to get involved at her kids' preschool.
"Immaculate conception is the only way another kid is coming out of me! I love my children, but no mas!" – to Us Weekly when asked if she'll expand her family.
"It's not about everybody being happy all the time. It's about setting limits. In my house that makes my kids very unhappy, like tantrums-on-the-ground-twice-a-day unhappy. But the limits are set." – to Working Mother magazine on how her disciplinary tactics are often received.
"If I wasn't a mom, I think it'd be harder to understand what it is to live with a child and hate and love them all at once. Claire does that with her kids, and I do that with mine. There's always this undercurrent of love, but there are moments when I really wouldn't mind if a giant hook just pulled them off the stage of my life! I think that's how Claire feels. But if I wasn't a parent, I think that dichotomy would confuse me." – to Us Weekly on how she manages not to tear all her hair out as a mom.
"My favorite mommy must-have is an excuse to get out of the house. My job. Get out! My doctor told me, 'Only give 70 percent. You'll hate them if you give 100 percent of yourself.' I took that advice to heart. I run to my job. I love my job." – to Us Weekly on how she carves out 'me time.'
Modern Family airs five nights a week on USA.
