Ty Burrell Says He Struggled to Reach His Teen Daughters. Then He Wrote a Note

Ty Burrell described parenting challenges with his teenage daughters, Frances and Greta, noting that his wife can have more confidential talks with them. He found greater success using written notes, which give his daughters space to absorb messages without immediate pressure to respond. He emphasized learning how to talk to teenagers without sounding like a lecture or monologuing. As his daughters grew older, he adjusted to reduced closeness, including a shift from sitting on his lap after dinners to stopping at some point. He also noted that teenagers may still show vulnerability, such as Greta asking for a tuck-in at night, which makes everything feel different. Co-parenting after divorce involves small systems and compromises to keep households running smoothly.

"“I know that my wife is able to have more confidential talks with them,” Burrell, 58, told Dylan. Eventually, he found another approach. “I'm finding more success through written notes,” Burrell shared, saying the change gave his daughters room to absorb what he wanted to say without feeling pressured to respond in the moment."

"Burrell said the bigger lesson was learning how to talk to teenagers without sounding like a lecture, or “monologuing” as Bowen jokingly called it. As his daughters have gotten older, Burrell said he has had to adjust to the reality that teenagers do not always want the same closeness they once did."

"He recalled that his older daughter used to sit on his lap at the end of dinners - “even in restaurants” - until one day it simply stopped. “There was some moment,” he said. “I don't remember what it was. That change, Burrell admitted, can be difficult as a parent because “you never know when the last time's gonna be.”"

"At the same time, he said, teenagers can still surprise you with moments of vulnerability. Burrell described how Greta can spend an entire day acting like she wants nothing to do with him before suddenly calling out at night, “Can I get a tuck-in?” When that happens, he said, “Everything drops.”"

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